Elements of Effective Programs

Effective programs share key features, regardless of program specialty or focus.

• CARING RELATIONSHIPS with peers, adults and the community
  Ask any practitioner: it’s all about relationships. Effective programs actively foster relationships that show caring and respect and build a sense of belonging and connection.
• CONTENT that’s engaging, challenging and relevant
  Children like learning. They like challenges and mastering skills that are interesting and relevant. Afterschool is a place to make learning come alive in activities, projects, explorations, internships, social action, and community service, all deliberately planned to meet cognitive, social, and developmental goals.

  Effective programs don’t all require the same content. But they do require well-planned content that draws on children’s interests, engages children at different levels in multiple ways, and sets high expectations.

• SAFE SPACE
  Children and young people need to feel safe to engage and learn. Effective programs are physically safe, and also emotionally safe. Welcome, respect, and trust are building blocks of safety.
  
• COMMITMENT to staff development
  Skilled staff are absolutely essential. High quality programs commit to ongoing in-service staff development that builds skills not only in operations, but also in afterschool education. 

  Investment in staff development not only improves service to children. It also improves job satisfaction. This helps retain staff, providing even stronger quality building.
  

• LEADERSHIP for continuous improvement
  Program leadership drives quality. Effective programs are marked by leadership that commits to an ongoing process of collaborative program assessment and improvement to best meet the needs of the children over the near, medium, and long term. 
  

Up Next: Learn more about continuous improvement.