Creating Culturally Responsive and Sustaining Out-of-School Programs for Adolescents

• In Event: Community and Cultural Wealth Approaches to Out-of-School-Time Study, Design, and Assessment

Abstract

We conducted a 12 month qualitative study to examine how a cohort of five out-of-school time (OST) organizations enacted culturally responsive practices that support racial identity development and social-emotional well-being among racially minoritized youth. We implemented seven 90-minute community-of-practice (CoP) meetings wherein each OST organization shared practices that foster affirming culturally responsive environments, positive racial identity and social emotional learning. Data collection included document review, field observations, and field expert interviews. Findings revealed that the OST organizations did the following to create culturally responsive environments and positive developmental outcomes: hired staff who shared the identities of students and aligned with their missions; utilized critical consciousness to decenter dominant ideologies; and encouraged joy and catharsis through art and storytelling.

Authors

• Elise Wilkerson, New York University

• Parker Foster, Georgia State University