Racial equity & anti-bias tools for OST programs & youth workers

Today we are sharing a number of resources for youth workers and out-of-school time programs to support racial equity, build cultural competence, and assess and address bias. Several of these resources also include practical tips and tools for involving youth in social justice. We will publish a blog later this week that focuses specifically on ways programs are involving youth in activism.  

Child Trends: Embedding a Racial Equity Perspective in the Positive Youth Development Approach: This brief explains how youth development programs can embed a racial equity perspective so that they can more effectively engage with, support, and meet the needs of youth and young adults of color whom they serve. The brief defines the terms positive youth development and racial equity lens, and provides a set of principles to guide all programs, regardless of their setting, in embedding a racial equity perspective in their practices.

The Network for Youth Success, NY state’s afterschool network, recommends ACT for Youth resources on assessing unconscious bias among youth work professionals and addresses how supervisors and directors can build cultural competence among program staff.

School’s Out Washington, the state afterschool network of Washington State, has created a set of Racial Equity Resources that includes a brief on racial equity, articles such as Helpful Tips for Leading and Facilitating Conversations on Race, and a list helpful organizations, films and video.

The National After-school Association’s Supporting and Strengthening Racial Equity brief looks at the composition of the afterschool field, and provides policies for leadership diversification and recommendations for supporting emerging leaders of color.

The Anti-Bias Tools and Strategies from the Anti-Defamation League includes resources for educators and communities including classroom tips and strategies, definitions and language, discussion and activity guides, and film discussion and activity guides.