Abstract
Youth participation in quality extended learning opportunities (ELOs) results in positive academic, physical, mental health, and social/emotional outcomes. Funding is essential to implementing and sustaining quality ELOs; however multiple funding barriers and challenges exist. Understanding the types of funds available for ELOs and the factors that influence sustainability is critical. Through surveys and telephone interviews of ELO providers, this descriptive study identified and examined ELO funding streams, the ways ELO providers use these funding streams, and the barriers and challenges to sustainability. ELO programs often relied on one major funding stream coupled with nutrition supports as well as in-kind resources. Barriers to sustainability included year-to-year funding, transportation costs, reducing community partnerships, and difficulty in diversifying funds. Recommendations to enhance ELO sustainability are offered, particularly in relation to overcoming the challenges to diversification of funding resources and establishing mutually supportive partnerships and collaboration.
Highlights
Many youth fall behind academically due to multiple barriers to learning and healthy development
Respondents reported that their Extended learning opportunities (ELOs) primarily relied on one major funding stream coupled with food/nutrition resources; most respondents reported that their ELOs did not diversify their funding resources
This study identified a number of potential funding streams for ELO providers to consider
Summary
Many youth fall behind academically due to multiple barriers to learning and healthy development. One key emergent strategy involves gaining control of young people’s time through extended learning opportunities. Extended learning opportunities (ELOs) are educational and positive youth development programs, services, or activities that take place before and after school, on weekends, and/or during summers (National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, 2005). ELOs might include after school programs, extracurricular activities, tutoring interventions, and leadership clubs. ELOs occur in both school-and community-based locations and may be funded through public and/or private dollars. They often are operated by schools, childcares, and non-profit organizations such as churches and Boys and Girls Clubs
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