Sean Tate joins the Partnership for Youth Development as Program Manager for the CP3 Afterschool Zone. Prior to joining the Partnership, Sean spent three years as a Program Coordinator for Playworks New Orleans and as a Camp Director for the Jefferson Parish Recreation Department. He was pleased to train directly with Steven Jensen before Steven’s recent departure to Minnesota.

Bob Payne joins the Partnership as the Expanded Learning Time Manager.  A native New Yorker, Bob moved to New Orleans in 2004 to attend Loyola, and after graduating in 2008 taught in nearby St. Bernard Parish at St. Bernard Middle School for three years through Teach for America. You can read more about the new ELT initiative below!

You can download the complete Strategy Guide by visiting the National League of Cities, Institute for Youth Education and Families.

The findings in this report suggest that the City of New Orleans is lacking many of the opportunities that support the success of young people (ages 14-24). When confronted with questions about existing programs in the city versus what programs are needed, the respondents overwhelming reported the need for increased programming, services, and opportunities across the board. In particular, the youth respondents clearly noted their desire for increased workforce development opportunities, specifically paid opportunities. In general, these youth not only felt disconnected and not taken seriously by New Orleans, but also expressed an overwhelming majority feeling that the City of New Orleans does not fully support the success of its young people.

Applications for the Fellowship must be received no later than May 15th, 2011. Applications available here.

Fellows will design and complete a research project rooted in their own work experience with youth. In the past, fellows published analytical works studying everything from how authoring comic books can contribute to positive development in young people to the centrality of thriving afterschool programs in highly functional communities. Fellows collaborate to study effective classrooms, afterschool programs, and school-afterschool partnerships. Fellows will enhance their observational and analytical skills, improve upon existing programs, connect directly with parents and community members to create opportunities for youth tailored to their specific communities, and then summarize and disseminate their findings in research articles and presentation to the public.

Visit our Resource section to find:
• The 2011-2012 New Orleans Afterschool Matters Practitioner Fellowship APPLICATION.
• An announcement about the Fellowship including the other cities participating in this work.
and
• A Fellowship overview from the National Afterschool Matters Fellowship office.

The Fellowship runs from September 2011 to May 2012. Meetings will be held two Saturdays per month from September through December; and one Saturday each month from January through May. Fellows must have a Bachelor’s Degree, a year of experience in the field, and be able to show the ability to self-reflect on their work with youth.

All course materials (books, reading packets, journals) will be provided. Upon completion of the Fellowship, Fellows will receive a $500 stipend as an award for their service.

This Fellowship is an initiative of the National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST) at the Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College, in partnership with Afterschool Partnership and the New Orleans chapter of the National Writing Project (GNOWP).

Applications for the Fellowship must be received no later than May 15th, 2011. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, so please apply early! If the Fellowship class reaches capacity before May 15th, we will announce an early closure of the application process.

Applications must be emailed, faxed, or mailed to:

National Institute on Out-of-School Time
National Afterschool Matters
Practitioner Fellowship Program
Wellesley College, Waban House
106 Central Street
Wellesley, MA 02481
niost[at]wellesley.edu
fax: 781.283.3657

Questions about the Fellowship?
Contact Lauren Bierbaum at GNOAP: lbierbaum[at]gnoafterschool.org
or
Cassie Seiple at GNOWP: cassieseiple[at]gmail.com

Questions about the application process?
Contact Karen Lachance at NIOST: klachanc[at]wellesley.edu

“It provided a professional environment…with like-minded individuals and [was] an example of the kind of reflective community that could be created. It was great to hear other people’s experiences. I still draw from the Fellowship and think back to that time.”
– Practitioner Fellow

After facing a critical shortage of summer youth programs post-Katrina, a group of local foundations and organizations created the Unified Summer Grants Collaborative in 2006 to support safe activities for New Orleans-area youth. The collaborative has continued to address the ongoing need for affordable, safe, educational and recreational youth activities and to leverage partner resources through this collaborative effort.

The Collaborative continues as a partnership between United Way for Greater New Orleans, Emeril Lagasse Foundation, and Women’s Leadership Council. Information on Summer Programs will be available at neworleans.ilivehere.info. Once programs are announced you will be able to find summer specific details by clicking on the ‘Summer Programs’ tab located above the resource map at neworleans.ilivehere.info. This resource will provide children, youth, and families with the most up to date resources available in New Orleans Summer 2011.

If you are running a program that is not listed or know of an addition resource please register on the site or contact Eric Jensen (ejensen@gnoafterschool.org) as soon as possible for inclusion.

Over three years, the Collaborative has awarded grants totaling $3.4 million to a variety of summer programs across the New Orleans area that serve vulnerable, low-income youth, who, with this support, have had opportunities to engage in academic enrichment, cultural and arts programs, sports and physical recreation, cooking, and nutrition activities.

Our Youth Leadership Fellows participated in a Youth Engagement in Cities conference call with members of established youth commissions in San Francisco, CA, Portland, OR and Boise, ID this past Saturday. These three cities all have successful youth programs that teach leadership and involvement in all levels of community and government. The conference call is a part of a Youth Leadership Fellowship, the first of its kind for New Orleans youth. Launched by the Partnership with funding from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Fellowship will develop policy, advocacy and leadership skills for 20 youth, ages 16-21. The curriculum focuses on youth programming at the city, state and federal level, alignment of programs with education and workforce development, strategies for black male achievement and cross coordination of services and resources to increase equality of access.

Upon completion of the six month fellowship, these young adults will return to their schools and organizations armed with the knowledge and skills developed to lead their communities in meaningful, significant ways. For more information on the Youth Leadership Fellowship, please contact Eric Jensen at ejensen@gnoafterschool.org.

If you were able to attend, please take a minute to complete our short survey on the Forum. Your feedback will help shape future events.