IN THIS ISSUE: In the Field Building a Movement On the Cutting Edge Philanthropic Partnerships A New Conversation about Evaluation Play it Forward is a quarterly newsletter that introduces you to the builders and influencers of the Afterschool Development movement, offers updates on the latest and most innovative thinking and practices in the field and lets you know how you can become involved.  Play it Forward also provides a forum for exploring some of the latest topics of interest in the Afterschool Development community. To find out more about Afterschool Development CLICK HERE .

Yasmine Lockett (center) with youth and staff of Frazier Revitalization in Dallas, TX.

The Afterschool Development movement needs to be acknowledged as a system of education and given the same support, the same advocacy and the same intention as schools. We need to keep working together and doing whatever it takes to be taken seriously. -- Yasmine Lockett, Frazier Revitalization, Dallas, TX

Yasmine Lockett is the Director of Education and Engagement for Frazier Revitalization, an organization that serves as a “community quarterback” for the Frazier Neighborhood of Dallas, supporting and assisting in economic and cultural development.    A dancer since she was three, Yasmine moved to Texas 11 years ago to perform with the Dallas Black Dance Theater, where she was also Youth Ensemble Director and Outreach Coordinator. In these roles, she soon met the Dallas afterschool community and has since worked on the frontlines with organizations like Big Thought and Dallas Afterschool. At Frazier, Yasmine develops and coordinates summer/out-of-school programs for over 30 organizations in the South Dallas community. A strong believer in creating new possibilities for young people, she is excited to be part of the Afterschool Development movement: “This movement needs to be acknowledged as a system of education and given the same support, the same advocacy and the same intention as schools. We need to keep working together and doing whatever it takes to be taken seriously.”

l. to r. Tyra Owens (Gary Comer Youth Center), Luis Crespo (Collaboraction) and Nicole Bruce (CICS Longwood H.S)

Afterschool Development is creating a safe place where young people can grow, where they can learn, where they can make mistakes and take risks. -- Nicole Bruce, CICS Longwood H.S., Chicago, IL The Afterschool Development movement was on full display in Chicago in November as 115 non-profit and community leaders; afterschool practitioners, academics and educators; business leaders, philanthropists and young people from close to 70 organizations came together to advance afterschool development as a new way of engaging poverty and building bridges in the Windy City.   A highlight of the conference was a panel discussion entitled Afterschool Development: A New Strategy for Social Transformation in Chicago. It was moderated by David Cherry , All Stars Project (ASP) of Chicago City Leader, and featured a lively conversation with keynote speaker David Chard, Ph.D. , ad interim Dean at Boston University, Wheelock College for Education and Human Development, and three frontline practitioners: Tyra Owens (Gary Comer Youth Center), Luis Crespo (Collaboraction) and Nicole Bruce (CICS Longwood H.S.). Among the topics addressed were the value of afterschool activities, the importance of relationship building and the need for development. For Nicole Bruce, Afterschool Development is “creating a safe place where young people can grow, where they can learn, where they can make mistakes and take risks. Young people can break rules in afterschool programs.” Click here to view the panel discussion and other highlights from the conference.

If kindness, emotions, and human relationships are ‘the blind spot in public policy’ – as a recent report issued by the  Carnegie Trust conclude d – then relational activism fills in the blanks by starting change at the most basic, fundamental level. – Becca Dove and Tim Fisher In the October 2019 article, “ Becoming Unstuck With Relational Activism ,” written for the Stanford Social Innovation Review , London-based social service professionals and “relational activists” Becca Dove and Tim Fisher argue for the value of person-to-person relationships. They write, “As the media gives us a daily drip-feed of the deep and intractable splits in our politics and society, person-to-person relationships can seem too small to matter very much. But social change doesn’t just happen at the macro-level. Person-to-person compassion and the desire to relate can create movement and change where there was none…We call using relationships to take action – and make action possible – ‘relational activism’.”   After laying out three relational activist values (“Being Curious and Connected”; “Examining Everyday Interactions” and “Storysharing”) and offering examples of how these are being put into practice in “everyday relationships and workplaces,” Dove and Fisher conclude, “if kindness, emotions, and human relationships are ‘the blind spot in public policy’ – as a recent report issued by the Carnegie Trust concluded – then relational activism fills in the blanks by starting change at the most basic, fundamental level.” To read the full article, click here .

(l. to r.) Hannha Martinez, Cecilia and Garrett Boone, Antoine Joyce and Karina Johnson

Speaking as a funder, we have a real responsibility to let the people in neighborhoods decide the best way for them to move forward. Very often, those of us more privileged think we have the answers, and we don’t. We need to be better listeners to be able to do effective work. – Cecilia Boone, The Boone Family Foundation, Dallas, TX

Garrett and Cecilia Boone founded the Dallas-based Boone Family Foundation in 2007 as a “resource for social justice and innovation.” It supports organizations and programs working to “make the community a fair and just place for all people.” An outspoken champion for the empowerment of women and girls, Cecilia is active with several organizations, including Children at Risk, while Garrett, a co-founder of The Container Store, is a champion of public education and the environment. He is vice-chair of the Trinity Park Conservancy and a board member for Groundwork Dallas. Recognized in November by the ASP of Dallas, the Boones joined other honorees for a conversation under the rubric Everyday Healing, Healing Everyday , moderated by ASP of Dallas City Leader Antoine Joyce, who opened the panel with the question, “How can we most effectively engage poverty in America and empower the poor to be part of that effort?” Calling poverty “the central issue of our time,” Garrett spoke about the need to always do more, “whether it’s donating time, effort or attention.” For Cecilia, the key is listening: “Speaking as a funder, we have a real responsibility to let the people in neighborhoods decide the best way for them to move forward. Very often, those of us more privileged think we have the answers, and we don’t. We need to be better listeners to be able to do effective work.”

Creative Youth Development has had to forge new paths in measuring outcomes and overall program success, breaking with traditional models while preserving best practices from its evaluation roots. – Justin Jalea

According to a new program evaluation analysis commissioned by Americans for the Arts, Creative Youth Development (CYD) programs are in a strong position to develop innovative approaches to evaluation, and thus to advance the field of youth development program evaluation at large. The author of the program evaluation analysis, Justin Jalea, writes, “…because of its unique aims and organizational make-up, CYD has had to forge new paths in measuring outcomes and overall program success, breaking with traditional models while preserving best practices from its evaluation roots.”   The new evaluation analysis is one of several to be included in a first-of-its-kind toolkit that will aggregate the most effective tools and resources for CYD programs throughout the country. As Jalea notes, “[we in CYD] must be creative in our evaluative methods, involving youth in their application and advocating for the necessary resources to support its growth.” Click here to read the full article. See below on how you can join us in building the Afterschool Development movement!

Please share your responses to anything in  Play it Forward  and thoughts you have on Afterschool Development and what it means for our communities and country. Tell Us What You Think

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In the Next Quarter Issue of Play it Forward : In the Field – Profiles of people on the frontlines in our communities who are changing lives and making a difference. Building a Movement – Updates on the issues that practitioners, academics, and business, civic and community leaders are coming together to discuss in Afterschool Development working groups and conferences.  On the Cutting Edge – The latest developments in thought leadership, research and policy helping to shape the conversation about Afterschool Development, education and poverty in America.  Philanthropic Partnerships – Featuring partners and funders who are stepping up and investing in Afterschool Development and its growth nationally. A New Conversation about Evaluation – Highlights of the growing national conversation about evaluation and the need for new tools.

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