National Afterschool Matters Practitioner Fellowship

1. National Afterschool Matters Practitioner Fellowship The National Institute on Out-of-School Time at Wellesley College in partnership with The National Writing Project with funding from the Robert Bowne Foundation launched the National Afterschool Matters Practitioner Fellowship. This Practitioner Fellowship addresses a critical need in the Out-of-School Time (OST) field:

2. To provide professional development for seasoned practitioners that promotes leadership and increases their capacity for program improvement and development. Other goals include: Supporting a community of practitioners to engage in inquiry and writing to explore effective practices and investigate the structures in which effective practice happens – at the program, activity, curriculum, and individual level. Disseminating and sharing a variety of program improvement strategies. End products might include: position papers, curriculum, or points of action of effective practice as well as articles for professional journals. Creating opportunities for in-service training and project development which will then be brought back to programs.

3. The Practitioner Fellowship has been established in 6 cities: New York, New York San Francisco, California Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Minneapolis, Minnesota Seattle, Washington Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

5. Partner Roles Writing Project Sites: -Helps to locate WP facilitator - Helps to identify funding, conduct fundraising -Outreach to and recruitment of fellows Community Partners: -Outreach to and recruitment of fellows -Identifies potential OST facilitators, supports and supervises facilitators -Identifies or provides funding, donates space, and other in-kind services National Institute on Out-of-School Time: -Selects Fellowship sites in collaboration with the National Writing Project and prospective funders -Handles all contracts and fiscal issues -Recruitment and outreach for Research Roundtables -Manages application process -Coordinates all site meetings -Supports facilitators, collects and develops project content and quality control National Writing Project -Identifies potential NWP sites -Administers flow-through funding for sites -Manages local logistics Facilitators - Create syllabus, develops materials - Facilitates fellowship, writing retreat and research roundtable

6. TYPICAL FELLOWSHIP STRUCTURE 10-15 fellows are selected by application, and meet monthly in a facilitated group for a year. Activities include: • Readings on action research, inquiry methods, or general articles about the OST field; • Instruction on and practice in using inquiry methods and design of inquiry projects at participants’ own sites; • Two day writing retreat during the spring • Research Roundtable, at which Fellows present on their work to a wider audience of youth agency staff, funders, governmental officials and policy makers and other researchers.

7. Fellowship Models Traditional: Out-of-school time practitioners from a range of afterschool/summer youth programs Mixed Model : Combining in-school teachers and out-of-school time practitioners Content Specific: Focusing inquiry in a particular content area, such as STEM Age Specific : Focusing inquiry on a particular age group, such as older youth

8. Evaluation of the Fellowship2010-2011 Methods: Pre/Post Fellowship online survey of participants in all of the sites (Seattle, Philadelphia, Minneapolis and Philadelphia) and focus groups with participants of mixed model site in Seattle. Findings: The benefits of participation: Belonging to a professional community The opportunity to step back and reflect on work The opportunity to work with colleagues in a supportive environment Improved programs Increased knowledge of inquiry and action research

9. FELLOWS’ INQUIRY TOPICS (2003-2010)

11. For more information about the National Afterschool Matters Practitioner Fellowship, contact: Ellen Gannett, Executive Director, National Institute on Out-of-School Time, Wellesley College egannett@wellesley.edu 781 283 2547