According to a study by the Afterschool Alliance, roughly 11.3 million school-aged children are left alone and unsupervised during the hours after school. If offered, approximately 19.4 million children would participate in out-of-school time (OST) programs. Indiana Afterschool Network (IAN) is an organization that aims to promote afterschool and summer learning through connecting and inspiring youth, community partners, and advocates. IAN hopes to ensure all K-12 youth have access to high-quality learning experiences beyond the school day.
IAN recently launched the Indiana Academy for Out-of-School Learning to help educate OST professionals in partnership with the National Afterschool Association and Child Care Aware. Roberta L. Newman is credited with creating the 36-course Certificate Series and has previous experience developing comprehensive statewide certification and credentialing modules. These modules have been used in both Arkansas and South Dakota to successfully train OST staff. Thirty-six courses were created with the goal of providing high-quality, affordable professional development and certification options.
The courses are self-directed or instructor-led, each yield a Certificate of Completion. Participants can engage in online discussion-answer sessions, download resources, and utilize a note-taking tool within the program. Education courses range from Managing School-Age Children in Groups to Providing Homework Support. Administrative courses also cover subjects like Health and Stress Management and Creating Community Collaborations.
These certificate programs cost $75.00 per individual per year, and scholarships are available to help pay for the costs. Additional cost-related information can be found here. To learn more about applying for this training opportunity, click here or send an email.
Transform Consulting Group applauds the work that IAN is doing to raise the capacity of OST staff by creating awareness of these online professional development resources. Transform Consulting Group is dedicated to helping organizations stay current with the latest research and align programming to “what works.” Contact us today to learn more!
