Dual Impact:
A Vision for Developing the Out-of-School Time Workforce

Based on the latest data suggesting there are 20.4 million youth enrolled in after-school and summer programs, there are at least 2 million professionals working in formal out-of-school time (OST) programs nationwide (not including formal and informal child care staff, teachers, sports coaches, and others who also support young people in a variety of settings).
​OST staff have long been characterized as transient, with little pay and a lack of growth opportunities being blamed for high employee turnover and staffing shortages. Without enough staff, we know young people’s learning and enrichment experiences suffer. Lacking a full staff can cause activities to be removed from the schedule and, in some cases, programs are forced to limit enrollment, closing kids out of programs all together. 

Consider this: You’re mentoring a young adult, eager to secure their first job after high school. You describe two options to them:

• ​Option 1: It’s a part-time job, 15-20 hours per week, at minimum wage. To get promoted, you’ll wait until one of two positions opens, but there will be at least ten other people waiting to apply. If you start working in June or September, you’ll get great training, but if you start mid-year you might have to wing it for a while until the next training comes along. The work is high stakes as we aim to improve outcomes for kids.

• ​Option 2: It’s a part-time job, 15-20 hours per week. You’ll start at minimum wage, and your rate steps up after you complete one year of employment. Trainings are offered year-round, and you will earn a badge, certification and college credits for them. Your supervisor will work with you to explore career pathways and set goals, and after two years of successful employment, a coach will help you identify next steps within the organization or elsewhere depending on your goal. The work is high stakes as we aim to improve outcomes for kids, but this job will also kickstart your career.

It’s time to innovate our approach to OST staffing. Options 1 and 2 can both be descriptions of the same role, but clearly Option 2 has created intentional support and pathways for staff. By designing OST programs with a second social utility – a workforce development experience for junior OST staff – we can upskill a generation of youth workers while, we hypothesize, improving job quality and retaining staff for longer. 

Dual Impact: A Vision for Developing the Out-of-School Time Workforce provides a framework for redesigning part-time, entry-level OST jobs as a workforce development program. As shown in our interactive career mapping tool and career pathways infographic, OST roles can lead to many career opportunities within and beyond the OST sector. Restructuring entry-level jobs as part of an upskilling and workforce preparation experience will support junior staff to build strong foundational skills and inspire them to stay in the sector. It can also boost staff morale and performance for those folks who are planning to move on to an aligned career pathway outside of the sector. This approach acknowledges that managing large numbers of entry-level OST staff requires more resources than those currently invested to achieve both program and staff success.

Published December 9, 2024 

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