Connect for Kids / Child Advocacy 360 / Youth Policy Action Center - Weblinks, Kids & Community

Connecting Families, Schools and Community Resources

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 20:50:58 -0500

Schools can be more than vibrant places for learning, they can also be year-round hubs
that connect families and communities to resources and services. This brief from the
National Human Services Assembly looks at schools that doing just that and outlines

Help Create America's After-School Storybook

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:04:48 -0500

To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the federal 21st Century Community Learning
Centers, the Afterschool Alliance is creating a storybook featuring people whose lives
have been improved through out-of-school time programs. Share your stories and program

2008 Changes to the Summer Food Service Program

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:02:13 -0500

A simplified version of the USDA Summer Food Service Program has just gone national. It lessens the paperwork involved for groups or out-of-school time programs that want to incorporate summer meals.

State-by-State Head Start Program Information Report

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 08:53:14 -0500

Released in 2008, this interactive chart and report from the Center for Law and Social Policy includes updated information on programs, participants, families, and staff for all Head Start programs in

Encouraging Volunteerism

Mon, 22 May 2006 12:46:41 -0500

MindOH! offers free advice on ways to encourage students to get involved in their communities suring the summer.

People, Places and Possibilities: Integrating Mentoring and After-School

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 13:23:14 -0500

A once-a-week adult-student mentoring meeting does not an after-school program make, according to this brief from the Forum for Youth Investment. But perhaps, with a little help, it could. The question is not which makes more sense, mentoring or after-school, but how can we utilize both strategies to increase the likelihood that young people have the supports they need to thrive.

Using NCLB Funds to Support Extended Learning Time: After-School Programs

Mon, 07 Nov 2005 18:40:13 -0600

The Finance Project and the Council of Chief State School Officers have released this strategy brief. It describes how six major funding streams included in the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) can support extended learning opportunities.

Summer Learning Opportunities in High Poverty Schools

Tue, 17 May 2005 10:26:19 -0500

This report from the Extended Learning Opportunities Project profiles five summer learning programs that have contributed to improved student achievement in high-poverty schools.

President Bush Submits FY2006 Budget

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 16:06:07 -0500

Today, President Bush submits his FY2006 budget proposal to Congress. The administration has said it plans to halve the deficit within five years, despite declining federal revenues. In his State of the Union address, the president called for cutting or eliminating 150 domestic government programs—among them anti-poverty programs like housing, food stamps and Medicaid. Children's advocates are also watching for cuts to USDA food and nutrition services. Concerned adults can use President Bush's FY2006 budget as common ground to jump start discussion about public service programs, and how America might balance federal spending and deficit reduction.

Does the Built Environment Influence Physical Activity?

Tue, 01 Feb 2005 08:57:50 -0600

This National Academies' Transportation Research Board report explores the link between the "built" environment—buildings, roads, parks, and other structures that
physically define a community—and physical activity levels.

Early Childhood Programs: A Good Investment for Economic Growth

Wed, 01 Dec 2004 12:39:01 -0600

Advocates often note that high-quality, comprehensive early childhood development programs are cost-effective in boosting outcomes for children. New data from the Economic Policy Institute offers proof. According to this report, investments in these programs would pay for themselves in 17 years and, in 30 years, would give taxpayers a $2 savings for every $1 invested. Within 25 years, the offsetting budget savings for all levels of government combined would reach $31 billion.

Urban Parks as Community Resources for Youth Development

Thu, 30 Jun 2005 12:58:28 -0500

Parks give kids good places to play outside, but - based on the experience of a new generation of youth programs in urban parks - they can also go far beyond recreation to provide high-quality programs that foster healthy youth development, according to an Urban Institute report published in June 2004.

Kid-Friendly Cities Report Card 2004

Wed, 15 Dec 2004 14:55:34 -0600

Along with ranking 100 cities and towns, this Population Connection report offers model programs that improve the quality of life for children in their communities -- including policy interventions that aim to reduce the number of teenage pregnancies and births, including comprehensive sex education and access to reproductive health care services. The report also offers data on high school graduates, kids in poverty, violent crime rates and other indicators.

Experience After School: Engaging Older Adults in After-School Programs

Wed, 15 Dec 2004 15:02:21 -0600

Community organizations can develop and enhance meaningful roles for older adults in after-school programs with the help of this Experience Corps toolkit.

Moving Beyond the Barriers

Wed, 15 Dec 2004 15:03:11 -0600

Would you like more kids to come more often to your after-school program? You're not alone. In this issue brief, the Harvard Family Research Project reviews the common barriers to youth participation - including students' desires to relax and "hang out" with friends, work and family responsibilities, boredom or disinterest, and transportation/safety challenges - and how to address them.