ASAPconnect e-bulletin - March 31,2010

In this e-bulletin:

The Buzz at ASAPconnect!

ASAPconnect is now on Facebook!

Join our online community by becoming a fan of ASAPconnect on Facebook. Connect with other assistance providers, share strategies, ask questions, upload photos of assistance in practice and more on our new facebook page. Anyone involved in after school who becomes a fan by May 1st will be eligible to win one of two $50 Amazon giftcards!

Assistance Provider Directory Tip of the Month

Post a profile picture:
If you do not have a profile picture posted on your directory profile, upload one today. This will make a human connection with potential users of your services. Or use your company logo to connect with the brand image you already have established.

To upload your photo, just login to your profile and scroll down under your contact information to choose an image, find the file on your computer, and then upload. Easy to do and will provide additional incentive for potential users to contact you.

Upcoming ASAPconnect Seminars And Trainings!

BOOST Connect Up!...Coming Soon!
Competency Focus: Consulting
Content Focus: Assessing Program Needs

ASAPconnect will be hosting a Connect Up! seminar for all assistance providers during the pre-conference day at the BOOST conference on April 28, 2010 from 10:00am – 4:00pm (note: new time frame) at the Palm Springs Convention Center.

Connect Up! brings together after school assistance providers to network and share strategies for positively impacting after school programs throughout California.

So often the phone rings and technical assistance providers, including consultants, receive a request to provide support…but then what are the next steps? What are the best strategies for assessing the needs of after school programs to ensure that they receive the support with the most strategic impact?

Join ASAPconnect as we:

Share the consulting strategy self-assessment tool.
Discuss strategies and tools for addressing program needs.
Hear from the Regional Lead Technical Assistance Program Effectiveness (TAPE) Project as they share their hot off-the-press Core Staff Competencies and draft Needs Assessment.

Plan to join us! Register today! Registration is free and available on our website at http://www.afterschoolconnect.org/content/5373

Additional Training Opportunities!

BOOST Conference is Only One Month Away

Register now for the national BOOST Conference in Palm Springs serving out-of-school professionals. Don’t miss an opportunity to experience an unforgettable professional development opportunity!

Featured speakers include:

America’s Promise Alliance
Gordon Jackson, Assistant Superintendent, California Department of Education
Dr. Cathy Vatterott, “The Homework Lady”
Learning Point Associates
NASA
The Youth Development Institute
TEEN TRUTH
ThinkFirst NCTV
Afterschool Alliance
NYC Department of Youth and Community Development
Market Street Research, Inc.
Every Monday Matters

Events include:

Networking receptions
Book signings with nationally recognized authors
Villagefest- street fair in downtown Palm Springs
Collective Purpose
Space School Musical
A Reason to Survive: A Teenagers Journey through ARTS
Student entertainment

REGISTER NOW! www.boostconference.org

Tools of the Trade 1 Training of Trainers Workshop

The University of California 4-H Youth Development Program has received funding from MetLife and the National 4-H Council to provide training to 550 after school staff on communication, management, guidance and discipline, age appropriate practice and civic engagement. They will be providing an eight-hour training using the Tools of the Trade 1 – Giving Kids a Lifetime Guarantee! trainer manual. Through hands-on, inquiry-based activities, the training will build the capacity of after school staff to incorporate science, engineering and technology experiences in after school settings.

The training is complimentary with an expectation that those receiving the training will present a local training to at least 10 additional after school staff. Each attendee will receive the Tools of the Trade I training CD that includes over 18 hours of training modules. (If unable to commit to the training expectation, there is a training cost of $10 and $40 for the CD.) Additionally, $500 will be provided to support travel, supplies, and training materials for the local training.

Training dates include:

May 21, 2010 – Los Angeles
May 25, 2010 – UC Davis, Hendrick Center
May 26, 2010 – Contra Costa County
June 23, 2010 – San Diego
TBD – Merced

Registration is available at http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=4670

For more information contact:
Sharon Junge – skjunge@ucdavis.edu
Sue Manglallan – ssmanglallan@ucdavis.edu
Keith Nathaniel – kcnathaniel@ucdavis.edu

Opportunities for Presenters!

CalSac Spotlight on Afterschool Conference

The California School-Age Consortium, CalSAC, is seeking engaging and innovative workshop presenters for their statewide conference to be held October 14-16, 2010! Their goal is to develop and enhance the skills of professionals through high-impact workshops that are at the forefront of out-of-school time trends, research, and best practices.

Workshop proposals should:

Be thought provoking, innovative and relevant to after school, school-age care, and out-of-school time professionals.
Attract, engage, and stimulate professionals with a full range of experience in the field – from site staff to administrators.
Include extensive opportunities for experiential, hands-on participation that fosters networking and peer learning.

To learn more and submit an online proposal, go to CalSAC’s website.

Check Out These Resources!

New Strategy Guide on Strengthening Partnerships and Building Public Will for Out-of-School Time Programs

With support from The Wallace Foundation, the YEF Institute has developed the third of a series of strategy guides to help municipal leaders build citywide systems of high-quality out-of-school time programs. Strengthening Partnerships and Building Public Will for Out-of-School Time Programs describes three key strategies that mayors and other city leaders can use to generate support for access to high-quality out-of-school time activities:

Engage a broad set of partners to take full advantage of all community resources;
Keep out-of-school time on the public agenda; and
Lead efforts by city, school and community leaders to establish a common set of outcomes and a shared vision for out-of-school time.

For more information, contact Lane Russell at (202) 626-3008 or
russell@nlc.org.

Download the Strengthening Partnerships strategy guide:
http://tracking.nlc.org/t/11751141/315818645/54011302/0/

Order a copy of the strategy guide:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LVDXBZF

Download other YEF Institute Afterschool strategy guides:
http://www.nlc.org/IYEF/education/afterschool/resources.aspx

Child Trends Brief: Incorporating Technology Into Out-Of-School Time Programs

Technology and technologically-based learning environments are extending student learning beyond the conventional classroom. A new Child Trends brief, Incorporating Technology Into Out-Of-School Time Programs draws on results from research and from practitioners' insights to outline the benefits, challenges, and strategies associated with using technology in out-of-school time programs. Among the uses of technology found to be especially beneficial in out-of-school programs:

Computer-based reading intervention programs have been used to successfully supplement children's in-class reading and build comprehension.
Program participants can use computer-based programs to follow developments over time, whether it is how plants are growing or how a community service project is progressing.
Video technology can involve program participants in the exploration of their world through filmmaking, digital artwork, and online instruction.

The brief also provides additional resources for programs interested in incorporating technology into their activities and profiles a technology-based out-of-school time program.