DC TRUST Guide 1023 - Children & Youth Investment Trust ...

k. For continuity of service, program has provisions for use of an alternate space if the
current site becomes unusable.
l. Program has documented weather and communication procedures.
m. Program has set and documented procedures for the arrival and dismissal of its young
people.
2. Program has documentation in place to meet day-to-day challenges as well as
emergencies.
a. Prior to beginning work, all staff – full-time, part-time, volunteer, substitute and youth –
are provided with written job descriptions, an employee handbook, and comprehensive
program orientation and are introduced to the other staff they will be working with.
b. Program maintains all required participant documents and can readily access them when
needed (e.g. signed parental consent forms, emergency contact information, administration
of medications, special dietary needs, transportation instructions, swimming permission).
c. Program maintains accurate, updated and accessible medical records on its young people
(e.g. medications, allergies, emergency contacts, etc.).
d. Program maintains a regularly updated list of phone and email contacts for families. And
young people and their families are provided with practical ways to contact the program.
e. Written policies and procedures are reviewed with staff on an ongoing basis (e.g. fire
drills, disciplinary procedure, confidentiality policy).
f. Program provides all staff with a phone/email contact tree, in case of emergencies.
g. Program documents and files succinct descriptions and steps for activities and projects,
so that substitutes can easily pick up where program staff has left off.
h. Program keeps confidential archive of information for at least one year after a young
person has left the program.
i. Program tracks the progress of young people after they leave the program.
j. Program conducts exit strategy meetings with young people leaving the program and,
when appropriate, with their families.
k. Program documents up-to-date personal and academic information on young people that
can be shared with program colleagues.
3. Program uses evaluation as a tool for continuous growth and improvement.
a. Program defines and documents specific outcomes that it desires for its young people,
what it will do to help young people achieve them, what indicators will show that
progress is being made, and how it will measure that progress.
b. Program shares evaluation information with funders and other stakeholders.
c. Program regularly involves staff, young people, families and other community
stakeholders in evaluation of the program through various means (e.g. surveys,
questionnaires, interviews, focus groups, meetings and town halls).
d. Program uses information from past evaluations to inform present strategies.
e. Program participates in group information gathering to further the youth-serving
community and the field of out-of-school time.
f. Program makes use of evaluation to generate promotional and fund-raising material
and to raise its visibility.
g. When possible, program engages external evaluators.
Field Guide to OST Best Practices / Organizational Infrastructure / 38