after school

The National AfterSchool Association Hosted 2009 Convention

The Challenge 

The National AfterSchool Association (NAA) wanted to bring together afterschool professionals from across the nation to share best practices and to learn about new resources in the field.

Our Approach 

Having assisted with workshop coordination at the 2008 Convention, Collaborative had the experience, insight and creativity to successfully support the NAA's 2009 convention. Collaborative coordinated the workshop planning and preparation, as well as the Web site development, convention registration, exhibition sites, specials events, plenary sessions, networking events, site visits and participant activities.

Our Impact 

Speaker management included scheduling both the keynote speakers and workshop sessions.  This year's convention featured the following keynote speakers:

  • Sir Ken Robinson, an internationally recognized leader in the development of creativity, innovation, and human resources
  • General Colin Powell, former Secretary of State
  • Jeff Corwin, host of Animal Planet's The Jeff Corwin Experience

Collaborative facilitated the request for proposal process for workshop presenters.  With our strategic knowledge of the afterschool field, we reviewed proposals and selected content. The workshops were carefully planned to ensure an exciting and diverse suite of offerings. 

Collaborative also assisted NAA in the planning and execution of site visits and networking events. Site coordination occurred for the following:

  • Forums with a special speakers and panel discussions
  • Informal networking events and receptions
  • Facilitated discussions on timely afterschool topics
  • Invitation-only focus groups and research-based discussions
  • Membership meetings

Convention registration was a coordinated effort among NAA, Meetings Management Group (MMG), and Collaborative.  NAA supplied the content, MMG provided experienced management of convention planning, and Collaborative coordinated the efforts, fielded questions, and designed and maintained the convention Web site.

Date Added: Mar 13, 2010
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United Way of Greenville, SC

Type: 
Non-Profit Organizations
Overview 

United Way of Greenville County seeks to be the most vital, caring community in America—a community where we nurture all young children, all youth succeed, all families and neighborhoods are strong, all people live healthier lives, and all neighbors in crisis receive care.

Our Relationship 

Collaborative advised the United Way of Greenville County (SC) on research and analysis of relevant data, convening decision makers, and developing a strategic planning process and quality assessment tool for local afterschool programs.

Collaborative facilitated the development of a strategic action plan with a community steering committee that emphasizes quality, access and sustainability for all afterschool programs and systems in Greenville, South Carolina—including the creation of a quality assessment tool. The purpose of the After School Strategic Plan is to organize support services for children and youth in out-of-school hours into a county-wide effort that assists them in attaining high school graduation. In addition, Collaborative shared research on local, state and national quality assessment tools that helped community leaders establish best practices for afterschool programs in Greenville County that represent a comprehensive set of standards to indicate the measure of high quality programming and help guide local professional development efforts.

Our Impact 
Planning for Strategic Action for Afterschool in Greenville, SC
Our Services 
Research and Publication Services

National AfterSchool Association

Type: 
Associations
Overview 

The National AfterSchool Association (NAA) is the leading voice of the afterschool profession dedicated to the development, education and care of children and youth during their out-of-school hours.

Our Relationship 

The National AfterSchool Association (NAA) turns to Collaborative to implement the premiere convention for the afterschool field, convening almost 2,500 afterschool professionals and stakeholders annually to connect, share new research, learn about products and resources, visit local afterschool programs, and hear from experts on the issues that matter most to them.

Collaborative directs NAA’s annual convention, the largest professional development opportunity for afterschool professionals. The work includes developing a Web site, handling registration and logistics, producing content, as well as targeted marketing outreach. Having assisted with workshop coordination at the 2008 Convention, Collaborative supported NAA's 2009 convention, including facilitating the request for proposal process for workshop presenters, identifying keynote speakers, preparing marketing and outreach materials, coordinating registration efforts, fielding questions, and designing and maintaining the convention Web site.

Our Impact 
The National AfterSchool Association Hosted 2009 Convention
Our Services 
Network Development

Digital Learning Lab at the Statewide Afterschool Networks 2012 Meeting

The Challenge 

The annual meeting of the Statewide Afterschool Networks in early February 2012 coincided with the first national Digital Learning Day. In order to take advantage of this exciting event and to raise awareness of digital learning opportunities in afterschool and summer learning, Collaborative suggested the development of a ‘Digital Learning Lab’ where participants could learn about policy, practice and research related to digital learning, and connect with experts in the field.

