New program development initiative will expand afterschool opportunities through AmeriCorps in West Virginia
West Virginia will be better poised to expand out-of-school time opportunities for youth at a statewide level, thanks to new funding that has been awarded to Volunteer West Virginia, The State's Commission for National and Community Service from the
Charles Stewart Mott Foundation in partnership with
America's Service Commissions (ASC). The Mott Foundation awarded a $250,000 grant to ASC in September for a multi-year initiative to identify how the state service commission network can expand afterschool opportunities through National Service, such as AmeriCorps.
As part of the initiative, ASC has selected eight state service commissions, including Volunteer West Virginia, to receive $12,500 mini-grants. Funding will support staff and consultant time to develop a better understanding of the local afterschool landscape and identify potential paths for developing national service programming that will expand the quality and quantity of afterschool opportunities in their respective states. In addition to West Virginia the following states were selected to receive this funding include:
In West Virginia, grant collaborators including Volunteer West Virginia, the West Virginia Statewide Afterschool Network, West Virginia’s Promise – The Alliance for Youth, and the WV 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program, will host listening sessions at afterschool programs around the state to identify gaps in services and connect them with National Service resources including AmeriCorps and Senior Corps.
Volunteer West Virginia will also receive support from America’s Service Commissions, through monthly learning community calls, ongoing coaching, and a yearly convening for the states receiving grants.
“We are honored to have been selected for this important afterschool initiative,” said Heather Foster, Volunteer West Virginia Executive Director. “With ASC’s backbone support and Mott Foundation's strong connections to afterschool networks, we are confident that we can make a real difference for a lot of young people in West Virginia through AmeriCorps and National Service programming.”
“We are excited to partner with Volunteer West Virginia on this effort, and to help support the future expansion of afterschool opportunities and AmeriCorps programming in West Virginia,” said ASC CEO Kaira Esgate.
In addition to supporting states, ASC will work with the National Network of Statewide Afterschool Networks and other key stakeholders to develop new strategies around afterschool program development over the next two years. Through this effort, ASC believes that the project will lead to an increased understanding between state service commissions and statewide afterschool networks about how to leverage national service and AmeriCorps resources in support of high-quality afterschool opportunities nationwide.
For more information on this initiative
click here.