Reprinted with permission from School-Age Notes, the most trusted publisher and provider of quality, innovative resources designed to elevate the skills of adults who create learning opportunities for children and youth.

Through the past decade, the out-of-school time (OST) field has seen demand for services increase dramatically. Data from the America After 3PM study has shown that approximately 8.4 million children participate in an after-school program, an increase of nearly 3 million children in the past five years (Afterschool Alliance, 2009). As the demand for OST services and the complexity of the OST field continues to grow, more is expected of child and youth workers. Training and resources to support these outcomes must keep pace with demands on OST programming.