Research-based Ideas for OST Professionals from National Afterschool Matters Fellows

August 28, 2019

This month, the second cohort of National Afterschool Matters (NASM) Fellows reaches the end of its tenure as the third cohort prepares to start. Take a look at some of the work published by our first two cohorts of out-of-school-time (OST) professionals during the course of their fellowships, covering professional development, youth development, and how to design engaging OST programs.

NASM retreat Sept 2018

Over the course of their fellowships, the NASM fellows, all mid-career OST, education, or youth development professionals, took part in a collaborative process of study, conversation, and engagement around OST practice, policy, and experiences. They produced hands-on, inquiry-based research and writing under the guidance of experienced mentors.

  NASM Cohort 2017

As one 2017 fellow said, “The NASM Fellowship connected me with colleagues across the country who are asking important questions about how to deepen and improve the afterschool field. The mentors and guidance around research and writing provided a unique and empowering professional development experience.”

Another observed, “The NASM Fellowship has provided me a much larger view of the afterschool field nationally and has helped put the work we do at our organization into a larger context. Having the research tools and confidence in writing has also provided me with a more robust skill set than when I started the fellowship.“

We are proud of the work our national fellows have done over the last four years and look forward to seeing their future endeavors even as we welcome the next NASM cohort in a few weeks.

Designing Engaging Programs

Youth Development and Needs

 Professional Development

The NASM Fellowship Program is part of the larger Afterschool Matters initiative at NIOST, which also includes publication of Afterschool Matters, a peer-reviewed journal that is produced semi-annually and highlights the work of OST researchers, NASM Fellows, OST practitioners, and other related professionals. Funding is provided by the Robert Bowne Foundation.

ASM logoNIOST logo

The Afterschool Matters Initiative is managed by the National Institute on Out-of-School Time, a program of the Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College

Georgia Hall, PhD, is Managing Editor of the Afterschool Matters Journal

Wellesley Centers for Women
Wellesley College
106 Central Street
Wellesley, MA 02481-8203 USA

asm@niost.org
781.283.2547