Alanna Crochetiere of Amilia details all the benefits of inclusive youth programs.
Think back to when you were a kid. What were your favorite activities? We’ll hazard a guess and say they took place outside of the classroom — after school, on weekends and during holidays breaks.
There’s a myriad of benefits to offering and participating in youth programs. On an individual level, these programs fulfill more than just kids’ physical needs. They have social and emotional needs, too. Plus, on a wider scale, they connect communities, strengthen peer relationships and set up future generations to thrive.
One huge way to ensure your center can enhance the lives of all members is by making youth opportunities accessible to all.
Youth Programs Support Development
When a kid participates in a youth program, they get to create friendships, build social skills and be exposed to new learning opportunities. Whether they’re working on fine motor skills in soccer practice, stretching their creative muscles in art class or exploring new ideas in science club, they gain a foundation that will stick with them well into adulthood.
Lindsay Leiby, the program supervisor with the City of Cuyahoga Falls, has seen firsthand the impact youth programs have had on kids.
“Youth programs are an amazing outlet for kids who have interests that lie outside of typical school subjects,” explained Leiby. “They get to show off their personality and develop hobbies they’re passionate about. You’d be surprised at how many shy kids come out of their shells.”
Your youth programming could be just the opportunity a child needs to thrive in ways that traditional learning environments and structures don’t, or be introduced to new and diverse viewpoints. It could make all the difference for their future.
Youth Programs Connect Communities
While youth programs hold benefits for each individual kid, they also work to strengthen ties between participants in the program and wider communities. “Chances are most of the participants in the program don’t already go to school together,” said Leiby. “This allows them to make friends with other kids who they didn’t know prior. I’ve seen it happen before my very eyes.”
When you work together to expand programming with other organizations, you also open the door for more youth to participate in your programs.
Leiby shared a great example from her organization. “Our community events programmer is working on an event in partnership with the Summit County Developmental Disabilities Board to welcome the organization to our community, offer a festival to the families and celebrate inclusion,” she said. “It’s an exciting step.”
Building a robust catalog of youth program offerings also serves as a strong foundation for future generations. If you had a positive experience participating in an activity as a child, wouldn’t you want the same for your kids?
Get Started With Inclusive Youth Programs
Ensure local, affordable and quality options are available to all the kids in your community. Look for software that helps you offer special prices through discounts and scholarships, targeting parts of your community that may not otherwise be able to afford your programs.
Other steps to get started with offering inclusive youth programs as part of your organization include:
- Recruit volunteers and staff with diverse backgrounds to attract diverse populations.
- Use social media to create opportunities to break down barriers and increase a sense of belonging. Leiby suggested asking your staff to reshare information about your programs.
- This one is simple: Ask diverse groups for their input.
- You can also increase accessibility by bringing your activities online or upgrading your current activity management platform.