Our Approach 

Collaborative designed a highly interactive and fun learning experience where participants could both hear from a series of organizations working to advance digital learning, and then could go deeper through either informal ‘Lab’ conversations or mini-presentations. Collaborative led the development of the Digital Learning Lab by:

  • Designed an interactive learning ‘Lab’ which consisted of a series of rapid-fire presentations by experts, followed by a deep dive by one organization, and an open, informal networking and learning experience where participants talked directly with the experts and tested their tools or products where applicable.
  • Invited and managed the group of expert presenters which included representatives from BAYCAT, CFY, Gooru, The After-School Corporation (TASC), Think Together and Wireless Generation.
  • Facilitated the rapid-fire presentations on key research, practice and policy issues related to digital learning, which provided participants with information on California digital learning programs and tools, current policy initiatives and assessment efforts.
  • Evaluated the session to gather information from participants on how to continue the conversation and advance the dialogue on digital learning in out-of-school time.
Our Impact 

As a result of our efforts, nearly 100 participants learned about leading research, policy and practice in digital learning. Additionally, because of the design of the Lab, presenters were also able to connect with one another, forming new connections and gaining new ideas about their work.

This highly interactive learning experience provided connections to the latest trends in digital learning in afterschool and connected the ongoing conference to a larger national dialogue about digital learning.  

Date Added: Apr 17, 2012
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Award-Winning Interactive Online Tools

TAGS:

Collaborative worked with The Wallace Foundation to create an online interactive Cost of Quality Out-of-School Time Cost Calculator to help users calculate the costs of various options for high quality programs. Collaborative helped to plan the different steps the calculator takes its users through, and what resources it leads them to. We created the content for the site and selected most of the resources so that users can make the most of the information they get through their calculator results. The online tool earned a 2008 World Wide Web Awards Gold Award. More...

Collaborative worked with the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) to create National Educators Training and Leadership Center (NET LC)—a comprehensive online network development tool to help education leaders work together to address today’s issues, consider tomorrow’s challenges and think broadly about systems change. The Web site was an Official Honoree of the 2005 Webby Awards—the leading international award honoring excellence in Web design, creativity, usability and functionality. The Web site was awarded the 2006 Best in Class Interactive Media Award which honors individuals and organizations for their outstanding achievement in Web site design and development. NET LC was commended for its content, feature functionality and quality design. More…

The National School Public Relations Association recognized Collaborative’s creation of the Achieving Standards Online Toolkit in 2002 with an Award of Merit. The toolkit aims to engage parents and develop the capacity of educators to strengthen student achievement.

Date Added: Mar 30, 2010

Policy Review: Documenting Legislative Successes of Statewide Afterschool Networks

The Challenge 

Each year, teams from each of the National Network of Statewide Afterschool Networks (SAN) are invited to join together to share ideas, resources and strategies for achieving the collective goals of the networks on governance, funding and quality of afterschool programs.  The national network meeting fosters cross-network learning with a range of opportunities for small group discussions on targeted topics.

The Mott Foundation-funded networks focus on collaborative learning and knowledge sharing. A need was recognized around helping state networks become leaders in impacting policy development, and becoming a go-to resource for policymakers. Learning to navigate the legislative landscape is challenging and often times, daunting. The meeting provides an opportune time for reflections on the legislative successes and challenges of the statewide afterschool networks.

Our Approach 

As part of Collaborative's longstanding role in supporting Mott's work with building SAN's knowledge base, in 2004 we began creating policy reviews that share knowledge and best practices. These reports debut each year at the national network meeting.

In 2008, Collaborative saw a need to go deeper into some of the success stories. With an advisory committee comprised of members of Afterschool Technical Assisstance Collaborative, we:

  • Managed the identification of the seven networks that we would interview and profile
  • Sought out the network leads to capture their stories and share lessons for other networks
  • Surveyed the remaining 31 networks on their legislative accomplishments from 2007-2008, and drafted statements for Developed and wrote a policy review that included the seven case studies and the other legislative successes
  • Engaged in feedback sessions with the Advisory Committee
  • Designed an accessible, easy-to-read policy review for widespread use and disseminated it at the January 2009 national network meeting in Tampa, FL.
Our Impact 

The National Network of Statewide Afterschool Networks continue to grow and expand their technical expertise and ability to become advocates for afterschool in the policy arena. This resource supports the networks in becoming effective leaders who policymakers will look to when making education and out-of-school time policy. This policy review is one way for networks to continue to stay informed on best practices of fellow states.

Find more information on the National Network of Statewide Afterschool Networks.

Date Added: Mar 13, 2010
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Documenting Legislative Successes of Statewide Afterschool Networks

TAGS:

Collaborative assisted the National Network of Statewide Afterschool Networks grow and expand their ability to become advocates for afterschool in the policy arena. This network is funded by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.

Date Added: Mar 13, 2010

National AfterSchool Association Hosts 2009 Convention

TAGS:

Collaborative assisted the National AfterSchool Association with the planning and coordination of registration, workshops, site visits, networking and participants activities at the 2009 NAA Convention in New Orleans. More...

Date Added: Mar 13, 2010

Turning Research into an Online Application for The Wallace Foundation

TAGS:

Collaborative helped create an interactive cost calculator, which guides users to resources and offers budget and program information for out-of-school time programs. More...

This online application was also featured in The Communications Network.

Date Added: Mar 13, 2010
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