MFYC's YPQI Process to Play Role in Mayor's After-School Initiative
Courtesy of the Richmond Times-Dispatch:
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney announced plans Aug. 29 to expand after-school programming for Richmond Public Schools students, an extension of his administration’s efforts to provide opportunities to students.
By 2020, the expansion will guarantee that all 33 RPS elementary and middle schools, attended by 17,000 students, will host or provide transportation to after-school programs. The expansion was possible with $2 million in new money from the private sector and nonprofit foundations that have agreed to partner with the city and school division on the initiative, Stoney said.
“Kids from low-income families tend to have fewer opportunities to play a sport or learn an instrument or join a club than their more affluent peers,” Stoney said at a news conference held to announce the expansion.
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Area nonprofits, including the Peter Paul Development Center, YMCA of Greater Richmond and NextUpRVA, have committed to expanding their already existing after-school programs to new schools and providing more slots at existing schools. All of these programs are partners with the Mary and Frances Youth Center's (MFYC) Youth Program Quality Improvement (YPQI) process.
In partnership with the The United Way of Greater Richmond and Petersburg, the MFYC manages the implementation of the YPQI quality improvement process for out-of-school-time service providers across the region. MFYC's involvement in the process supports the center becoming a local and regional youth training resource for youth program quality and youth development professionals.
Utilizing the David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality system, the process empowers education and human service leaders to adapt, implement and scale best-in-class, research validated quality improvement systems to advance child and youth development.
"Quality programming has been a key focus of the Mayor's initiative," said Tina Carter, director of the MFYC. "Richmond YPQI plays an essential role in supporting youth development organizations in assessing, planning and improving the quality of their programs, which in turn provides positive outcomes for youth. We look forward to being a part of this expansion and initiative."
For more information, visit YPQI.
Additional news coverage on the announcement:
WRIC: "Multi-million dollar initiative will boost Richmond's after-school programs"
CBS 6: "Richmond will start offering after-school programs to all young students"
NBC12: "Richmond after-school programs get $7 million boost to expand"