Providence After School Alliance

Dear After-school advocate,

A little over five years ago, the Providence After School Alliance was formed. What began as a fresh vision for after school soon transformed into a citywide system serving almost 1,800 of Providence’s middle school youth. From the beginning, our goals were clear: create a coordinated system of programming for our most disadvantaged youth, one that enables their healthy development and is built upon shared ownership across the community. And today these goals remain keystones of our initiative.

The landscape of after-school has changed. We must hold cross-sector collaboration as paramount in order to sustain the after-school work that so many have achieved individually. In times of depleted funding and budget cuts, a sense of community ownership must permeate the after-school ether – ownership where each and every member has a vested interest in the rearing and enrichment of youth. This burden no longer falls solely on the parent or the school-day teacher. It is now the responsibility of the police officer, dance instructor, local business owner, bus driver, policy maker, and librarian as well. And we also need to listen to and incorporate youth voice into the equation, to recognize the value of that voice; they want their own success as much as we do. The classroom is growing and we must grow with it.

We need after-school systems that transcend the confines of local government and community positions, and remain viable long after founding leaders have vacated their posts.  We need after-school systems with shared resources from local government, businesses, school districts, and community members – and not just monetary resources, but those of space, time, expertise, advocacy, and best practices. Resources in the fullest sense of the word, so that residents of Providence and cities across our nation can function with ease in providing youth with the maximum number of opportunities for growth, expression, and success.

For while such systems rely upon a sense of community ownership, they also, maybe more importantly, contribute to the healthy development of our youth – the socio-emotional, academic, and physical development that is essential for progress. Our vision is a full day of learning that extends from the moment youth arise in the morning until they fall into bed at night, days where educators in and out of school, along with community partners and parents, work together with youth to realize a seamless learning day for our youth. It is they who will mature to be the leaders and advocates shepherding us into tomorrow. Providence’s system doesn’t merely live in the present tense – it is inextricably tied to our city’s, and our country’s, future.

So thank you for taking the time to learn about us. Your belief in the innate potential within each child is what enables our work. We’ll see you on the trail, and we look forward to having you join us.

Most sincerely,

                  
David N. Cicilline                                                       Hillary Salmons
Mayor, City of Providence                                         Executive Director, PASA