Dear Reader,
Perhaps no social issue receives more attention than the safety, health and positive development of children. Addressing this issue are the thousands of organizations around the country providing services to youth of all ages during the summer, after school, and evening hours, also known as out of school (OST) time. Hundreds of research articles demonstrate many different types of programmatic best practices. OST programs do much more than merely ensure the safety of children from the time they are dismissed from school until the time that they can be supervised by a parent or guardian; they also build essential, modern and relevant skills such as critical thinking and collaboration; they promote positive social values; and they support youth in making educational gains to ensure that they are competitive in a global workforce. Yet, very few OST programs have brought these practices to a significant scale.
The Philadelphia Social Innovations Journal, along with the City of Philadelphia Department of Human Services (DHS), Philadelphia Parks and Recreation (PPR), the DHS-funded OST Project managed by Public Health Management Corporation, The Philadelphia Foundation, Research for Action and several DHS OST funded providers will explore the many innovations within Philadelphia's OST network and regional OST programs. These OST models have demonstrated significant social impact on children and youth, including educational outcomes. The Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool Youth Development Network (PSAYDN), the Afterschool Alliance and Every Hour Counts will present information on national and regional trends, promising practices, and policy issues.
As always, we thank our sponsors and our advisory board members, representing the Barra Foundation, Bank of America, Green Tree Community Health Foundation, Independence Foundation, Independence Blue Cross Foundation, Inglis Foundation, Knight Foundation, The Patricia Kind Family Foundation, The Philadelphia Foundation, Public Health Foundation, Public Health Management Corporation, Sage Communications, Scattergood Foundation, St. Christopher’s Foundation for Children, United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey, the University of Pennsylvania, Wells Fargo and the William Penn Foundation.
Very truly yours,
Nicholas Torres, Publisher
Tine Hansen-Turton, Publisher