Issue Briefs

Afterschool Programs Strengthen Communities (2004)

As people work longer hours, endure longer commutes and manage busier schedules, they have less time to socialize or join community organizations. This means it has become increasingly difficult for individuals to get to know their neighbors and communities. This brief explores how afterschool programs can play an important role in strengthening communities by offering a safe and stable environment for youth and providing opportunity for school and community partnerships.

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Afterschool Programs: A Wise Public Investment (2005)

As budgets have grown tighter at all levels of government, afterschool advocates and practitioners have faced increased difficulty securing adequate funding. This brief discusses the social cost associated with not providing afterschool programs and outlines the many benefits of investing in afterschool, including the high returns on investments for governments and businesses alike.

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Afterschool Programs: Helping Kids Compete in Tomorrow's Workforce (2007)

Preparing youth for success in tomorrow’s workforce is of increasing concern to our nation’s schools, communities, policymakers and businesses. This brief discusses the unique opportunities afterschool programs can offer students to prepare them for the workforce, including the development of important core competencies, such as interpersonal, critical thinking and leadership skills.

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Afterschool Programs: Helping Kids Succeed in Rural America (2007)

In communities where infrastructure and resources are limited, afterschool programs may offer the only opportunity for academic, recreational, and creative enrichment. This brief explores how afterschool programs in several rural communities are successfully serving their children, families and communities with vital resources.

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Afterschool Programs: Keeping Kids - and Communities - Safe (2007)

Rising violence among youth is a concern nationwide, with youth involvement in crime peaking in the afterschool hours from 3 to 6 pm. This brief examines the role afterschool programs play in decreasing crime by increasing student safety and supporting youth. The brief also highlights how some communities are using afterschool programs to to enhance juvenile delinquency prevention efforts.

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Afterschool Providing Key Literacy Supports to English Language Learner Students (June 2017)

The Afterschool Alliance, in partnership with Dollar General Literacy Foundation, is proud to present this issue brief focusing on the integral supports afterschool programs provide to build English language learner (ELL) students’ literacy skills. In addition to this issue brief, which outlines the challenges facing ELL students and the opportunities participating in afterschool programs afford, six complementary in-depth afterschool program profiles highlight different roles programs play to engage ELL students:

• Columbus State Community College’s ESL Afterschool Communities: Providing comprehensive supports for both ELL students and their families
• La Prensa Libre de Simpson Street: Offering literacy-related activities that promote student motivation and interest
• Mighty Writers El Futuro Program: Providing a culturally sensitive atmosphere when helping develop ELL students’ literacy skills
• ourBRIDGE for KIDS: Engaging English language learners’ families to promote literacy skills
• Raider’s ARK (Academics Reinforcing Knowledge) After-School Program: Using a mix of learning approaches to build ELL students’ literacy skills
• The Bridge Project: Fostering community and school partnerships to ensure that ELL students receive the additional literacy supports that they need

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Afterschool Supporting Students with Disabilities and Other Special Needs (February 2014)

The Afterschool Alliance, in partnership with MetLife Foundation, is proud to present the second of four issue briefs in our sixth series examining critical issues facing middle school youth and the vital role afterschool programs play in addressing these issues. This brief addresses the importance of a high school diploma for students with disabilities and other special needs, and how afterschool programs can provide an inclusive learning environment that supports students of all abilities.

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Afterschool Supports Service Opportunities from Youth to Young Adulthood (April 2019)

All individuals, regardless of age, can benefit from service opportunities. For youth, service-learning projects promote strong community ties and positive development outcomes, while experiential service programs promote similar personal and professional gains for young adults. This issue brief details the way in which afterschool and summer learning programs are expanding access and availability of service opportunities for youth and young adults alike. Accompanying this brief are six in-depth afterschool program profiles that highlight the different roles programs play in the healthy development of both the next generation and our democracy:

• Einstein Enrichment Program and Breakthrough Cincinnati: Connecting underrepresented youth and young adults to service
• Civic Nebraska and OregonASK: Enhancing future prospects through foundational skills and competencies
• Youth Health Service Corps and City Year: Creating an avenue for career exploration

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Featured Summary

Afterschool, Community Service and Volunteerism (2004)

Parents and teens show overwhelming support for participation in community service, and they would like to see their afterschool programs offer volunteering opportunities. This issue brief explores how afterschool programs can give youth the opportunity to volunteer and discusses the benefits of volunteering, including learning applicable life skills, forming bonds with community organizations, and discovering the value of community service.

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Afterschool: A Bipartisan Solution to Help Young People Thrive (October 2022)

At a time of deep partisan divides, Afterschool Alliance surveys of parents of school-age children before and during the pandemic have found an area of consensus around support for afterschool and summer learning programs. Across the political spectrum, parents identifying as Democratic, Independent, and Republican strongly agree that afterschool and summer learning programs are keeping kids safe, inspiring learning, and providing peace of mind to working parents, with overwhelming majorities in favor of public funding for such programs.

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