Learn24 Wishes All a Safe and Successful School Year 2021-22
As District residents begin School Year 2021-22, the Office of Out of School Time Grants and Youth Outcomes (OST Office), located in the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education (DME) would like to wish all students, families, teachers, school staff, youth development workers, and community members a safe and successful school year. It is important that we as a community do our best to follow the prevention measures and protocols set forth by experienced health care officials, wear a mask, practice proper hand hygiene, physical distance (when possible), and get vaccinated (when applicable).
Set goals. Stay focused.
Have a great school year!
The Institute for Youth Development is committed to providing youth development professionals with an opportunity to gain practical skills that can be implemented in their interactions with youth immediately. This listing of upcoming workshops helps promote a positive environment with youth.
Register now! Space is limited.
The Commission on Out of School Time Grants and Youth Outcomes will hold a public meeting on Thursday, September 23, 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.
Individuals and representatives of organizations who wish to comment at a public meeting are asked to notify the OST Office in advance 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, September 21st at 5:00 pm.
Register here to attend.
 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.
Offering an Interactive Environment
In last month’s edition, the Supportive Environment domain was presented. In this month’s issue, the Interactive Environment domain is featured.
The components of the Interactive Environment and some strategies to apply to programming are described below.
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Experience Belonging - Youth have the opportunity to foster a sense of belonging. This includes opportunities for youth to get to know each other, promoting the development of inclusive relationships, youth identifying with the program, and public acknowledgement of achievements.
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Be in Small Groups - Programs provide youth the opportunity to collaborate and work cooperatively with others. Being in small groups includes opportunities to work cooperatively, having interdependent roles, and shared goals.
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Lead and Mentor - Youth have the opportunity to facilitate for the group and mentor other youth. Through leadership, youth can practice group process skills, have mentoring opportunities, and allow all youth the opportunity to lead the group.
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Partner with Adults - The ability for youth to partner with adults is important. Staff should share control with youth and expectations should be explained. In addition to giving expectations, staff should provide an explanation as to why parameters are set.
Once programming has all the components, it is considered to have a strong Interactive Environment. An interactive environment is essential to help youth feel welcome and included. Youth that are safe and supported will be able to interact in the program. The October edition of the newsletter will focus on the final domain, Engaging Environment.
Explore additional resources about the David P. Weikart Youth Program Quality model for Program Quality at this link.
Mentor Maryland DC, will host the DC State of Mentoring Forum bringing together mentoring program leaders, practitioners, and stakeholders from around the DC metro area to learn about what was uncovered at the DC Townhall Series and how to move forward together. It will also be an opportunity to network in person, after a long physical hiatus. Register to attend here.
Fair Chance DC is currently accepting applications from nonprofits in Washington DC that are looking to enhance their performance and impact in the community to the next level. The Praxis Partnership is a free, one-year capacity building program for nonprofits who serve children, youth, and families experiencing poverty and are ready to take the organization to the next level. The ideal applicant for Praxis is an organization with an annual budget somewhere between $350-750K, that is trying to build its board and infrastructure, and improve upon programs and outcomes. The Praxis Partnership is specially tailored for nonprofits looking to strengthen leadership, systems, and procedures to foster sustainability and growth. The priority is organizations with leaders who have shared lived experience with the communities they serve. The deadline to apply is Friday, October 1, 2021 at 5:00 pm. Learn more about this opportunity here.
The Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE), recently released a report exploring the pandemic’s effects on student well-being, social emotional development, and ability to learn. In this paper, the panel situates these findings in context and offers an agenda for researchers and practitioners to work from in the years ahead. This report is designed to help system leaders, community leaders, policymakers, researchers, philanthropies, the media, and others to define ambitious goals and clear metrics that ensure our education system meets every student’s needs over the coming years. Read the entire report here.
This Afterschool Alliance report provides new insights about STEM learning in afterschool, a look at trends in afterschool STEM learning, areas for further exploration, and recommendations to ensure all young people have access to high quality afterschool STEM opportunities. Key findings from this report include, but not limited to:
- Opportunities for STEM learning are on the rise in afterschool programs
- Parents increasingly see afterschool as important for STEM learning
- Programs are serving students underrepresented in STEM careers
- STEM opportunities are not evenly distributed to all families
- Fewer students benefit due to increased barriers to afterschool participation
Read the entire article here.
The Office of Out of School Time Grants and Youth Outcomes (OST Office) and Office for Students in the Care of D.C. (SCDC), located in the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education (DME), and the District of Columbia Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS) invites high-performing, fiscally responsible, non-profits to apply for the Fiscal Year 2022 Students in the Care of DC Out of School Time Coordinating Entity at the Youth Services Center Request for Applications (RFA). Applications must be submitted by Monday, September 20, 2021 at 5:00 pm.
View the complete RFA here.
The Classics for Kids Foundations offers matching grants to schools and nonprofit organizations to strengthen music education and string instrument programs. Grants are designed to forge strong local connections between students, families, and communities. The deadline to apply is Thursday, September 30, 2021. For more information regarding eligibility criteria, click here.
The D'Addario Foundation is accepting letters of inquiry from programs that bring music back into communities and schools and get kids playing as early and as frequently as possible. The D'Addario Foundation is recognized as a global leader in finding, funding, and partnering with transformative music education organizations. Prospective grantees must complete a letter of inquiry by October 30, 2021. Learn more at www.daddariofoundation.org/grants.
The Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation is currently accepting applications for its Philanthropic Arts ("P/Arts") Program. The "P/Arts" Program will award organizations that use art and art education to create a more immersive and engaging atmosphere for learners. Grants of up to $25,000 will be awarded to local non-profit, tax-exempt public charities, accredited schools, universities, government agencies, or public agencies. Grant applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. Prospective applications must submit a letter of inquiry before applying. Learn more about selection criteria, deadlines, subject areas, and more here.
Weekly newsletter of funding opportunities.
 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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