Introducing our new series: Defining Quality. Each week we will be using our ABC's of ELO's (expanded learning opportunities) to highlight a term that allows us to have greater shared understanding within our expanded learning network. This week's term is:

• Trauma-informed practice: program structure intentionally builds safety, structure, choice, collaboration, and empowerment and is staffed by well-regulated adults with the awareness, training, and emotional capacity to help youth who have experienced poverty, violence, neglect, and/or abuse.

Applying the practice at Oregon Afterschool Conference: One of the sessions this year that will be incorporating trauma-informed practical application is  Creating Brave Space to Create, facilitated by Ian Mouser. Ian founded My Voice Music in 2008 after realizing that songwriting, rehearsals and performance, not only brought youth together, it allowed them to express things they would not otherwise be able to face. Since then, he has been working to provide inclusive, inspiring space for all different 'types' of youth to grow, heal, and become confidently empowered young adults. The session he is facilitating will  be focused on specific methodologies used by My Voice Music, such as trauma informed approaches and strengths based coaching, that build safe spaces for youth to be creators. Participants will discuss and explore why these components are important in creating the right environment for youth to express themselves. Participants will practice the application of strategies and find how these methods can be incorporated in any afterschool or summer space to authentically engage middle and high school age youth.

Make sure to register soon and select your conference sessions if you are interested in learning more about trauma informed practices and how to utilize them to help equip and inspire youth!

This year marks the 20th celebration of Lights On Afterschool, a national rally in support of afterschool and is organized by the Afterschool Alliance. The rally itself, held on Thursday, October 24th, 2019, is a day where millions of people across the nation will turn the lights on for afterschool. While the official nationwide rally is on October 24, that does not mean it is the only opportunity to bring awareness to the importance of afterschool programs. Lights On Afterschool can also be used as a talking point to encourage afterschool program enrollment in upcoming open night and back-to-school parent events.  We may not have an Empire State Building to light up here, but we know the work you are doing is valuable and want to take the time to say thank you -  Let's help keep your Lights ON!

Some suggestions for incorporating Lights on Afterschool into back-to-school events:

• Offer a coloring activity during the school day with the official Lights On Afterschool coloring sheet and hang them up for parents to view when they visit the school
• Post a newsletter to promote awareness of and participation with Lights On Afterschool
• Showcase the achievements of local afterschool programs and students during the parent events
• Have a list of upcoming events written on the board and include the national celebration day for Lights On Afterschool
• Connect the afterschool message of "Every child should have access to afterschool!" to any related current events

  Find out more about other resources or opportunities here!

 OregonASK will be sharing our Quest for Quality stories with Oregon Legislators this winter, preparing to join legislators in Salem on January 15th during Legislative Committee Days. This January visit will be just a few weeks before the Legislative Session as committees review the work done since July and final decisions and rules being enacted. We will be keeping you updated this fall on key legislative opportunities and hope that many programs will be able to join us in sharing what makes you unique in providing Quality expanded learning opportunities. 

Bergin Learning Arts , a Nonprofit School of Expressive Arts is about exploring the art of learning for adults and children. For over 25 years, they have been working in the field of expressive arts therapy and education, providing tools for parents, teachers and children to explore the art of learning through movement, drawing, writing and cooperative group activities.

Bergin Learning Arts is offering two exciting opportunities available to YOU!  For more information about these opportunities, please contact  Lanie Bergin . 

Thank you to everyone who has participated and provided feedback throughout this process. We hope that by hearing directly from youth, families, and programs that we can make a stronger case for more resources and support in providing expanded learning opportunities in communities across Oregon. 

Our Access and Equity Data Design Work Group met on Friday, September 27th to go over preliminary results. The group discussed both qualitative and quantitative data through graphs and tables as well as focus group results. Areas of interest included program staff, enrichment offerings, access to training, and culturally responsive programming. There was a lively discussion around analyzing the data and how this research is impacting the future of expanded learning opportunities. Thank you to those of you who participated and offered your valuable input! There is still time to participate in our final Data Design Team meeting next month.

We will be reconvening our Data Design Work Group on October 24th, to review tools and resources to be implemented through the report. We will also take time to review drafted materials for implementation. You will be able to join online or at our office in Wilsonville. Please contact Juan.Soto@oregonask.org

if you would like to be added to the invitation list. 

The final report will be released n January of 2020, but in the meantime, 

make sure to check out our  Interim Report here!

On October 10th, the Oregon Child Care Research Partnership and the Oregon School Readiness Research Consortium will be holding a Researchers Roundtable at Chemeketa Cellars. This annual day-long conversation among policy makers, researchers, and practitioners focuses on policy-relevant research findings related to Oregon children, families, communities, and early learning programs. The Oregon Research Partnership held the first Roundtable in 1995 and since 2014 the Oregon School Readiness Research Consortium has been cosponsoring the day. The Roundtable has multiple goals including: Improving policy decisions by making policy-relevant research accessible to Oregon policy makers; increasing the policy relevance of research by bringing policy concerns and questions to the attention of Oregon child and family researchers; and strengthening collaboration of policy makers, researchers, and practitioners. 

Our Research Manager, Katie Lakey, will be speaking on a panel at the Researchers Roundtable. She will also be sharing a sneak peak of OregonASK's Access and Equity Report!

Click here to learn more about Oregon Child Care Research Partnership.

 We are looking forward to our first partner meeting of the new school year on October 11th from 9:00 am-12:00 pm! We will be reflecting upon the last year, discussing plans for our 3 year work plan under a new Mott grant, introducing our new quality campaign, reviewing the ABC's of ELO's (Expanded Learning Opportunities), and hearing updates from our partners. 

We hope to see you there!  RSVP here