Provides practical guidance on increasing the quality of out-of/after-school opportunities for young people ages 6 through 18. Established in 1999 with funds from the Aaron and Lillie Straus Foundation, Annie E. Casey Foundation, and Open Society Institute-Baltimore, the After-School Institute is part of Baltimore, Maryland’s After-School Strategy. After-school providers, families, teachers, and community workers get information about: (1) starting or expanding an after-school program; (2) the Institute’s after-school network meetings, which facilitate planning and resource sharing; (3) training programs designed to equip after-school providers with a diverse skills base; (4) technical assistance, which involves more intensive, institutional instruction to help an organization meet the quality standards established by the Baltimore After-School Strategy; (5) strategic collaborations to improve after-school programs and also expand the broader network of organizations serving youth; (6) site visits, which provide the opportunity for both technical assistance and the creation of new partnerships in the community and beyond; and (7) techniques for securing funding for ongoing capacity building. The Web site also provides access to studies related to the effectiveness of after-school programs, news about the latest research applicable to after-school programs, links to relevant organizations, and a training and events calendar.
