Episodes

  • "Knowing Who I Am" by Terrance Cauley

    "Knowing Who I Am" by Terrance Cauley
    Apr 10 2023

    In the fourth episode of the series, Georgia talks to Terrance Cauley, senior director in the Department of Youth, Family, and Clinical Services at Better Family Life Inc. in St. Louis, Missouri. Terrance highlights the importance of offering historically marginalized Black youth opportunities for self-definition, and discusses how he does this through his work in out-of-school time programming.

    Terrance reads from his essay “Knowing Who I Am,” and shares how his grandfather—his afterschool specialist and before care provider—and his African cultural identity played a significant role in shaping his early life, and how identity work “drives youth toward a point of cultural pride,” which is the foundation of his work with Black youth.

    Terrance’s essay appears in the book co-edited by NIOST, The Heartbeat of the Youth Development Field: Professional Journeys of Growth, Connection, and Transformation. Through both research and personal essays, the book shines a light on the intricate connections between research and practice, touching upon both the vulnerability and triumph of youth development work. The passionate voices of youth workers in this volume lead to the inescapable conclusion that programs and policies for youth must be informed by these same voices and the values they express.

     

    About the National Institute on Out-of-School-Time:

    For 40 years, NIOST has been a leader in defining, shaping, and promoting out-of-school time (OST) as a distinct professional field with evidence-based quality standards. We bridge the worlds of research and practice to provide OST directors, staff, planners, school administrators, community leaders, and others with research, training, evaluation, and consultation to enhance and improve the quality of programs for all children and youth. https://niost.org

    NIOST is a program of Wellesley Centers for Women, a research and action institute at Wellesley College that is focused on women and gender and driven by social change. https://www.wcwonline.org

     

    About Terrance Cauley:

    Terrance L. Cauley is a Senior Director in the Department of Youth, Family & Clinical Services at Better Family Life, Inc., a 501c3 Social Service Agency in St. Louis, Missouri.  Terrance has extensive experience in youth programs and research in the area of youth conflict resolution/prevention, healthy relationships, black youth culture & identity, and the use of affective praxis in academics, athletics & activism. Terrance has researched, written and presented work at various academic and professional development seminars over the last 25 years. He is currently building on this concept in a forthcoming work titled, "BALLERS: Building Affective Learned Liberated Emotional Regulations Skills, in African American Youth through Academics, Athletics, Arts & Activism.”
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    25 mins
  • "Sanctuary" by Brittany Jacobs and "Afterschool as Mission" by Edward Franklin

