A System Wide Look at Professional Development Opportunities for Afterschool Professionals Afterschool in Oregon: Professional Development

Challenges in Afterschool Professional Development The nature of the workforce and of the job. The lack of identity as a profession. A lack of identity as a field. Varying prior experience and educational backgrounds. Different professional development goals. oBuilding Professional Development Systems for the Afterschool Field

The Afterschool Field: A Snapshot Education Childcare Recreation Youth Developm ent

Challenges in Oregon The four worlds of afterschool; education, childcare, recreation and youth development have very little overlap. Each world has its diverse range of skills and knowledge required. Each world has a varying range of requirements and training needs. Professionals in each world have difficulty seeing the “bridges” to the other worlds and tend to stay within their own field of expertise.

Challenges in Oregon “Bridges” are need to crossover into the other worlds of afterschool in order to understand and strengthen the field. Professionals need to see the value of moving outside their world. The language that each world uses varies greatly and creates a barrier for communication, training and acceptance.

Challenges with Training Time Distances to travel Lack of quality trainings and trainers Lack of trainings developed specifically for the field Funding Training at a variety of levels Training for Administrators Need for repetition of basic trainings because of turnover Knowing what is available

Approaches to Afterschool Professional Development System-Building Efforts Build off of ECE SystemConnect Existing SystemsCreate a New System Building Professional Development Systems for the Afterschool Field

Interconnected Components of Professional Development Systems Funding Core Competencies Qualifications Quality Assurance Access and Outreach Building Professional Development Systems for the Afterschool Field

Current System Components in Oregon Oregon Center for Career Development in Childhood Care and Education. Resource and Referral Network. Commission on Children and Families. 21stCCLC Funding—Department of Education.

Funding Funding is the foundation of any system. Investment is needed to plan and implement professional development systems for afterschool programs to make training financially feasible for participants. Building Professional Development Systems for the Afterschool Field

Financial Support Includes: Scholarships and financial incentives for training. Compensation and retention initiatives. Tiered reimbursement or rewards for programs connected to a quality rating system. Building Professional Development Systems for the Afterschool Field

What We Have Currently: Local Commission Funding for training. 21 st CCLC funds for professional development. John and Betty Gray Scholarship for licensed childcare programs. Tiered reimbursement for professional development for family childcare providers.

Core Knowledge and Core Competencies A key component is identification of what every professional should know and be able to do to provide high-quality afterschool programs. Core Knowledge is the basic set of information that professionals are expected to know. Core Competencies are the interactions and observable skills of putting core knowledge in action. Building Professional Development Systems for the Afterschool Field

What We Have Currently: Core Body of Knowledge for Childhood Care and Education. Draft Core Competencies for Afterschool Professionals.

Qualifications and Credentials Training should count towards a licensing requirement, credential or degree or be valuable to the participants in some other way. Building Professional Development Systems for the Afterschool Field

Credential Program Type of training needed Number of training hours Demonstration of ability

What We Have Currently Work plan in place to develop a school age credential through the Oregon Center for Career Development in Childhood Care and Education.

Quality Assurances Training and trainers must be monitored and evaluated to make sure the content and delivery of training meet quality standards. Building Professional Development Systems for the Afterschool Field

What We Have Currently: Trainer Registry Program: OCCD Trainers are classified as Community, Standardized or Master Trainers. Trainings are submitted for approval and linked to the professional development sets of knowledge.

Access and Outreach Afterschool professionals must be aware of training and able to easily access them for the system to be fully utilized. Building Professional Development Systems for the Afterschool Field

What We Have Currently: Online calendars for both Resource and Referral and OregonASK. Resource and Referral Child Care Trainings. Afterschool Resource Center—OregonASK Statewide and regional conferences. Youth Development Networks.

Putting all of the Pieces Together A strong infrastructure is needed to help connect the various components of an afterschool professional development system and coordinate the efforts to create a comprehensive system.

Lessons Learned from Other State Efforts: Build off existing systems when possible. Develop a broad base of support. Nurture partnerships and collaborations. Incorporate incentives in system-building efforts Understand the workforce needs. Support workers’ needs. Building Professional Development Systems for the Afterschool Field

Goal for Afterschool Professional Development: The afterschool professional workforce has the knowledge, competencies and skills to support child and youth development and quality programs.

Goal for Afterschool Professional Development: System needs to be sustainable, credible and versatile to engage the diverse workforce.

Goal for Afterschool Professional Development: System must be able to acknowledge and embrace the variety of professionals and their individual motivations and needs.

Next Steps Creating an effective afterschool professional development system requires strong, long term leadership, collaboration and strategic vision.

Engage Partners and Stakeholders Create a design team to examine what currently exists, where opportunities and strengths are and how to design a professional development system for the afterschool field in Oregon.

Maximize and Align Existing Resources Examine what is currently available in Oregon and create strategies for aligning resources, eliminating duplication of efforts and maximizing the components that are already in place.

End Results A professional development system that embraces and supports the diverse nature of the afterschool workforce. One that is responsive and accessible to all afterschool professionals in the afterschool worlds of education, childcare, recreation and youth development.

Research and References Building Professional Development Systems for the Afterschool Field, Afterschool Investments. Child Care Division Sponsored Provider Days, February stCCLC Grantees training surveys, Provider meetings, discussion and surveys through Youth Development Network