Our Work
Driving Equity
CAN utilizes and promotes equity-driven practices to ensure OST programs serve California’s most marginalized children, youth, and families with environments that embrace diversity and equity regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, income level, national origin, physical ability, sexual orientation and/or gender identity and expression.
CAN has compiled equity-driven resources to help you implement this mindset into your programs:
Increasing Program Quality
CAN is a catalyst for quality, building capacity by promoting a shared vision of program quality and advancing a culture of Continuous Improvement throughout the Expanded Learning ecosystem.
CAN’s focus on quality includes network and collaboration building, disseminating promising practices and providing virtual and in-person professional learning opportunities, forums and convenings to build the capacity of the field with the end result having high-quality programs for all.
Advancing Out-of-School Time Policy
The California AfterSchool Network’s role in advancing OST policy is to provide data, develop field engagement strategy, participate in the CA3, and advocate for policy and funding.
Strengthening the Workforce
CAN builds the capacity of the Expanded Learning workforce by developing and implementing comprehensive workforce strategies to strengthen and advance a diverse and thriving Expanded Learning workforce. This includes convening the field to address workforce challenges, building and expanding upon pathways for Expanded Learning professionals into teaching, and promoting tools and resources to support a strong workforce.
Supporting Site Coordinators
CAN is dedicated to supporting California Site Coordinators and those who support them.
Promoting Health & Wellness
CAN is committed to promoting health and wellness to youth, parents, and communities in California by providing information, resources, promising practices, and legislation updates to the out-of-school time field.
Integrating STEAM Learning
CAN supports out-of-school professionals in their efforts to integrate STEAM learning in their afterschool and summer learning programs to increase student’s STEM knowledge and skills, interest and improved attitudes toward STEM fields and careers, and likelihood of pursuing STEM majors and careers.