    "Sanctuary" by Brittany Jacobs and "Afterschool as Mission" by Edward Franklin
    Feb 27 2023
    In this third episode of the podcast, Georgia Hall, Ph.D., director of the National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST) hosts Brittany Jacobs, Library Director at the Burlington Public Library in Iowa, and Edward Franklin, President and CEO of Voice of Hope Ministries in Texas. Brittany and Edward talk about the essays they contributed to the book, which explore the relationship building that allows OST programs to go beyond short-term benefits to sustained and transformative influence for individuals and communities.Brittany reads from her essay “Sanctuary,” about how libraries can offer out-of-the-box learning opportunities for youth. She talks about an anxious fifth grader who came to the library looking for help with his math homework and soon became a library regular, and her experience empowering elementary schoolers by connecting them with young inventors through social media.Edward reads from his essay “Afterschool as Mission,” about his personal experience finding autonomy and responsibility as a young person in his church community. He discusses his work with young people during the out-of-school time hours, as a youth minister, "to extend grace" and keep youth on successful life trajectories.Brittany and Edward’s essays appear in the book co-edited by NIOST, The Heartbeat of the Youth Development Field: Professional Journeys of Growth, Connection, and Transformation. Through both research and personal essays, the book shines a light on the intricate connections between research and practice, touching upon both the vulnerability and triumph of youth development work. The passionate voices of youth workers in this volume lead to the inescapable conclusion that programs and policies for youth must be informed by these same voices and the values they express. About the National Institute on Out-of-School-Time:For 40 years, NIOST has been a leader in defining, shaping, and promoting out-of-school time (OST) as a distinct professional field with evidence-based quality standards. We bridge the worlds of research and practice to provide OST directors, staff, planners, school administrators, community leaders, and others with research, training, evaluation, and consultation to enhance and improve the quality of programs for all children and youth. https://niost.orgNIOST is a program of Wellesley Centers for Women, a research and action institute at Wellesley College that is focused on women and gender and driven by social change. https://www.wcwonline.org About Brittany Jacobs:What started out as an insatiable curiosity as a child, and a banning from the local public library at eight years old, has evolved into my career as a public librarian and children’s book author and illustrator. (Don’t worry, the irony is not lost on me.)With a focus on curriculum development for informal learning environments during undergrad (BA) and an emphasis on human-centered design and equity in graduate school (MSLIS) I have steeped myself in informal pedagogies and best practices in order to make learning fun and transformative for all who walk into the library.By harnessing the power of play, partnering with established community groups and supporting classroom initiatives, I’m helping to re-write the narrative of what a public library is as well as what OST learning looks like in-between the stacks.A public library director by day, my evening and weekends are all about books in a different context altogether -- writing and illustrating them. You can find me on the shelves with Duck, Duck, Tiger, Big Breath: A Guided Meditation for Kids, The Kraken’s Rules for Making Friends, Transforming Your Library into a Learning Playground, or in-between them as Director. About Edward Franklin:Edward Franklin has over 30 years of experience serving in out-of-school-time programs in underserved urban communities in America. He has led Voice of Hope Ministries, a Christian OST organization, located in Dallas, Texas for 18 years as the President and CEO. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Temple University, a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts in Religious Counseling from Westminster Theological Seminary and is in his final stages of a Doctor of Ministry degree from Dallas Theological Seminary. He is a NIOST National Afterschool Matters Fellow, a White-Riley-Peterson Fellow, and a Christian Community Development Association Leadership Cohort alumnus. He is passionate about his work and faith and dedicated to serving children and families residing in underserved communities domestically and abroad through quality, Christian, OST programs.
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    25 mins
  • "A Mirror for Black Boys" by Amy Franks and "Creating Windows Through Words" by Devan Blackwell

