Are after-school programs effective?
Emotional effects of after school programs include increased social skills, self-esteem, self-confidence, interaction with adults and peers, courage, and leadership skills (After-school Programs Make a Difference: Findings From the Harvard Family Research Project)(Reisner, Elizabeth, 2007). Youth's emotionally development expands greatly through the staff student relationship. Students learn that someone genuinely cares about how they are doing and loves everything about them.
Academically:
Mentally:
According to data found in the Harvard Family Research Project, after-school programs are highly beneficial to youth academics if the program is run efficiently. The possible outcomes in academic achievement include: healthier attitudes toward school, increased education aspirations, increased attendance rates, lower levels of tardiness, fewer suspensions or dropouts, higher performance measured by test scores, increase in completion of homework, and increased drive and commitment to learning. Studies show that incorporating and offering a variety of activities indirectly related to education or learning propels further enrichment in the youth and creates a well rounded student (After-school Programs Make a Difference: Findings From the Harvard Family Research Project).
Physically:
EMotionaly/Socially:
After-school programs have the power and capability to impact the wellness and health of a community's youth in a positive way. By supplying healthy snacks and meals, educating youth on proper nutrition, and providing healthy and entertaining physical activities organizations insure that kids receive physical care and attention they may not be fortunate enough to receive at home. The Yale Study of Children’s After School Time found reductions in obesity in those who participated in after school programs were more probable than compared to those who did not participate (After-school Programs Make a Difference: Findings From the Harvard Family Research Project).
One successful mental outcome of after school programs is the reduction of hopelessness in the youth, and in reducing hopelessness programs lower the risk of suicidal thoughts, criminal actions, and temptations to abuse substances. Connection with program staff and the dynamic of intentional relationships is a huge component to mental health in youth (Murry, Berkel, Gaylord-Harden, Copeland-Linder, & Nation 2011). Studies suggest that having a positive role model and structure makes a huge difference in not only mental maturity, but as well as social and emotional development. Jennifer Roffman states in her child and family studies manuscript, "problems such as declining self-esteem for girls and externalizing behavior problems for boys are often mitigated when girls have access to supportive relationships with peers and adults, and when boys have access to structured activities and household rules ("Youth Functioning and Experiences in Inner-City After-School Programs Among Age, Gender, and Race Groups").