NJSACC, in collaboration with the National Institute on Out-of-School Time, is offering a 4-session leadership training designed for program directors who want to understand promising practices in quality leadership while also reimagining what leadership looks like in programs. Whether you were recently promoted to a leadership role, hired to replace a retiring long-time director, a new program founder, or an experienced director in search of a refresher –– this professional development opportunity is designed for you! Sessions will focus on introducing concepts, tools, and strategies that help program leaders navigate the unique challenges and opportunities encountered in running a program. Come learn from both experts in the out-of-school time field as well as from each other in this exploratory and action-oriented series

Session 1 November 7, 2022: Leading Through a Culture of Shared Practice and Responsibility

Discover how developing a shared program vision is fundamental for meaningful leadership. Use tools to assess where your program practices are currently and where you want to be in the future. Tap into your personal leadership style to recognize your strengths and potential challenges, while cultivating and leveraging the leadership styles of others at your program. 

Session 2 November 10, 2022: From Dreaming to Reality: Your Program and Curricular Design

Whether you’re with a well-established program or a brand-new effort, the “flex” and “flux” of OST programs necessitate periodic reviews of and reflections on program design. Explore ideas for developing a programmatic process and communicating with families, partners, and funders on programmatic plans. 

Session 3 November 14, 2022: Better Together: Sustaining and Collaborating with Your Staff

Focus on issues in recruiting and retaining your OST workforce and approaches for addressing these challenges by hearing from others in the field. Let the proverb “It takes a village to raise a child” be our guiding principle in addressing both staff and youth needs.

Session 4 November 17, 2022: Strategic Partnerships and Engagement toward Equity and Belonging

Explore how Equity and Belonging are key components of developing a shared culture with your youth, families, and partners. Find out why and how both individual and organizational relationships are vital for fostering and maintaining sustainable partnerships, and then learn strategies to encourage both types of relationships at your program.

Each 2-hour session, facilitated by NIOST, will be interactive with some large group and small group time and sharing resources.