Census Toolkit for the Afterschool Community

How to Become a Census Taker

2020 Census field offices are open and operating with reduced staff to allow for social distancing and support efforts to stop the spread of this coronavirus.

There's still time to apply to become a census taker. Afterschool program staff members and students that meet the minimum age requirement can apply to be a census taker, which is a paid, part-time position.

How can I apply to be a census taker?

The application to be a census taker is available online at the United States Census Bureau's website and takes about 30 minutes to complete. Your local library may also have resources to assist you throughout the application process. Applications are available in English and Spanish.

Afterschool programs can partner with local libraries to train census takers, help people apply to be census takers, and host census completing events using the libraries’ free computers and internet access.

What are the eligibility requirements to be a census taker?

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Have a valid Social Security number.
• Be a U.S. citizen.
• Have a valid email address.
• Be registered with the Selective Service System or have a qualifying exemption, if you are a male born after Dec. 31, 1959.
• Pass a Census-performed criminal background check and a review of criminal records, including fingerprinting.
• Commit to completing the training.
• Be available to work flexible hours, which can include days, evenings, and/or weekends.
• Most jobs require employees to: have access to a vehicle and a valid driver’s license, unless public transportation is readily available AND have access to a computer with internet and an email account (to complete training).

Get the Word Out — Educate and Promote

Educate

It has never been more important for families to hear from trusted community partners. With everyone responding to the COVID-19 outbreak, it is important that families do not forget how important it is for them to complete the census survey - and ensure their communities are not deprived of critical resouces over the next decade. Take a role in educating families about what is at stake and encourage everyone to take the important step of completing their survey.

Due to the sensitive nature of privacy, many folks in your community may be wary of completing their 2020 Census survey. At a time when disinformation and misinformation can cause many families to mistrust the census process, it is imperative that families know their rights and what is at stake - and that they are reassured of this through reliable sources and trusted community members.

Afterschool providers can and should be that voice. In many cases, families already place a tremendous amount of trust in their afterschool providers and often have long-standing relationships with program staff that spans over multiple school years. As a trusted community member, it is important that families hear from you that completing the census is not only safe but urgently important.

Promote

Here’s how you can spread the message that the census is coming, important, and safe:

• Hang an informational poster about the census in your lobby
• Give census buttons to staff to wear
• Include census information in your e-newsletter, website, and other organizational communications
• Use social media to spread important information
• Visit our social media toolkit for sample language and visuals you can use. Something not there that you’d like to see? Email info@afterschoolalliance.org.

These resources will help you think about how to message your communication with families and what information to emphasize.

• Afterschool Alliance Social Media Toolkit | Afterschool Alliance
• Confidentiality & the 2020 Census (Spanish version) | Census.gov
• How Communities are Preparing for the 2020 Census | National League of Cities
• Creating a Get Out the Count (GOTC) Plan | CensusCounts.org

Host a Census Event

IMPORTANT: To be fully compliant and cooperative with safety precautions aim at slowing the spread of COVID-19, we do not encourage afterschool programs to host census nights at this time. However, there are still ways afterschool programs and staff can play a role in ensuring their families are counted. Include a census reminder in your next email, newsletter, or update - include a link to the survey online and some resources on what the census means, why it is important, and how families can be reassured of its safety. Or take this opportunity to call families and check in on them. As part of your check-in, encourage them to go to census.gov and complete their survey - ensuring their family sees the resources they need for the next ten years.

OR plan a tele-event! Ask program staff to take one hour on a scheduled night to call families and talk about the census and why it matters. Before ending your call, encourage families to complete their survey by the end of the hour and then call two more friends to encourage them to complete their survey.

While this is a very fluid situation, we expect that the survey completion date will be pushed back to accommodate the precautions taken to stem the spread of COVID-19. When normal activities resume, afterschool and summer learning programs will be hubs of family engagement. Understanding the many barriers that exist for families who wish to complete the census survey, one of the most effective ways afterschool providers can help ensure an accurate count is by hosting a census event at their program. When normal activities resume, afterschool providers are encouraged to open up their spaces and invite families to complete their survey using their facilities and computers.