Increasing equity in afterschool and summer programs in Rochester

How to increase equity and accessibility within out-of-school time (OST) programs for youth was the focus of a 2-year project that CGR, in partnership with RAND Corp., conducted for the Greater Rochester Afterschool & Summer Alliance (GRASA).

The project included a local and national scan of OST systems, and a process to design a more coordinated, accessible and equitable system. We focused on a community-centered approach, beginning with the creation of a Community Advisory Group including youth and parents that participated in the project throughout its 2-year duration and including the development of a Community-Based Participatory Research Subgroup, which took part in designing and conducting local research. The project incorporated input and data from 150 youth, 200 parents, about 50 program providers, and was informed by lessons from OST organizations in 10 cities.  
  
This project concluded with a concrete set of priorities and high-level action plan, detailed in the report, that will guide the community over the next four years to make strategic investments in the OST system and work collaboratively to increase equitable access and ensure ample opportunities for children and youth to be productively engaged in the many hours they are not in school.

Read the full report or to learn more about this work contact, Erika Rosenberg. 

July 31, 2023 CGR Briefs Edition