Accomplishments:
- NC CAP was one of nine states to receive a grant from the National League of Cities to host a statewide Mayoral Summit on afterschool and expanded learning opportunities. The summit will take place in April 2012.
- NC CAP’s 2011 SYNERGY conference drew over 500 participants and focused on cross-sector collaboration in the current economic climate, reaching more youth with fewer resources and program sustainability.
- NC CAP initiated a Local Coalition Building Planning Team to foster cross-sector collaboration between the health and wellness, dropout prevention, juvenile crime prevention and closing the achievement gap communities down to the county and community levels. NC CAP and the team will provide resources and materials to develop coalitions by helping to connect the dots of services at the state and local levels, while putting advocacy for quality afterschool programs at the forefront of the agenda.
Current Projects and Initiatives:
- NC CAP continues to work toward establishing a comprehensive, incentivized afterschool professional development system. Following the passage of a School-Age Certificate by the North Carolina Community College System Board, NC CAP trained 30 community college faculty on school-age care initiatives during the NC CAP's annual professional development conference. NC CAP also helped develop a new statewide course on healthy lifestyles that will be a certificate requirement.
- NC CAP is developing a train-the-trainer model and assessment tool to accompany the new staff core competencies.
- NC CAP is partnering with North Carolina State University to develop an online master’s program in family life and youth development, as well as creating a continuing education units-bearing Leadership Institute.
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NC CAP’s funders work group has encouraged better data management practices among all afterschool programs and negotiated a partnership with a software company for the implementation of services into participating programs. The group also works to create funding incentives that will increase the likelihood that afterschool practitioners adopt high standards and encourage employees to take advantage of professional development opportunities.
- NC CAP’s funders work group is also expanding to include private funders such as corporations and foundations. The first public/private meeting was held in November 2011.
- NC CAP initiated planning for a statewide '3 to 6' campaign, which will build public will through raising awareness about the importance of afterschool programs by focusing on critical services for youth.
- NC CAP informed the state’s School Improvement Grant winners on the importance of afterschool and the current initiatives taking place in North Carolina.
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NC CAP partnered with the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences to begin planning for a youth-led, youth-driven Afterschool STEM Summit that will empower youth from across the state to go back into their communities and develop STEM projects that involve museum, school and community partnerships.