VPOST Updates

• Policy

  • Funding in the General Assembly: The General Assembly has not agreed upon Virginia's budget, which includes a budget proposal of $4 million from the American Rescue Plan funds for an additional 15 21st CCLC programs. Our letter campaign mobilized Virginia's OST advocates to send over 1,300 letters in support. Currently, we do not have an indication of when a budget agreement will occur.

  • Mapping: We have received funding from the National Conference of State Legislatures to support our mapping project. As a result, we have formed a mapping advisory committee for this project which includes members from Childcare Aware of Virginia and the Library of Virginia. Over the summer we will host a Build4Good Intern to assist with this project. The goal will be to map the known availability of OST programs in Virginia and contrast that against data that demonstrates need, such as poverty indicators. Furthermore, we will overlay Congressional districts as a data point for meetings with legislators. We aim to have the map launched by the fall to correspond with Lights on Afterschool.

  • Afterschool for All Challenge: VPOST will be participating in the Afterschool for All Challenge on May 17-20. We will be raising the profile of programs and advocating for federal increases to 21st CCLC and CCDF funding streams. Additionally, we will be featuring youth voices by bringing a cohort of Youth STEM Ambassadors to speak. (More below). LAC members are encouraged to participate in the May 18 lunch power hour.  During your lunch break or around noon, use the Alliance's action center to call or email Congress to share your message about the value of afterschool and summer! More here.

• STEM:

  • We received approval for the year 3 Million Girls Moonshot application. This brings us to the mid-level tier to build state-wide capacity for OST expanded STEM opportunities that lead underrepresented youth to cultivate STEM identities and pathways. Our goals over the coming year are to use our communication channels, outreach, and our professional development to increase awareness and buy-in with the Million Girls Moonshot opportunities, expand the capacity and impact of the Equity in Out-of-School Time STEM Coalition, and create visibility for successful programs and youth impacted by the Million Girls Moonshot in Virginia.

  • VPOST has received a grant from the Afterschool Alliance to support STEM Policy Activities. In support of this, we formed a cohort of youth STEM Ambassadors that will be speaking with congressional staff on May 17th to share the positive impact of participating in STEM in out-of-school time programs. Additionally, we are in the process of developing and adopting a STEM policy agenda.

  • Moving forward, we still welcome connections to organizations to participate in the STEM Coalition, especially those from higher ed, the workforce, and private industry.

• Entrepreneurship:

  •  The Virginia Youth Entrepreneurship Strategies (YES) program is gearing up for the summer!  Over the past few months, we have been working with our partners; the Youth Entrepreneur Institute, Venture Labs, and Mizzen by Mott to develop a program that will get Virginia high school students ready to take on the world with their curiosity, creativity, innovation, and grit.  We are kicking off the summer with a week-long pilot program hosted by X-Labs at James Madison University.  Participants will be developing their ideas through interactive activities and a pitch challenge. Who knows where the next big idea will come from?!

National News Highlights

• Power of Us Workforce Survey: Calling All Youth-Serving Professionals and Volunteers: With support from the Wallace Foundation, now through the end of 2022, The Power of Us Workforce Survey, is collecting data from a wide swath of youth-serving professionals and volunteers in a national effort to explore, define, and elevate their profession. Please share this with your network. www.powerofussurvey.org We will be given state-level data when the survey concludes which will be very beneficial to better understanding and addressing the ongoing staffing crisis.