The BKC On Demand system has numerous topics that while written for a broader audience, may be of interest to the OST educator, including topics like anti-racism, finding wonder, emergency preparedness, observation, and healthy environments. The courses listed below have been written specifically for the OST audience/setting.
Adult leaders who work with children and youth ages 5-18 in OST settings need awareness for how culture might affect children’s development. Cultural factors include race/ethnicity, national origin, language, gender identity/sexual orientation, age, physical/developmental ability, family type, geographic area, religion, and socioeconomic status. Develop knowledge and skills to create an atmosphere that is welcoming, respectful, and promotes cultural competency for all. (2 hours)
In this lesson youth development professionals serving children from ages 5 through 18 will learn intentional communication techniques to use to create a welcoming and inclusive community of multi-age learners. Youth development professionals will also learn how to foster positive interactions among youth through teaching and practicing group limit setting, stress management, and conflict resolution skills. (2 hours)
In this lesson youth development professionals and volunteers who serve children and youth ages 5-18 in OST settings will learn the guidelines for safe operation of programs. They will analyze the key environmental hazards and how to prepare their sites for safety on a daily basis, as well as to prepare for emergencies. Finally, they plan to adopt routines and practices to support the physical and emotional health and wellness of all children and youth in their care. (2 hours)
Why is youth engagement a critical part of achieving PYD? In this module, youth development professionals and volunteers who serve children and youth ages 5-18 in OST settings will point to three components of youth engagement: youth voice, leadership opportunities, and youth-adult partnerships. They will learn how to build a program that authentically engages youth, and they will explore examples of successful youth engagement experiences. (2 hours)
This mastery module will enable current and aspiring administrators of children and youth ages 5-18 to explore the steps they need to take to incorporate a plan for child and youth observation and assessment into their ELO programs. This includes knowing what components to assess, understanding different types of assessments, and selecting and implementing appropriate assessment tools. Also included are ways to use the resulting data to adjust program offerings to ensure positive youth development. (2 hours)
Administrators of out-of-school and after school programs for children and youth ages 5-18 are responsible for creating a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere that embraces all families. Administrators work with staff to create the policies and practices that bring this vision into daily reality. They prioritize and work together with local schools to support the development of cognitive and social-emotional skills. Administrators also cultivate community partnerships to produce mutual benefits. (2 hours)
This mastery module is for current administrators, and those who want to advance into an administrative role, in extended learning programs serving 5- to 18-year-olds. Administrators will explore how to direct their staff to create informal, high-quality learning environments using positive youth development principles. The module will also help program administrators guide and support staff to select and deliver age-appropriate curricula to meet the learning goals established by the program. (2 hours)
This mastery module is for current program administrators in out-of-school programs serving 5- to 18-year-olds, and for those who wish to advance into an administrative role. Administrators will explore how to model ethical standards of behavior; how to practice and train staff in continuous learning; how to identify potential staff leaders and provide leadership development opportunities; and how to advocate for resources to sustain high quality programs for children, youth, and families. (2 hours)
This mastery module is for current program directors or managers, and those who desire to advance into an administrative role in out-of-school time programs serving 5- to 18-year-olds. This module illustrates the range of responsibilities of program managers, including use of sound business practices; hiring and managing personnel; establishing positive relationships with families and communities; providing high quality programming; and ensuring efficient use of resources. (2 hours)
Financial literacy includes core competencies of how to communicate, make decisions, solve problems, manage resources, plan, and organize. After school programs can provide many opportunities for youth to learn and practice these core competencies. A degree in accounting or economics is not necessary for practitioners to provide activities and discuss financial topics. Many of the skills are already a part of common, daily activities in out-of-school time programs. (2 hours)
Financial literacy includes core competencies of how to communicate, make decisions, solve problems, manage resources, plan, and organize. After school programs can provide many opportunities for youth to learn and practice these core competencies. A degree in accounting or economics is not necessary for practitioners to provide activities and discuss financial topics. Many of the skills are already a part of common, daily activities in out-of-school time programs. (2 hours)
This module provides information about the unique aspects of supervising, creating emotionally and physically healthy spaces, and carrying out care routines in a licensed school-age setting. Learning about out-of-school time best practices will allow each professional to provide the best possible care for school-age children, meeting their unique development needs. (3 hours)
In this course, learn how to make school-age learning spaces work well. Review quality space criteria. Reflect on and analyze current OST space and offerings. Gain confidence to design spaces, different from school, that are flexible and reflect the youth’s voice, spaces that appeal to a diverse range of youth, spaces that spark interest and invite engagement. Adjust environmental elements to accommodate youth with a range of sensitivities. (2 hours)
School-age professionals influence children through the relationships they develop and the experiences they provide. Learn to create a menu of learning possibilities that is different from school and reflects the youth’s voice. Explore strategies to scaffold for a wide range of participants. Reflect on the quality criteria and compare those indicators to the experiences you offer. Take away vetted ideas, meaningful curriculum options to enhance your OST school-year programming plan. (2 hours)
Accentuate the positive. This lesson shares best practices for building community and supporting youth development. The emphasis is on social-emotional development but all areas of development are positively impacted when adults engage with youth in supportive ways. Get tools to support intentional listening, conflict resolution, and positive guidance. It is not enough to know a child well. School-age professionals need to use that knowledge to form effective interactions and connections. (2 hours)
Explore the merits of continuous quality improvement (CQI) and lifelong learning. Name a variety of out-of-school time (OST) program and youth assessments. Reflect on your own OST program components using online tools. Investigate site-specific quality expectations. Identify areas for action toward greater quality or a next step in professional learning. (2 hours)
This lesson explores service learning for school age children and youth. Learn what service learning is and how it differs from community service. How can you implement service learning in your school age environment? Discover a variety of usable ideas for service learning activities to use with the children and youth in your care. (2 hours)
Suicide is the second leading cause of death in the United States for children ages 10-14 and the third leading cause of death for youth ages 15-24 (NIMH, 2023). The staff in charge of groups of children can be a lifeline to help ease their suffering and prevent death by suicide. This course helps out-of-school time (OST) professionals learn how to observe youth who are in distress, listen and respond sensitively and appropriately, and refer them to a professional counselor (if necessary) to prevent self-harm and suicide. Tools and strategies are included to help apply these skills to create a welcoming and inclusive community in after school settings. (2 hours)
Historically marginalized youth are severely underrepresented within the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. In this course, we will describe factors that contribute to the STEM diversity gap; provide guidance for out-of-school time professionals and STEM educators working with historically marginalized youth; and provide resources to engage and connect historically marginalized youth to STEM opportunities.
To foster an inclusive environment, youth development professionals must have knowledge of and practice sensitivity toward youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ). In this module, participants will learn about diversity in gender identity, gender expression, biological sex, and sexual orientation. They will identify risks that LGBTQ youth face, and they will learn appropriate communication skills and proven ways to support LGBTQ youth. (3 hours)
The care and management of Type 1 diabetes in young children falls squarely on the adults who care for them. As children grow and mature, they are gradually able to learn how to manage their diabetes for themselves. This course examines the realistic expectations for the transfer of responsibility for care and how educators and others can support children and youth as they grow more independent in managing their diabetes. (2 hours)
One of the biggest challenges facing afterschool/school-age practitioners is how to effectively keep youth engaged and supported in a group setting. One or two youth who aren't following the rules or don't want to participate in an activity can change your plans for the afternoon. Learn about positive guidance and how to use it as an important tool for making sure that all youth can benefit from your program. (2 hours)
