Thus, balancing academic support with a variety of structured, engaging, and enjoyable extracurricular activities appears to improve academic performance. Research has shown that participation in these programs is associated with decreased behavioral problems, improved social and communication skills, better relationships with peers and teachers, increased self-confidence, self-esteem and self-efficiency, lower levels of depression and anxiety, development of initiative, and improved feelings and attitudes toward self and school.
The hours from 3 to 6 p. Also, youth left unsupervised for a certain number of hours per week are more likely to be sexually active, and at risk for sexually transmitted diseases. Participation in an afterschool programs gets children and youth off the streets, under supervision, and potentially prevents some risky behaviors.
But beyond offering a safe haven, research and evaluation studies have demonstrated that the programs can have a positive effect on a range of prevention outcomes, such as avoidance of drug and alcohol use, decreases in delinquency and violent behavior, increased knowledge of safe sex, avoidance of sexual activity, and reduction in juvenile crime. Students learn to make better food choices, and increase their physical activity, as well as their knowledge of nutrition and health practices.
This leads to a reduction in body mass index, improved blood pressure, and improved body image. Afterschool programs can promote positive learning and developmental outcomes, but some programs are not maximizing their potential. Research and evaluation point to three factors that are critical for creating constructive settings that can achieve these results with youth.
Access to and sustained participation in programs Young people experience greater gains if they participate in afterschool programs with greater frequency and in a more sustained manner. They also benefit from programs tailored to their interests, needs, and schedules, as well as from those providing exposure to new ideas, challenges, and people. Quality programming and staffing Developing programs intentionally, with a focus on promoting target outcomes through well-organized and engaging activities, is a critical component for achieving high quality afterschool settings.
It entails having a clear vision and goals for the program from the start, as well as strong, directed leadership and sustained training and support to staff.
Children who attend these well-supervised afterschool programs display better work habits, task persistence, social skills, pro-social behaviors, academic performance, and less aggressive behavior at the end of the school year.
High-quality programs effectively leverage partnerships with a variety of stakeholders, especially families, schools and communities. Well-implemented, quality afterschool programs can support healthy learning and development when the key factors described above are addressed. They also demonstrate how complex it is to provide excellent, effective supports for youth and their families. Over the years, I have had the great honor to interact with a wide array of students, practitioners and educators, parents, policy makers, and other researchers in the field of expanded learning.
As I reflect on the research and consider its implications for future work, I am encouraged by the growing awareness of the importance of out-of-school time as a critical educational context and by the extent and caliber of the research that is being conducted by scholars in the U. As we move forward together in this effort, researchers, practitioners, policy makers, and other key stakeholders, such as funders and technical assistance providers, must continue to intersect intentionally to ensure our efforts are aligned and that they inform the efforts of others.
We have come a long way in having a growing body of research and evaluation evidence that quality afterschool programs work and make a positive difference. We also know a lot about improving quality.
So at the local, state, and federal levels, it is time for us to find the will, energy, and resources to expand quality afterschool programs in the many schools and communities that need and want them—not in another 10 years, but now. In so doing, we will truly be able to leverage the power of expanded learning for student and community success. Auger, A. Participation in out-of-school settings and student academic and behavioral outcomes. Manuscript in preparation.
Durlak, J. A meta-analysis of after-school programs that seek to promote personal and social skills in children and adolescents. American Journal of Community Psychology, 45 , — Eccles, J. Community programs to promote youth development. Larson, R. Toward a psychology of positive youth development. The American Psychologist, 55 , — Lee, K. Understanding the link between substance use and the interaction of the individual and the environment.
Lerner, R. M, Lerner, J. Positive youth development, participation in community youth development programs, and community contributions of fifth-grade adolescents: Findings from the first wave of the 4-h study of positive youth development.
Journal of Early Adolescence, 25 , 17— Li, W. Relating type, intensity, and quality of after-school activities to later academic and behavioral outcomes. Mahoney, J. Adolescent out-of-school activities. Steinberg Eds. Contextual influences on adolescent development 3rd ed. New York, NY: Wiley. Keywords 4-H adolescence after-school camp equity evaluation health out-of-school time physical activity positive youth development professional development program evaluation summer camp youth youth development youth engagement youth leadership youth programs youth voice youth workers youth—adult partnerships.
Particular attention is given to the recent history of social and political influences that have led to growth and current popularity of ASPs. The article begins by reviewing changes in schooling and the labor force that created a supervision gap between the school day of children and work day of parents.
This gap contributed to the need for afterschool child care. Next, influences leading to a growing recognition of the significance of school-age childcare for working families and their children, including research on the potential risks of self care and benefits of well-designed ASPs, are described.
These discussions are contextualized alongside decades of social and political action and debate over the development of and funding for ASPs in America. Several key factors likely to affect after-school programming in the near future are discussed. Full Text: PDF.
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