BOSTONavigator
Stephen M. Pratt, President
Dear Friends:
Attempting to get a clear picture of the out-of-school time field and the myriad opportunities it offers young people reminds me of the phrase “through a glass darkly.” We have everything from soccer to cooking classes, dance instruction to tae kwon do, tutoring to mentoring, writers workshops to wellness programs. And a whole lot in between. Some neighborhoods and some schools offer a rich array of programs, while others go wanting. Some programs have long waiting lists while others struggle to fill seats. As Diane Joyce, director of programming at Boston Centers for Youth & Families (BCYF) points out in our Featured Program piece, “Getting up-to-date and complete program information into the hands of counselors, mentors, and other intermediaries who help young people find the right opportunities will help streamline that process."
Beyond word of mouth and dumb luck, how does a parent look for good options for their child? How can funders—public and private alike—make good strategic decisions about where to target grants to help those most in need?
After more than two years of painstaking planning by the City of Boston, BOSTnet and Boston After School & Beyond, we’re pleased to announce the launch of BOSTONavigator, Boston’s Out-of-School Time Opportunity Navigator. This will be the place where parents, funders, policy makers, and providers come for up-to-the-minute information on opportunities and needs. The site will be used to help parents and other caring adults find the right programs for kids who need them. And it will help policy makers and foundations understand more clearly where the need is so that finite resources can be used to maximum effect.
As our guest columnist, Charlotte Kahn of The Boston Foundation eloquently put it, “There’s only one catch: BOSTONavigator will only be as good as we all make it.” So, if you work for an OST provider, please call 617-720-1290 ext. 210 or email Help@BOSTONavigator.org to get your password and logon to update your profile. We know there are parents of kids who need your program searching for the perfect opportunity. Don't you want them to find you?
Thanks for reading,
Guest Column
"As a data fanatic working to inform and drive change through data, I applaud the introduction of this wonderful new tool."
By Charlotte Kahn, director, Boston Indicators Project, Boston Foundation
New Additions on this Topic to our Online Research Library
Publications
Investing in Student Success: Financing School-Connected Initiatives in Boston
The purpose of this report is to assist public and private sector leaders with strategies for advancing the success of the city’s children and youth. Its analysis and recommendations detail how public and private financing can sustain more strategic and integrated approaches to the delivery of school-connected services for BPS students during in-school and out-of-school time.