BCRPA Report: Addressing the after-school hours - Middle ...

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BC RECREATION AND PARKS ASSOCIATION
BCRPA Report |
This environmental scan has prompted the following
recommendations about further action in order to best support
children aged 6 to 12 in BC during the after-school hours.The use
of an ‘after-school strategy’ in the recommendations is meant
to encompass any concerted organized effort to address the
after-school hours, whether it be through a specific after-school
program, specific projects or an over-arching framework.
Recommendations for future action include:
• That a provincial framework should be developed to support
children aged 6 to 12 during the after-school hours.
• For any after-school strategy, broad language should be used
in order to appeal to and solicit participation from a broad
range of stakeholders.
• Any after-school strategy should support after-school
programming that embodies the characteristics of a good after-
school program, and ensures the accommodation of the two
distinct cohorts within the middle childhood years (6 to 9 and
10 to 12) and their respective developmental needs.
• An after-school strategy and after-school programming should
be targeted to all children.
• An after-school strategy should include rigorous evaluative
measures to ensure monitoring of programming and indicators
of success.
• An after-school strategy should be branded as promoting
quality programs and necessary supports for children in the
after-school hours.
• Any future work in this area should add value to work
already in progress by community partners at local, regional
and provincial levels.
• Users and target audiences impacted by the implementation
of an after-school strategy should be consulted and engaged
during its creation, implementation and evaluation.
• Quality assurance mechanisms need to be implemented for
after-school programs supported an after-school strategy.
• Further academic research is needed to adequately understand
the range of vulnerabilties for children aged 6 to 12 across the
province.
• Enhance physical activity through after-school programming.
• Dosage of after-school programs needs to be addressed.
Through the use of these recommendations, the strengths of
quality after-school programming in BC can be enhanced and
the gaps in supporting children in the after-school hours can be
addressed. Through a collaborative, dynamic and comprehensive
approach, we can enhance the lives of children aged 6 to 12 and
their families and improve their quality of life.