    "A Mirror for Black Boys" by Amy Franks and "Creating Windows Through Words" by Devan Blackwell
    Jan 25 2023
    In this episode of the Journeys in Youth Development podcast, Georgia Hall, Ph.D., director of the National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST), talks with Amy Franks and Devan Blackwell about their essays in the book, The Heartbeat of the Youth Development Field: Professional Journeys of Growth, Connection, and Transformation. Both of their essays explore the ways in which youth development experiences can transform lives, and how youth development professionals can promote engagement in activities that foster motivation and self-reflection.Amy Franks, associate director of learning partnerships at Book Harvest in Durham, NC,  reads from her essay “A Mirror for Black Boys,” about the afterschool book club for Black boys that she created. She talks about a moment of transformation when the boys began to see themselves in the pages of the books they were reading and to feel like their stories were worth telling.  Devan Blackwell, a longtime worker in the OST field and doctoral candidate at Hampton University in Hampton, VA, reads from his essay “Creating Windows Through Words,” about his use of creative writing and journaling to help youth see windows—possibilities for themselves—where previously only brick walls existed. He talks about a student who took to heart the idea of “a dream deferred” from the Langston Hughes poem “Harlem,” and connected it to a college catalog he carried in his backpack. About the National Institute on Out-of-School-Time:For 40 years, NIOST has been a leader in defining, shaping, and promoting out-of-school time (OST) as a distinct professional field with evidence-based quality standards. We bridge the worlds of research and practice to provide OST directors, staff, planners, school administrators, community leaders, and others with research, training, evaluation, and consultation to enhance and improve the quality of programs for all children and youth. https://niost.orgNIOST is a program of Wellesley Centers for Women, a research and action institute at Wellesley College that is focused on women and gender and driven by social change. https://www.wcwonline.org Amy Franks:With the big dream that one day all afterschool & summer enrichment programs will operate in their own dedicated spaces, Amy Franks has a passion for ensuring families have access to a safe environment that provides diverse, enriching experiences for children and youth, regardless of circumstance. In her twenty five years of experience in the out-of-school time arena, she has worked in afterschool programs in every capacity, beginning as a group leader at an elementary school in college through becoming the head of the School-Community Relations Department in Orange County Schools in Hillsborough, North Carolina, providing leadership and direction to all OST programs for the entire school district. Amy, a former classroom teacher who holds a B.A. in English Education, believing her passion to be advocating the awareness of and addressing the social and emotional needs of children and youth, made the decision to leave the classroom and has never looked back. She has worked primarily in school-based programs but has served in community-based and non-profit organizations as well, providing direct services, supervising others who provide direct services, volunteering in programs, and serving on committees that address needs related to the provision of high-quality afterschool programs. Amy is currently the associate director of school and family engagement at Book Harvest, a Durham-based North Carolina non-profit where her work keeps her connected to school systems across the state through the coordination of programs that provide free access to and ownership of books to students while on summer break, providing professional development to afterschool program providers, and the facilitation of an afterschool-based book club. Additionally, Amy is in her fifth year as an advisory board member of the North Carolina Center for Afterschool Programs. She is a state and national presenter at out-of-school-time conferences and was both a NASM (National After School Matters) fellow and an EPFP (Education Policy Fellowship Program) fellow. Known to students as "Miss Amy," she enjoys boot camp style workouts, has a fascination for roller derby, and is the proud human companion of a Lynx point Siamese cat named Fancy.  Devan Blackwell:Devan Blackwell is a National Afterschool Matters Fellow. Throughout his career, regardless of the role, he has always been an enthusiast for the potential of all learners to self-actualize and thrive, both in the classroom and in life. As an educator, Devan has taught in urban settings; created aspirational out-of-school time and summer learning experiences for inner city youth through exposure to the arts and the encouragement of citizenship within their communities; and, worked for a state-level education agency where he provided guidance on the ...
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    20 mins
  • "Sweet Spot" by Marisela Montoya and "Investing in Communities of Color" by Kourtney Andrada

    "Sweet Spot" by Marisela Montoya and "Investing in Communities of Color" by Kourtney Andrada
    Nov 29 2022

    In the first episode of the podcast series Journeys in Youth Development, host Georgia Hall, Ph.D., director of the National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST), talks to Marisela Montoya, chief program officer at Foundation Communities in Austin, TX, and Kourtney Andrada, senior director of school-based programs at Girls Inc. of Alameda County in Oakland, CA. Marisela reads several excerpts from her essay “Sweet Spot,” about how she happened to wander into an afterschool program and found her calling. She talks about an inspiring interaction with a supervisor who pushed her to constantly look for new opportunities to learn and to share that learning with others. Kourtney reads from her essay “Investing in Communities of Color,” about her early experiences working with youth as both a track coach and as an advisor to teens in a migrant farmer community who would be first-generation college students. She talks about a fellowship experience that shifted her mindset from working within existing systems to changing those systems.

    Marisela and Kourtney’s essays appear in the book The Heartbeat of the Youth Development Field: Professional Journeys of Growth, Connection, and Transformation. Through both research and personal essays, the book shines a light on the intricate connections between research and practice, touching upon both the vulnerability and triumph of youth development work. The passionate voices of youth workers in this volume lead to the inescapable conclusion that programs and policies for youth must be informed by these same voices and the values they express. See more details and order your copy here: https://niost.org/ostbook

     

    About the National Institute on Out-of-School-Time:

    For 40 years, NIOST has been a leader in defining, shaping, and promoting out-of-school time (OST) as a distinct professional field with evidence-based quality standards. We bridge the worlds of research and practice to provide OST directors, staff, planners, school administrators, community leaders, and others with research, training, evaluation, and consultation to enhance and improve the quality of programs for all children and youth. https://niost.org

    NIOST is a program of Wellesley Centers for Women, a research and action institute at Wellesley College that is focused on women and gender and driven by social change. https://www.wcwonline.org
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    19 mins