Systems Building

Mayor David N. Cicilline and Providence’s youth leaders share a vision for a full day of learning that supports the healthy development of every child in Providence from the moment they wake until they go to bed at night.

Throughout Cicilline’s 2002 mayoral campaign and subsequent terms in office, out-of-school time for youth has been a top priority. While he was running for office on a youth-focused platform, the Wallace Foundation announced its Learning in Communities initiative to aid cities in building citywide systems of high-quality after-school programming.

Providence was selected by the Foundation due to the Mayor’s leadership and a business plan he developed with over 200 youth organizations and leaders. The first stage of this systems-building effort has provided middle school youth high-quality after-school programming without compromising accessibility.

Going forward PASA will work with the schools and after-school community to create an expanded learning system: a seamless day of learning that better connects after-school and in-school programming.

PASA will also work with the high school-focused after-school community to provide high school students with better access to the city’s opportunities for older youth.

By coordinating programming in schools and community agencies, PASA engages youth in a wide array of programs, without worry over the logistics of transportation, scheduling, potential overlap, and most importantly, cost.

Systems Building Key Strategies

PASA’s priority is building a sustainable system of high-quality after-school programs, knitting together public and private providers to benefit the youth of Providence. In order to achieve measurable outcomes for Providence’s youth, it is essential to focus on strategies that build new and strong relationships, mobilize and leverage resources, and foster and increase accountability for achieving the youth development agenda. These strategies include:

Designed for Replication

The need for quality after-school programs isn’t unique to Providence. For that reason, PASA’s system building and quality improvement models are shared with, and customized by, interested organizations across the country. In this way, PASA’s work doesn’t just serve the youth of Providence — it improves opportunities for youth across the country. The George Lucas Educational Foundation recognized the national implications of PASA’s work and selected us as one of four organizations nationwide to profile. After coming to Providence to learn about our system, the foundation’s website, Edutopia, created video and print tutorials of PASA. These tutorials have become an invaluable resource for cities and organizations looking to replicate our after-school model.