Linking Afterschool Employment with California’s Public Service Workforce Needs

1. Linking Afterschool Employment with California’s Public Service Workforce Needs California Workforce Association, Youth Conference Long Beach, CA -- January 17, 2008 Rebecca Goldberg Linda Collins Project Director Executive Director California School-Age Consortium Career Ladders Project

2. Opening Activity • Pair up with a partner • Introduce yourself to one another (name and what you currently do) • Briefly describe what you each think would be the ideal qualities or components of a first job for a young person.

3. California is Facing a Workforce Crisis • Baby-boomers retiring from high-skill professions • More jobs are requiring some post-secondary education: certificates, AA’s, BA’s or graduate degrees • 13.2% of all jobs will be in the health and education services sector in 2025

4. A Growing Demand for Afterschool Workers • Prop. 49 – 2,000 new afterschool programs in high-poverty elementary and middle schools in California in 2006 – 2007. • New funding sources: After School Education and Safety (ASES) Funds and 21st Century Community Learning Center Program (21st CCLC) • 12,000 new afterschool jobs created for a total of 137,000 in the state. • Part-time nature of job and high turnover rate means hiring and retaining staff is consistently a major challenge for afterschool employers

5. Afterschool Workers State Figures

6. Afterschool Workers . . . Have a variety of responsibilities, including: • Supervisingchildren& youth • Leading activities with groups of varying ages • Record keeping & administrative duties • Creating & implementing lesson plans • Providing academic tutoring and homework help • Supervising staff Have a variety of job titles, including: • Enrichment Instructor • Academic Coach • Recreation Leader • Technology Director • Behavioral Health Specialist • Fitness and Health Coordinator • Site Supervisor

7. Where are Afterschool Programs? Afterschool programs generally take place between the hours of 3 to 6 pm, Monday – Friday in many types of settings, including: • Schools (elementary, middle and high schools) • Community-based organizations; Y’s, Boys & Girls Clubs, arts organizations, neighborhood organizations • City Parks and Recreation facilities • School-age child care settings

8. Afterschool Jobs: Opportunities to Earn, Learn and Inspire Afterschool Jobs Provide Opportunities to Earn • Competitive pay for entry level jobs ($9-$15 per hour) • Tremendous expansion of afterschool means jobs are plentiful • Accessible entry point - low barriers to entry • Opportunities for advancement & promotion • Part-time hours (3 to 6 p.m., Mon. – Fri.) provide flexibility for family, post-secondary education and other commitments that present barriers to employment • Afterschool employers hire lots of young adults • Employers love to hire from the community

9. Afterschool Jobs: Opportunities to Earn, Learn and Inspire Afterschool Jobs Provide Opportunities to Learn • Entry-level life and job skills:time management, accountability, team work, problem-solving. • Additional skill-building & professional development at higher levels of responsibility: leadership, supervision, coordinating with schools, community partners and families. • Skills and experiences applicable to various sectors of the economy, e.g.education, human services, recreation. • Afterschool jobs can be part of a formal career pathway linking employment to higher education.

10. Afterschool Jobs: Opportunities to Earn, Learn and Inspire Afterschool Jobs Provide Opportunities to Inspire • Community service nature of afterschool makes for meaningful work for a young person • Young adults have life experiences to share with children and youth • Opportunity to serve as role model for children and youth • Supportive atmosphere for young people to work

11. Community College Students as Afterschool Workers • A great employment opportunity for CC students – (good hours, income and meaningful work) • Models “college-going” for youth enrolled in afterschool programs • Colleges can provide additional support to students/ afterschool employees • College credit for work experience in afterschool employment • Financial aid, counseling and other student support services • Address needed foundational/basic skills • Colleges can link afterschool work experience to career pathways in education, youth development or public service.

12. CA Community Colleges New initiative to foster connections between colleges and afterschool programs: • Recruitment • Education and training • Resource sharing • Partnering with workforce and community agencies and afterschool employers • Pilots linking “bridge” programs to afterschool employment and college programs leading to education and/or public service careers.

13. Career PATHWAYS: Contra Costa County Community College or Other Training • Recruitment & Screening: • ILSP and One-Stop • Bridge to College and Career: • Los Medanos & Contra Costa Colleges • Learning community • 20 students per campus • Afterschool part-time employment • Career counseling and other student support services • Enroll in WIA & Financial Aid: • Case managers (WIB) • Community colleges • Bridge Assessment: • Students test at 7th/8th grade level or above • A Gateway Project funded by the Walter S. Johnson Foundation

14. Linda CollinsExecutive Director(510) 268-0566Lcollins@CareerLaddersProject.orgwww.CareerLaddersProject.org Rebecca Goldberg Project Director (415) 957-9789 rgoldberg@calsac.org www.calsac.org • With Thanks to The David and Lucile Packard Foundation