Take ActionTake Action
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Voices "A society that fails to invest in its own children is making a conscious decision to President Robert Bruininks, University of Minneasota |
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Vital communities not only need houses and businesses, they need solid, responsible people who understand the common good and want to contribute to it. Today's young people are the adults we're going to depend on tomorrow. We'll call on them to help solve problems, make decisions, and care for us as we age. Right now, we should be providing young people access to caring adults in safe place with opportunities to learn, grow and contribute afterschool and during the summer. These high-quality opportunities help ensure the next generation will grow into well-rounded, successful citizens.
Get Informed and Inform Others
Communicating with parents, neighbors and decision-makers is one of the easiest things you can do to support afterschool and summer learning programs for children and youth in your community. Check out some communication tools that will help you begin your conversation.
Advocate for Afterschool and Summer Learning Programs
Youth Community Connections focuses on creating, supporting and implementing comprehensive policy that ensures all children and youth have access to high-quality afterschool, summer and year-round opportunities.
Fact Sheets on Afterschool and Summer Learning Opportunities
Afterschool and summer learning programs provide a variety of benefits to young people, their families and their communities. Fact sheets provide more information on these benefits.
The "Make It Stick" Campaign is a social marketing effort to bring to life A New Day for Learning, by showing what is already working all across this nation to advance expanded and out of school time learning opportunities. The key message throughout the campaign is how we all play a critical role in providing high-quality learning opportunities to children and youth – as young learners, parents, teachers, business leaders, members of the community and elected officials. For tools and resources to help you make the case for why after school and summer learning programs help Make It Stick visit, their "Take Action" page at http://www.makeitstick.org/take-action.
Partner Involvement in Advocating for Afterschool Opportunities – Your Input
Public and private organizations across the State of Minnesota come together through Youth Community Connections’ to advocate for afterschool, summer and year-round learning opportunities for children and youth.
Together we are working to strategically leverage resources for afterschool and summer learning programs. The state-funded Afterschool Community Learning Opportunities Grant program is administered by the Minnesota Department of Education and is scheduled to end June 2009 without further action by the State Legislature.
Youth Community Connections will advocate in support for the continuation of these public investments and is seeking partners to assist in lobbying on these efforts. You can find out more about the Afterschool Community Learning Opportunities Act by visiting our website.
As we continue our advocacy efforts, it is important for Youth Community Connections’ staff to understand how you or your organization can contribute to this shared effort. We ask that you complete a short survey identifying specific ways in which you or your organization can assist in securing resources for afterschool and summer learning opportunities. The following survey should take approximately 10 minutes to complete. Click Here to take survey.