Professional Development for After School Staff, Administrators and Volunteers
Updated Information! August 18-19, 2010 The 8th Annual “Off To A Great Start” Conference
After School Counts! is a network of school, faith, and community-based after school program staff, administrators, and volunteers. Our primary focus is delivering professional development opportunities to after school providers throughout Central Ohio.
Throughout the year, ASC organizes and markets professional development opportunities to our providers with the intent of delivering best practice information, relevant resources and updating significant changing trends in the afterschool field. We are committed to advancing children’s learning and social development by equipping those who work in after school programs with impactful tools, supporting program success.
Mission
To strengthen the capacity of after school, out of school time, faith based and volunteer program providers in Central Ohio through training, networking and links to resources.
Columbus Mayor, Mike Coleman speaks to the importance of After School Care to our children, adults, families and neighborhoods at The "Off To A Great Start!" Conference.
Collaborative Approach
Providing opportunities for professionals to network and share information is the key component of the program as well. ASC acts as a host each quarter for significant provider roundtables, where administrators and decision-makers gather to share viable resources among their peers. Within the program, there is the capacity to increase these roundtable opportunities at many different levels and among many unique after school circles. The key for growth in this area moving forward is that these efforts towards additional engagement be purposeful, as well as fruitful.
Effective Communication
The sharing and exchange of resources with our providers is the final of the noteworthy areas that the ASC! program is designed to accomplish. We are presently strategizing, via opportunities associated with our web page capacity, to deliver new and innovative ways of getting relevant information to our customers. Our goal is to be a “one-stop-shop” for instant access to those areas pertinent to success in the after school field, without duplicating the services of our peer organizations who share in similar work.
Working Relationships
We sustain operations through the generous support from partnering organizations, as well as grant funding. A Steering Committee of after-school advocates representing a variety of perspectives, ensures ASC! continues meeting the established and emerging needs of the Central Ohio’s after-school community.
Limitless possibilities and a practical approach to collaborative opportunities, describe the future of the ASC! program. A niche market for our services absolutely exists and a solid following of our work is present among our current customers. We will look to capture the energy and expectation of our most recent event, as a springboard to a balanced year-round services campaign. Tremendous effort and consideration will be given via data collected from the core of our clientele to determine the most impactful direction the ASC! program will head next.