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The Commission on Out of School Time Grants and Youth Outcomes will hold a virtual public meeting on Thursday, January 21, 2021 from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm. The OST Commission will hear updates from the Office of Out of School Time Grants and Youth Outcomes and the OST Commission. Register to attend here.
Individuals and representatives of organizations who wish to comment at a public meeting are asked to notify the OST Office in advance by phone at (202) 481-3932 or by email at learn24@dc.gov. Individuals should furnish their names, addresses, telephone numbers, and organizational affiliation, if any, and if available, submit one electronic copy of their testimony by the close of business on Tuesday, January 19th at 5:00 pm.
The Institute for Youth Development encourages youth development professionals in the District to participate in one of the upcoming workshops to learn new strategies that foster supportive environments for youth.
Register now! Space is limited.
This article by EducationWeek examines various tips, strategies and more to engage with students who may feel a sense of instability as the adults in their lives react to traumatic events. This article discusses some of the following topics:
- Investigate students' emotions, without assumptions
- Provide students space to share
- Recognize how adult behavior impacts children
- Seize teachable moments in the wake of difficult events
Read the entire article here.
A recent publication by the RAND Corporation followed nearly 6,000 students to learn about the short and long-term benefits among students who consistently attended voluntary, summer learning programs. The findings suggest that well-planned, high-quality summer learning programs that combine academics and enrichment can produce meaningful benefits for attendees. Access the full report here.
Gallup released an article examining various ways to increase productivity within teams in a remote setting. Managers, leaders, and organizations are given practical strategies and tactics to keep productivity consistently high in a remote setting. Find ways to build a productive remote environment here.
In the first newsletter of each month, The Institute for Youth Development will highlight a specific indicator from the Weikart Center's Youth Program Quality Assessment (PQA) on promising practices in the field.
Cultural Assumptions
Young people come from an increasingly diverse background. In addition, youth experiment with personal expressions – from dress code to music to language and behavior. As adults, we are sometimes challenged by these actions and may jump to conclusions about who they are and what they do.
Many youth face stereotypes daily. As youth workers individually can be deliberate about not giving into assumptions, and work on this in the work environments. As youth workers begin to think about work places, climate, and environment, it is important to explore ways to enhance and create safer environments for all young people – independent of race, ethnic group, gender, sexual orientation, disability, etc.
There are many ways to express - subtle and not so subtle - stereotypes and biases. These often manifest themselves in a variety of ways. Below, are examples of ways the stereotypes and biases can manifest themselves:
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Language Bias: Dehumanizing, derogatory labels/names; sexist language.
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Example: Using the term, ‘recent graduate’, can sometimes draw assumptions about the level or ability of that person.
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Stereotyping: Members of a group are portrayed in one role, with one characteristic.
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Example: Youth are seen playing football outside during free time so the youth worker assumes this is a high interest for all youth.
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Exclusion: Lack of representation of a group.
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Example: Typically, the same youth are chosen to lead group activities.
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Misinformation: Faulty information is given on a group, event or activity.
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Example: A youth worker tells another adult to watch for a student that will be in the classroom because they had problems out of the student the year prior.
Check out this link for additional information and join us in February for our interactive workshop, Cultural Assumptions from Adultism to Caring.
Weekly newsletter of funding opportunities.
The JAMS Foundation/ACR Initiative for Students and Youth provides grant funding for conflict prevention and dispute resolution programs for K-12 students and adults working with youth populations. This grant opportunity focuses on utilizing conflict resolution education and training to enhance the ability of youth to find their voice and increase feelings of empowerment and safety in settings such as foster care, homeless shelters, domestic violence shelters, and youth correctional facilities. The maximum grant award is $40,000. An initial project description must be submitted no later than January 11, 2021. Learn more here.
The 2021 GroMoreGood Grassroots Grant presented by The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation and KidsGardening is designed to bring the life-enhancing benefits of gardens to communities across the United States. A total of 175 grants worth a collective total of $100,000 will be awarded. Grant amounts range from $500 to $1,000. Applications must be received by Friday, February, 5, 2021 to be considered. For more information, click here.
The After School Advantage (ASA) Program strives to close the "Digital Divide" for children that do not have the means to access computers in today's increasingly digital society. ASA will fund organizations serving underprivileged, at-risk children ages 5 to 18. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. For more information, please click here.
The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation provides grants that range from $500 to several million dollars to organizations working hard to improve the lives of urban children living in poverty. The foundation accepts proposals for specific areas within the education, family economic stability, and childhood health sectors. Programs must be able to demonstrate their progress toward helping children achieve their full potential through measurable data. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, click here for more information regarding eligibility and how to get started.
 For resources and additional information on the District of Columbia Government’s response to coronavirus (COVID-19), please visit coronavirus.dc.gov.
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