Summer in the City
April 2009
Dear Friend,
We are pleased to update you on news, resources and events related to Boston's after-school community. This edition highlights summer opportunities.
As summer approaches, it is worth noting the enormous potential it holds for closing the achievement gap. Summer enrichment and education opportunities abound in the city: Boston offers almost 900 program opportunities and nearly 9,000 summer jobs for teenagers. Approximately three-quarters of these programs operate every weekday. Still, according to our recent survey of organizations in BOSTONavigator, 76% of summer programs report that they did not have the capacity to serve all the youth who sought to participate last summer.
Fortunately, Boston will benefit from several new sources of funds this summer. Just last week, the board of the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) approved $2.5 million for "summer-only" vouchers for eligible families with school-age children. By tapping Child Care Development and Block Grant (CCDBG) funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), EEC will help address summer learning loss in Boston and across the state.
Similarly, an infusion of federal Workforce Investment Act stimulus funds, combined with the City's commitment to youth employment, will translate into 800 new jobs for teenagers this summer. In addition to providing valuable early work experience for teenagers, programs that serve as work sites will benefit from free, work-ready staff to assist with programs for younger children.
On a related note, Boston After School & Beyond, in partnership with the Boston Centers for Youth & Families (BCYF), won a national grant from the MetLife Foundation to pilot an apprenticeship program for 20 teenagers who aspire to become baseball umpires. This new group of trained, certified umpires will allow BCYF to run a citywide summer youth baseball league.
Finally, we are grateful to the more than 400 people who made A Decade of Achievement: Celebrating Boston’s After School Movement such a memorable event. Among the many highlights, public and private leaders urged the field -- providers, schools, public agencies, philanthropic partners, and intermediaries -- to collaborate more effectively in order to meet the needs of Boston's youth.
We look forward to working with you to support, strengthen and expand Boston's after school system.
Sincerely,
Chris Smith
Executive Director
EEC Supports Summer Learning
EEC Board Recommends Economic Stimulus Funds Be Used For Summer-Only Care
On Tuesday, April 14, 2009, the board of the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) approved $2.5 million for "summer-only" care vouchers for eligible families with school-age children. Funds come from the Child Care Development and Block Grant (CCDBG), which will be provided to EEC through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Mayor Menino and leaders from the Boston Foundation, Nellie Mae Education Foundation, the United Way of Mass Bay and Merrimack Valley, and an anonymous foundation, have emphasized the need to use stimulus funds to provide additional summer programming to help close the achievement gap.
Need Help This Summer?
With new funding from the federal Workforce Investment Act, combined with state and city funds, Boston will be able to subsidize the wages of approximately 800 additional teenagers who meet certain eligibility requirements. If your organization is interested in serving as a work site for one or more teenagers this summer, please contact either the Boston Private Industry Council (PIC) or Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD) for more information. The PIC and ABCD will identify and prepare the students, as well as manage payroll for qualified organizations. To learn more, please contact:
Kim Van Dyke, PIC, at 617-423-3755 or kim.vandyke@bostonpic.org
Aaron Tanimoto, ABCD, at 617-348-6546 or tanimoto@bostonabcd.org
New Research
Unmet Need for Summer Programming in Boston: Report of Findings from 2008 Web Survey
Boston Beyond conducted a web survey of youth program providers following the summer of 2008. Over 100 organizations participated in the survey, and 76% reported that they did not have the capacity to serve every youth that sought summer programming in 2008.
Financial Strategies to Support Citywide Systems of Out-of-School Time Programs
As municipal leaders across the United States begin to build citywide systems of out-of-school time (OST) programs that bring real benefits to children, they also are seeking ways to finance these efforts, especially in a time of fiscal austerity. Prepared by the National League of Cities with support from The Wallace Foundation, this guide describes four financial strategies cities have used successfully to support OST system-building.
The Cost of Quality Out-of-School-Time Programs
In January, The Wallace Foundation released one of the most comprehensive studies to date analyzing the costs, funding streams, and expenditures of a wide range of high-quality out-of-school time (OST) programs. Accompanying the study is a companion online calculator that generates cost estimates for programs. This online “Out-of-school time cost calculator” helps users calculate the costs of various options for high quality OST programs.
Is your summer program in BOSTONavigator?
Add or update your information in time for summer
Now is the time for youth and families to plan for summer so make sure your opportunities are listed and up-to-date. To be listed on BOSTONavigator, programs must be located in Boston, provide supervision for youth ages 5-18, and operate during out-of-school time. E-mail help@bostonavigator.org or call 617-345-5322 x170 to register for a username and password, then log on to enter information about your programs.