DES MOINES, IOWA (June 23, 2023) — The Iowa Afterschool Alliance (IAA) is pleased to announce the launch of the IAA State of Afterschool Survey, a research initiative aimed at understanding the landscape of afterschool programs in Iowa and identifying ways to further support these programs and the youth they serve.
The IAA State of Afterschool Survey seeks to gather comprehensive information on the available afterschool opportunities in Iowa, program accessibility, the challenges faced by these programs and areas where the IAA can provide support. Informed by four community stakeholder listening sessions in Fort Dodge, Mt. Pleasant, West Des Moines and Waterloo (virtual session), the insights from this survey will shape the work of the IAA team moving forward.
Several recurring themes emerged during the stakeholder sessions, including the challenges of staffing, volunteer availability, transportation, waitlists, closures, cost barriers and limited resources. Participants from rural communities also expressed concerns about the lack of access and opportunities for youth in parts of the state.
Among the needs for Iowa youth identified in the stakeholder conversations, social-emotional health and well-being topped the list. Participants emphasized the importance of integrating life skills and career readiness into afterschool programming, an approach that many communities across the state are taking by creating career pathways for students, bridging the gap between the school day and afterschool and forging strong community partnerships.
“The insights we gained from our stakeholder sessions have been instrumental in shaping the development of our statewide survey,” said Heidi Brown, Director of the Iowa Afterschool Alliance. “Our aim is to gather as much meaningful information as possible from those who are actively engaged in bringing quality programming to youth in Iowa. This data will allow us to present an accurate and candid narrative of the state of afterschool in Iowa, identify access gaps and determine how to best support providers moving forward.”
The IAA State of Afterschool project is currently in motion, with a timeline of key activities as follows:
- June 2023 — Statewide survey dissemination to Iowa afterschool program providers
- July 2023 — In-depth program interviews take place
- July 2023 — Youth interviews and surveys are conducted
- August 2023 — Final push to collect survey data
- September 2023 — IAA State of Afterschool Report dissemination
- September 28-29, 2023 — IAA Impact Afterschool Conference in Des Moines
The Iowa Afterschool Alliance hopes to gather responses from at least 500 afterschool program providers across the state. IAA State of Afterschool insights will be presented at the annual IAA Impact Afterschool Conference in Des Moines this fall, with the goal of raising awareness and elevating afterschool program opportunities for Iowa’s youth.
The IAA is proud to collaborate with esteemed partners, including the Iowa Alliance of YMCAs, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Iowa, iJAG and Volunteer Iowa, to ensure broad outreach and engagement with afterschool program providers across the state.
The Iowa Afterschool Alliance remains steadfast in its commitment to transforming knowledge into action, ensuring that every youth in Iowa has access to high-quality afterschool experiences that contribute to their overall success and well-being.
For more information, please visit owaafterschoolalliance.org.
About the Iowa Afterschool Alliance
The Iowa Afterschool Alliance was formally created in 2003. The IAA works to promote afterschool as a solution to issues surrounding child-care, workforce development, academic performance, and student behavior. The IAA does this through developing partnerships and policy proposals, supporting local programs looking to improve their quality, and communicating critical data on the need and impact or afterschool programming. More information is available at iowaafterschoolalliance.org/.
