A substantive body of research demonstrates that programs for young people have a range of positive benefits including academic achievement, career exploration and development, and social, emotional and civic skills. However, many programs do not realize this potential -- often due to the lack of coordination and support about how to assess and…

Launched in 2011, Sprockets is a network of after-school and summer programs for youth in Saint Paul, MN. A 2006 community-engaged process resulted in a vision for out-of-school time (OST) in Saint Paul that became Sprockets. That process involved the mayor's office, Saint Paul Public Schools, community organizations and activists, local…

The Texas Afterschool Centers on Education (ACE) is the program administered through the Texas Education Agency (TEA) for the federally funded 21st Century Community Learning Center (CCLC) grants. The Texas ACE Boys and Girls Clubs of Austin Area Cycle 10 program is composed of a compilation of activities at 9 Austin Independent School District…

With the health of today's youth a national priority, professionals need tools for accurately assessing activity patterns and motivating behavior change. Fitness technology may be a promising tool for promoting positive behavior change. The afterschool program WeCook: Fun with Food and Fitness focused on improving food preparation skills,…

For many youth, afterschool programs positively fill the time between school and home. Quality out-of-school time (OST) programs clearly can have beneficial social and academic effects on youth (Durlak, Weissberg, & Pachan, 2010; Eccles, Barber, Stone, & Hunt, 2003; Vandell et al., 2005). However, these outcomes are not guaranteed (Chen…

This qualitative study draws on concepts from Self-Determination Theory (SDT) within a positive youth development framework to postulate that participants in an after-school program will derive a sense of enjoyment and challenge in program activities when they perceive that the program supports their psychological needs for competence, autonomy,…

Including youth in the development and evaluation of out-of-school time (OST) programs has positive effects on youth, the organizations that serve them, and the communities in which they live. Such involvement can improve young people's social competence, foster leadership and engagement, and empower groups. Youth provide unique perspectives on…

MENTOR's newest resource takes the cornerstone best-practice guide for mentoring, the "Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring™," and offers research-backed and practice-based tips specifically for STEM mentoring programs. "The STEM Supplement to the Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring™" provides additional…

This article provides a framework to assist evaluators, teaching artists, and program managers in working together.

This report presents outcomes for students who participated in the Cycle 7 of Afterschool Centers on Education (ACE) program managed by Boys and Girls Club of the Greater Austin Area in 2015-2016. The report compares student outcomes over two years by level of program participation.

Background: Due to the rising demands for a Canadian workforce with science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)-related education, there is a need to increase youth engagement in STEM education and programming. Research, however, has shown that youth residing in low-income communities are disproportionately affected by psychosocial barriers,…

After-school programs offer young people opportunities for self-expression, exploring their talents, and forming relationships with supportive adults. That is, after-school programs promote young people's social and emotional learning (SEL) skills--whether the programs use that term or not. Despite these programs' potential, Noelle Hurd and Nancy…

This report presents outcomes for students who participated in the Cycle 8 of Afterschool Centers on Education (ACE) program managed by Boys and Girls Club of the Greater Austin Area in 2015-2016. The report compares student outcomes over two years by level of program participation.

MENTOR's cornerstone publication, the "Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring[TM]", details research-informed and practitioner-approved Standards for creating and sustaining quality youth mentoring programs and consequently, impactful mentoring relationships. This Fourth Edition, released in 2015, reflects the most up-to-date…

Structured afterschool programs are often perceived as a service for young children only. Communities often overlook teenagers, expecting more substantial benefits from investments in programs for younger children (Hall & Gruber, 2007). Of about 8.4 million children participating in afterschool programs nationwide, only 1 million are high…