Title
Authorizing the Department of Parks and Recreation to apply for and, if awarded, accept a grant from the Saint Paul Foundation for the purpose of supporting youth worker professional development through the Sprockets Out-of-School Time Network.
Body
WHEREAS, the Department of Parks and Recreation is requesting permission to apply for grant funds from the Saint Paul Foundation for the purpose of supporting youth worker professional development through the Sprockets Out-of-School Time Network, and
WHEREAS, Sprockets Network members have identified challenges to ensure quality in youth programs such as little shared language or understanding about what makes a quality program; little to no budget for staff training and professional development; and organizational leadership that lacks the understanding or capacity to support staff in implementing improved youth work practices, and
WHEREAS, research shows that the components of out-of-school time program quality include effective staff and intentional, focused programming, and
WHEREAS, research shows when programs do not have quality elements, participants can fail to achieve positive outcomes or even begin to perform worse than their peers, and
WHEREAS, the Sprockets, Saint Paul's Out-of-School-Time network, has identified continuous quality improvement as one of its six key strategies, and
WHEREAS, the Department of Parks and Recreation is requesting permission to apply for grant funds from the Saint Paul Foundation for the purpose of supporting youth worker professional development, and
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Saint Paul authorizes the Department of Parks and Recreation to apply for and if awarded accept these funds from the Saint Paul Foundation.