Creating a Program

We seek programs with instructors who are highly skilled professionals in their fields and can effectively infuse youth development principles with specific skill development.

Conceptually, youth development is a process by which young people seek ways to meet their basic physical and social needs, and build knowledge and skills to succeed in adolescence and adulthood.  Practically, youth development is an approach to working with young people that defines goals (outcomes) based on the young person’s capacities, strengths and developmental needs.  

Examples of promising youth development principles:

• Provide youth with safe and supportive environments.
• Foster relationships between youth and caring adults who can mentor and guide them.
• Support development of youth’s knowledge and skills in a variety of ways that appeal to teens, including study, tutoring, sports, the arts, vocational education and service learning.
• Engage youth as active partners and leaders who can help move communities forward.
• Provide opportunities for youth to show that they care – about others and society.
• Promote healthy lifestyles and teach positive patterns of social interactions.

Each program should offer explicit activities that result in the creation of a final product or performance as well as opportunities for participants to reflect and articulate the process.  Our teen participants are expected to learn specific content skills such as creating a Web site, developing story-books, and choreographing dance pieces while developing critical workplace skills such as problem-solving, reasoning and decision-making.

Safe and Supportive Environment

We seek programs that offer our teen participants a safe and supportive environment with a high level of engagement and interaction. Our teen participants are expected to safely take part in activities that offer positive relationships, skills that translate to the workplace and exposure to career opportunities both in their neighborhoods and throughout the city.  Program providers will need to clearly articulate how a proposed program will offer this type of environment.   

Programs that support our vision

As a program provider, you are asked to indicate the impact that the proposed program will make in achieving the After School Matters vision. It is important to determine how your mission and history of working with teens is consistent with our vision, mission, and values.
 

Develop critical workplace skills

In planning your program, ensure that both content-specific skills and critical workplace skills are developed through the activities and tasks. Critical workplace skills include communication, teamwork, problem-solving, critical thinking and decision-making. The activities and critical workplace skills are required in the program plan of the proposal that you submit.

Steps to create a program

1. Identify the content area that you are interested in offering and the out-of-school time program; e.g., mural design, computer refurbishment, theater, ecology, accounting, etc.
2. Define key skills that teens will learn.
3. Identify what critical workplace skills such as communication, teamwork or critical thinking will align with the skills teens will learn in the content area.
4. Identify a teaching partner; this person may bring in a specific expertise or be able to aid in balancing the various skills to develop.  Note: teaching partners are only required for programs with more than 15 teens.
5. Develop opening and closing rituals that will help transition teens from the school day and will prepare them for the program.
6. Design a 90-hour curriculum that will run for 10 weeks, three days per week and three hours per day.
7. The curriculum needs to ensure the following activities are present: opening/closing ritual, overview of day’s objectives, hands-on skill development (both content specific and critical workplace), opportunity for youth leadership and experimentation, reflection and review of day’s accomplishments.
8. Identify field trips and visiting professionals that will augment the learning experience.
9. Identify the supply and equipment needs of the program.
10. Realize the impact you will have on the lives of the teens who will participate in your program and be prepared!

High-quality program key indicators

When creating a program, consider the following key indicators of high-quality programs:

• Environments that are physically and emotionally safe allow for programs that are characterized by teamwork and inclusiveness, as well as appropriate for program outcomes.
• Environments that are supportive are characterized as positive, welcoming, well structured, encouraging and reflective. In addition, teen participants will take risks and try new things, as well as self regulate.
• Environments that have a high level of interaction give teens a sense of belonging with opportunities to set up as peer leaders, work in small groups and partner positively with peers and instructors.
• Environments that have a high level of engagement are characterized by opportunities for choice, goal-setting and reflection.

Program Models

In creating a network of out-of-school opportunities, After School Matters offers three main program models: clubs, apprenticeships, and internships. Collectively, this structure is known as the “Ladder of Opportunity.” Teens can start on any “rung” as long as they have the requisite skills, commitment, and maturity.

Yearly Schedule

During the school year, programs are held for three hours after school, generally from 3 to 6 p.m., approximately three times a week. Fall programs begin early October for 10 to 12 weeks. Spring programs begin early February for 10 to 18 weeks.

During the summer, programs are held five days a week, generally between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Summer programs begin as early as late June for six to eight weeks.  

Program Classifications

As an instructor, you may be placed in a Chicago public high school to deliver a program. Programs are organized within content areas, sub-content areas and finally categories. View a chart of the categories (pdf).

Become a Program Provider

Once you have an idea for a program, learn how to become a program provider. We look for skilled professionals who can share their knowledge and expertise by providing meaningful, real-world activities for young people.