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

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STAFF SUPPORT AND DEVELOPMENT
An after-school program is only as good as the people who run it. Hiring youth workers
who enjoy and believe in young people and have the necessary skill sets to work with
them is each program’s responsibility. It is just as important, however, to cultivate and
support the talented and dedicated people that you hire. Career-furthering professional
development, the utilization of staff expertise and passion, meaningful recognition for
contribution, systematic and constructive feedback, meaningful roles in program design,
clear paths of ascent within the organization and other ways to make work more meaningful
and manageable not only increase program quality, but also strengthen staff commitment,
help professionalize the field, and create a new generation of OST leaders.
1. Program provides staff with the basic supports and policies needed to create
a sustainable professional work environment.
a. Program actively attempts to pay its staff at competitive rates and has a clear schedule
for raises and ladder for advancement.
b. When possible, program provides full-time staff with paid leaves of absence, sick leave
and provides back-up coverage to allow for staff absences due to health emergencies or
professional development.
c. Program provides staff with remuneration for time spent in program-related activities and,
when possible, for professional development.
d. Program provides staff with clear guidelines on organizational policies and procedures
and reviews these guidelines regularly.
e. Program ensures that staff is adequately trained and given the tools for successful
program operation.
f. When possible, program provides staff with private storage areas, adult restroom access,
and a quiet place where members can confer.
g. Program actively attempts to either insure full-time staff, offer them access to group
health insurance rates, or provide a health insurance stipend.
h. Program provides clear avenues for staff to air concerns and grievances.
2. Program offers a clear path for staff advancement and an environment for
professional growth.
a. Program provides written job descriptions to staff (paid, unpaid, substitute and youth)
and secures their agreement to them.
b. Program provides a minimum of yearly written performance reviews with additional
regular and documented opportunities for real dialogue around cultivating strengths
and addressing areas of challenge.
c. Program discusses changes in duties and responsibilities with staff before they are put
into effect.
Field Guide to OST Best Practices / Youth Development Philosophy and Low Student-to-Staff Ratio / 7