Network News - November 19, 2008

In this Issue:

Call to Action

Workforce Survey
The purpose of this survey is to help identify technical assistance needs as they relate to workforce issues.  The California Department of Education is working with other State agencies as well as local colleges and universities to address these issues. Please complete the survey whether you are or are not experiencing workforce issues. Click here to complete the survey.

Bay Area Partnership Summer Survey
What do the youth in your program do during the summer? Do you offer summer programming? Do you wish you did? Tell us about it by filling out the Bay Area Partnership's Summer Survey. The survey should take about 15 minutes to complete.

The Bay Area Partnership wants to know what's going on in the summer, how it looks and where are the gaps. This information will feed into a Legislative Task Force to consider state policies that could support summer programming across the state. (Even if you don't provide summer programming, we need your input.) Please take a few minutes to fill out the survey. Thanks for helping to connect policy with your community's needs.

If you have any questions about the survey or the Bay Area Partnership's summer research, please contact Katie Brackenridge at katie@bayareapartnership.org.

Network News

California Afterschool Network Successfully Completes 21st Century Grantee Orientations with the California Department of Education
The California Afterschool Network in partnership with the California Department of Education recently conducted two successful 21st Century Grantee Orientations. The first orientation was held on November 3rd at the Sacramento Convention Center. The second orientation was held on November 6th at the BOOST-er Conference in San Diego. The Network would like to thank the California Department of Education and Tia Quinn for making these events a success.

The California Afterschool Network in Partnership with The California Department of Education's 
Learning Supports and Partnership Division Announces the California's After School Program 
Quality Self-Assessment Tool
The Quality Self-Assessment Tool is available online and ready to use. The Network will be engaged in the following activities to support the rollout:

• The Tool and the User's Guide are available to download. To access the tool and the User's guide, click here.
• The Network will present regional workshops in partnership with the regional lead offices. The calendar of these trainings will be posted soon.
• This will be the year that all the users of the tool will have the opportunity to weigh in on the tool. The feedback will be used to modify the tool and prepare the next version of the tool for the 09-10 school year.
• Each month the Network's Electronic Newsletter will focus on best practices that relate to each of the quality indicators. The Network will be asking programs to share their successful strategies in each of these areas.

Funding Opportunities

Jenesis Group Grants
The Jenesis Group is offering grants to support youth development, education and social entrepreneurship. Nonprofit organizations with 501(c) 3 status are encouraged to apply. The Foundation invests in grass roots organizations working to empower at-risk and/or disadvantaged youth to become productive citizens. Priority is given to programs with preventative approaches and comprehensive long-term solutions to challenges facing youth today. Organizations should be results-oriented and have an annual budget of $500,000 or less that: build self-esteem and foster self-reliance, emphasize literacy and academic excellence, offer leadership training and development, utilize mentoring strategies, teach career readiness and/or life skills, prevent juvenile delinquency, and/or develop entrepreneurial skills. The deadline to apply is ongoing. To learn more about the grant or to apply, click here

After School Event

California After School Technical Assistance (CASTA) Convenes Technical Assistance Providers
Please join us at the first convening of TA providers, otherwise referred to as Technical Assistance Providers Partnering for Excellence (TAPPE) event. The goal of this gathering is to bring the community of TA providers together to network, share promising practices and consider a common definition for our work.

You can CHOOSE to attend EITHER convening to be held:

• December 3rd, 2008 from 10:00am to 3:00pm at the Jr. Achievement of
  Southern California, The Lod Cook Center, 6250 Forest Lawn Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90068 (map)
• December 9th, 2008 from 10:00am to 3:00pm at the Robertson Community Center, 3525 Norwood Ave., Sacramento, CA 95838 (map)

Our objective is to launch a gathering of TA Providers to:

• Gather a network of professionals so we can discuss hot topics in the field
• Explore a common definition and set of strategies towards articulating our work as technical assistance providers
• Share promising practices and tools that are effective for use in the field

Agenda for the day includes:

• Overview of the CASTA Project
• Keynote with Heart by After School Providers Who are Making an Impact
• Hot Topic Discussion
• Exploration of Common Definitions and Strategies for our Work
• Panel on Assessing Effectiveness our TA
• Next Steps for TAPPE

Who should attend?

TA providers that support after school programs, including after school trainers, coaches, mentors, resource brokers, etc.

We know the work of TA providers is of vital support to after school programs in California. Let’s come together to strengthen and inform each other’s work.

Please RSVP to: Staci Garcia, slsteadman@ucdavis.edu