THE IMPACT OF COMMUNITY

B Y : D O R E E N L . U P S H A W - P I N K S T O N

“As the economic reality of the day has found its way to our door step and school reform continues to be underway due to these economic challenges, our program offerings among urban children and youth has been forced to a halt and any plans for expanded outreach among Pittsburgh’s most vulnerable population is feeling the effects. As is commonly the case during economic downturns, poor people suffer first, suffer worst and suffer longest”

Jay Roy, Board of Directors Chair

“I felt like a soldier recovering on a battle field after the battle. He is alive, he is breathing. He walks around this field

bubbling with the steam from hot metal forced into the ground. He sees his friends, fellow soldiers, these people are his family.

Many of them wounded many of them dead, gone. He is alive, but at that moment

he cannot conceive the blessing in that.”

– Doreen Pinkston

“Our afterschool program was closing... Most parents from the community have sent their entire family through the program. As we prepare to share the news with our kids each would have their own questions, comments, emotion, and fears. Losing this program, taking it from the community and families will create a major void in the lives of theses kids. In short, the lives of children and families will be profoundly impacted by this afterschool program’s closing.”

Inquiry:

To examine the impact that taking community based after school programs out of the lives of children in a particular community will affect children and families greatly.

Concern:

As more interest is placed on our schools providing skills and support to students to meet the goals and requirements of standardized testing, the focus to support financially those schools has increased. This idea is not at all misplaced; the problem is that the changes are being made to support schools without consideration to out-of-school time.

After school programs offer more than just academic support for kids and schools. Community based after school programs offer the very activities and social relationship time needed for kids to grow and lead more healthy and productive lives and gives families the much needed additional support and resources in the community beyond of the public school system.

Methodology:

• A survey was conducted with program participating children and parents

• Survey’s will consist of 5 questions each with content centering around past, present and future program needs and support.

• Face to face discussion meetings were held between parents and staff.

Questions:

1. What are the things that you think are needed in an afterschool program?

2. What do you think is the MOST important thing that kids need based on the age group of your child?

3. How have The Pittsburgh Project’s youth programs been beneficial to your child?

4. What do you think is the MOST important thing that The Pittsburgh Project does to serve kids?

5. How do you want your child to be different after participating in youth programs at The Pittsburgh Project?

24 parents surveyed1st Q = Aca-demic support

2nd Q = Posi-tive influence

3rd Q = Social relationships

4th Q = Bible

5th Q = Activity

The Fight Everywhere:

“Parent protests have led to reopening of some programs. In Clay County, N.C., officials rescued after-school care from the budget ax by combining two programs into one, raising fees and cutting staff, says schools superintendent Scott Penland; "Parents were saying, 'We've got to have this!’” (Shellenbarger)

“Afterschool Programs Could Disappear Under Budget Cuts;" "Costs of Afterschool Programs Prod More Kids to Stay Home Alone;" "Afterschool Programs face doom as economy falters" (Afterschool Alliance, 2009)

Program Closures (Implications):

“The after school hours can be a precarious time for children of all ages. Nationwide, 15.1 million youth regularly care for themselves after the school day ends and before parents get home from work the peak time for juvenile crime and experimentation with drugs, alcohol, cigarettes and sex. Even more startling, in families that are below the poverty line, more than 7 percent of children aged five to eight and more than 13 percent of children aged nine to 11 are latchkey kids.”

(America’s Afterschool Choice 2009)

What’s Next…

• Program strategies• Community advocacy • Parenting support• Funding and fundraisers…

THANK YOU!

For questions about this inquiry project or our organization contact Doreen @

dpinkston@pittsburghproject.org

Or

The Pittsburgh Project: 412-321-1678 ext# 137