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Community assets collaborating for young people

PASA was shaped and formed by over 150 leaders active in running after-school programs. PASA was charged with building a system of support to provide high-quality programming to more youth -- a system that has full community support, that maximizes existing resources and that leverages more sustainable funding.

Building a Lasting After-School System
 PASA is working in conjunction with the many talented, diverse and innovative providers that are true assets of the Providence community. Providers are the key organizers and contributors for our planning and implementation efforts. PASA's Quality Improvement Strategy will build the capacity of after-school programs to provide higher quality programs in a sustainable after-school system - the AfterZones.  

Quality A Top Priority
PASA is committed to supporting after-school providers with the resources they need to provide the highest quality programming to our city's youth. As in any profession, after-school program staff and volunteers require ongoing learning and networking opportunities to deliver effective programs to youth. That is why PASA is investing in professional development opportunities for after-school provider staff to promote learning and growth in their positions. Based on feedback from our provider staffing and professional development survey, in addition to research conducted on successful Quality Improvement initiatives in other cities, the following activities have been identified as having great potential to impact the quality of after-school programs and staff:

a) The Building Exemplary Systems for Training (BEST) Initiative  - PASA is partnerning with the Boston Medical Foundation and RIASPA to offer the BEST Youth Worker training 4 times a year to local and statewide after school providers. BEST is an 8-week, 32-hour training session designed to build a better understanding of youth development principles.  The training is geared toward program staff working with youth ages 11 - 19. To learn more about the BEST initiative and how to apply, click here .

b) Self-Assessment Tool - As a continuation of the Quality Standards and Indicators work, PASA has worked with a group of providers, policy makers, and researchers to develop the Rhode Island Program Quality Assessment Tool (RIPQA). This tool is an adapted version of the High/Scope Foundation's Youth Program Quality Assessment Tool (YPQA), a nationally validated tool with a focus on positive youth development.  The final version of this tool will be available for after school providers' use in the fall of 2007.

c) Data Collection and Tracking Tool  - PASA has partnered with CitySpan technologies to offer our provider community Youthservices.net, a web-based data management and tracking software that allows for systematic collection of participant attendance, participation, retention and related program information. The tool has the capability to track data across the entire city, providing a valuable resource for Providence in presenting system-wide data to advocate for increased after-school funding and support. For more information on this tool and to visit the CitySpan site, click here. 

d) Innovators' Grants  - PASA has awarded over $300,000 to after-school provider partners in 2 grant cycles to provide new and improved after - school programming and activities focused on middle school youth in the city. The purpose of these innovation grants is to support new partnerships among after school providers, stimulate innovative program ideas, and identify promising curricula.

e) Ongoing Professional Development and Capacity Building - Based on national research on what has been successful in communities and what Providence providers want and need, we have begun to offer monthly workshops on a variety of topics, in addition to providing opportunities for community-wide networking, site visits to promising programs in neighboring cities, and information and scholarships for national PD opportunities.  

For more information on quality improvement, please contact Elizabeth Devaney by phone at 401.490.9599 ext. 103 or by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .