The afterschool workforce needs individuals who have a heart for youth, a head for teaching, a body for action, and a spirit for motivating others. Indeed, afterschool is not for wimps! Afterschool programs require dedicated individuals who are serious about developing kids and committed to the cause. That is why Central Valley Afterschool Foundation offers a comprehensive strategy aimed at addressing workforce recruitment and retention issues.

Here are three ways we have supported workforce development in our region:

College Connections
For college students, afterschool jobs provide multiple benefits:  predictable afternoon hours, skills development, career exploration, the rewards and challenges of working with youth, above-minimum wages, social rewards, and excellent job experience.

Central Valley Afterschool Foundation recently delivered three four-hour training sessions on behalf of Region VII entitled “Afterschool Talent: A New Era for Recruitment and Retention.” The overriding goal of the training is to teach techniques and stimulate critical dialogue about workforce recruitment and retention to improve effectiveness.

The interactive training included a variety of hands-on activities and discussion within the following topics:

• Afterschool Program Brand
• Job Sourcing and Marketing Examples
• Interviewing Techniques
• Onboarding
• Staff Engagement
• Leadership and Management
• Coaching and Development
• Generational Understanding
  Read more...

Thanks to Region VII and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Phase I of the Workforce Recruitment and Retention Toolkit was launched by CVAF in 2009. The Toolkit was designed to provide a series of handy inserts as a valuable benefit to those who attended workforce development trainings.

View the toolkit inserts here:

• Introduction
• Getting Started
• Job Postings & Flyers
• Recruitment Sources
• Interview Questions
• Onboarding
• Hooks and Incentives
• Brand Ambassadors
• Staff Retention
• Generational Considerations
• Professional Development

CVAF is currently seeking funding for Phase II of the Toolkit to offer practical templates, checklists, worksheets and ideas in 10 additional areas of recruitment and retention.  For more information about the Toolkit contact Kim Boyer.