To improve afterschool programs which serve at-risk youth and families in West Virginia through enhancing educational curriculum, developing linkages to support families, and providing technical assistance and training for afterschool staff development.

In CYFAR's “capacity-building” role, it serves as a resource in three specific areas:

• Helping Extension understand the value of partnerships and collaborations and make use of them in its work;
• Expanding the use of current “cutting edge” technology; and
• Researching and developing successful strategies for boosting literacy levels among the state's “underserved” populations.

The overarching aim of this project is to improve afterschool programs which serve at-risk youth and families in West Virginia through enhancing educational curriculum, developing linkages to support families, and providing technical assistance and training for afterschool staff development.

FY 2005 Accomplishments:   Our accomplishments in the first year were primarily in the areas of developing infrastructure, building relationships, and establishing plans of action for achieving goals and objectives.

The project directors, community directors, evaluation and technology specialists attended the CYFAR New Communities orientation in Washington , D.C. We have recruited and hired program assistants who work out of the three WVU Extension offices that coordinate CYFAR activities at the participating afterschool sites in their respective counties. A half time graduate research assistant from the WVU Division of Public Administration is assigned to the project. Each has a lap top purchased from CYFAR funds that is Internet connected and linked to the WVU Extension Service Information Technololgy System. The State Project Director created a powerpoint presentation that explains the project.

Each program assistant and the GRA attended an orientation program for new employees. A Listserv has been established and facilitates communication for the CYFAR New Communities team. The team meets regularly for updating, planning, and curriculum development sessions. Program assistants have established relationships and schedules at their target afterschool centers. (Note: Each Extension office works with three afterschool centers.

Working with the Logic Model established for the project, we have developed instruments to obtain information, measure quality program quality, examine progress, and identify outcomes in meeting goals and objectives. We have developed an Afterschool Survey administered by program assistants at each of the nine sites. We have constructed forms to capture school grades and attendance of the after school youth, parental satisfaction, and staff assessment. We will convene focus group discussions with parents at the end of the school year. We have conducted interview sessions with the supervisor at each center.