“Together We CAN: Creating Conditions for Thriving Children, Youth, Families, & Communities”

The California AfterSchool Network (CAN) is excited to host our third BOOST workshop strand! 

CAN, a member of the 50 State Afterschool Network, exists to make a difference in the health and well-being of children, youth, their families, and their communities by strengthening access to high-quality Out-of-School Time (OST) programs. We envision compassionate communities that collaborate with OST programs to support whole children, families, and communities so that every young person and every family is well-known, well-cared for, and prepared to thrive.  

As we continue to navigate the impacts and possibilities of COVID, the focus of our strand explores ongoing response, recovery, and reopening from different vantage points and perspectives – Site Coordinators, Program/District Managers, and Systems Level Leaders. Across the nation, Expanded Learning and out-of-school time programs equip millions of children to succeed in school, connect with their communities, and prepare them for thriving futures. Each session will identify opportunities for continued engagement with CAN beyond the conference. 

We hope you join us! Together We CAN! 

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” — Barack Obama

Wednesday, April 27

10:30AM – 12:15PM
Empowering a Thriving Site Coordinator Workforce                     

Troy Selvey, Program Specialist, California AfterSchool Network, Sacramento, CA; Julie Sesser, Specialist, ASAPconnect, Sacramento, CA

Join us for an interactive workshop where we will discuss how we are supporting those who are out in the field serving our youth, families, and communities. During this workshop, you will have the opportunity to interact with and hear stories from members of the Site Coordinator Network which is supported by CAN and the TA Fellows and Coaches School of Leadership and Facilitation who are supported by our partner in the work ASAPconnect. You will also have the chance to hear about ways you can get involved. This workshop will give you the chance not only to hear stories about the wonderful Expanded Learning field from those who serve in it, but also will provide a way for you to find out how you can become a part of the continued movement to support those who support the youth, families, and communities.

Audience: ULA, MLA, DS, CB, PK, E, M, H

2:45PM – 4:045PM 
Leveraging Multiple Funding Investments to Support California’s Children and Families                                                                       

Tiffany Gipson, Director of Quality Initiatives, California AfterSchool Network, Oakland CA; Heather Williams, Director of Policy and Outreach, California AfterSchool Network, Sacramento, CA

This session will include an overview of the innovative ways we can use state and federal investments to meet the needs of the children and families we serve, at this moment. While there has been unprecedented investment into child-serving systems, in many places we are seeing those funds being turned away, or being spent as they always have without any additional benefit for the communities and children we serve. We will share how the new Expanded Learning Opportunities Program in California can be leveraged with other funding to support ongoing and innovative work at the state, regional, and local levels. This workshop will include facilitated conversations to generate emerging and promising practices and strategies amongst the participants.

Audience: ULA, MLA, DS, CB, PK, E, M, H

Thursday, April 28

10:00AM – 12:00PM
Increasing Program Quality – The Right Tools for the Job           

Tiffany Gipson, Director of Quality Initiatives, California AfterSchool Network, Oakland CA; Troy Selvey, Program Specialist, California AfterSchool Network, Sacramento, CA

This interactive workshop will examine how to leverage CAN’s suite of tools, data, and other resources to support high quality programming support for staff. We will consider what that really means in the context of what our programs are dealing with and all the complexities that face them today. Participants will also receive copies of the tools referenced in the workshop.

Audience: ULA, MLA, DS, CB, PK, E, M, H

1:00PM – 2:15PM
Ask the Field                                                                                       

Tiffany Gipson, Director of Quality Initiatives, California AfterSchool Network, Oakland CA; Troy Selvey, Program Specialist, California AfterSchool Network, Sacramento, CA; Julie Sesser, Specialist, ASAPConnect, Sacramento, CA

Come and participate in a dialogue with the statewide technical assistance providers teams for California’s Expanded Learning programs. The CAN and ASAP teams have a combined experience of over 70 years working in, with and for Expanded Learning programs throughout the state. From rural to urban, north to south, we have worked to engage, uplift, and amplify the talented practitioners in our field as well as illuminate the challenges that are faced. Please join us for a CANdid conversation where we share in a dialogue with you about the state of our field.

Audience: ULA, MLA, DS, CB, PK, E, M, H

3:45PM – 5:15PM
Advancing a Diverse & Thriving Expanded Learning Workforce         

Bill Fennessy, Program Specialist, California AfterSchool Network, Long Beach, CA; Lupita Perez, Program Coordinator, California AfterSchool Network, Sacramento, CA 

CAN builds the capacity of the Expanded Learning workforce by developing and implementing comprehensive workforce strategies to strengthen and advance a diverse and thriving Expanded Learning workforce. This session will share some of those strategies specific to addressing workforce challenges, building and expanding upon pathways for Expanded Learning professionals into teaching, and promoting tools and resources to support a strong workforce.

Audience: ULA, MLA, CB, PK, E, M, H

Friday, April 29

9:15AM – 11:15AM
A Journey to Becoming an Antiracist Organization.                     

Tiffany Gipson, Director of Quality Initiatives, California AfterSchool Network, Oakland, CA; Troy Selvey, Program Specialist, California AfterSchool Network, Sacramento, CA; Bill Fennessy, Program Specialist, California AfterSchool Network, Long Beach, CA; Lupita Perez, Program Coordinator, California AfterSchool Network, Sacramento, CA; Nat Rosales, Program Coordinator,  California AfterSchool Network, Sacramento, CA; Tammy Wang, VISTA, California AfterSchool Network, Sacramento, CA

The CAN team will share with participants the journey to not only why and how we are changing our policies and practices, but anchoring those shifts in the personal growth and exploration of our team members and partners. We will share how our work has shifted as a result and some wins and lessons we have learned along the way. This includes our shift to a Whole Child Health and Wellness framing for all of our work, expansion of how we explore and support the needs, challenges, and expertise of our workforce through an authentic partnership with the workforce, and an emphasis on Compassionate Systems as tools to explore our work.

Audience: ULA, MLA, CB, PK, E, M, H