A Practical Guide to the Science and Practice of Afterschool Programming

Closing the gap between scientific research on afterschoolprogramming and the practices occurring in these settings is thegoal of this volume. Both sources of knowledge are critical todeveloping the afterschool workforce's ability to providehigh-quality programming. On the one hand, this meansafterschool staff should not work with young people until they havebeen adequately prepared--which includes training inevidence-based practices--and properly supervised. On theother hand, it requires that scientists understand and study thoseaspects of afterschool programming most relevant to the needs ofpractitioners.This volume includes perspectives from the afterschool workforce,scientists who discuss the current research, and the practitionerswho know how afterschool programs operate in practice.This is the 144th volume of New Directions for YouthDevelopment, the Jossey-Bass quarterly report seriesdedicated to bringing together everyone concerned with helpingyoung people, including scholars, practitioners, and people fromdifferent disciplines and professions.