Watch: Afterschool Matters Dialogue on Belonging and Human-Centered Work
February 17, 2021
On February 11, 2021, the National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST) hosted a webinar as part of the Afterschool Matters Dialogue series.

February 17, 2021
On February 11, 2021, the National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST) hosted a webinar as part of the Afterschool Matters Dialogue series.
January 22, 2021
Join the National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST) for our next Afterschool Matters Dialogue, featuring out-of-school time and youth development professionals from around the country. Afterschool Matters Dialogues offer attendees the opportunity to learn about and discuss critical issues in the out-of-school time field. Programs feature presentations by National Afterschool Matters Fellows followed by a question and answer session with attendees.
December 2, 2020
The fourth cohort of National Afterschool Matters (NASM) Fellowship kicked off a year-long journey of inquiry-based research and study this past October with funding from the Robert Bowne Foundation . The Fellowship, hosted by the National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST) at Wellesley College offers mid-career out-of-school time (OST) and youth development professionals the opportunity to become part of a professional learning community where they reflect on, study, and assess their work to improve its quality and impact.
November 23, 2020
On Tuesday, November 17, 2020, the National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST) hosted a virtual webinar as part of the Afterschool Matters Dialogue series. The program featured two guest speakers who discussed their approaches to OST staff training.
October 29, 2020
On Monday, October 26, 2020, the National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST) hosted a virtual webinar as a part of the Afterschool Matters Dialogue series. The program was moderated by Georgia Hall, Ph.D., director of NIOST and was on the topic of promoting social justice.
October 13, 2020
The National Institute on Out-of-School Time will host two virtual programs featuring out-of-school time and youth development professionals from around the country. These Afterschool Matters Dialogues will offer attendees the opportunity to learn about and discuss critical issues in the out-of-school time field. Both programs will feature presentations by National Afterschool Matters Fellows followed by a question and answer session with attendees.
June 23, 2020
The National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST) at Wellesley College is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a special summer edition of its Afterschool Matters journal, featuring an interview with NIOST founder Micki Seligson, a nationally recognized leader in afterschool and in childcare policy and practice.
May 21, 2020
National Afterschool Matters Fellow Amy Franks, who works at a literacy support organization, reflects on changes brought by the pandemic and on the new ways she's finding to encourage reading at home.
February 13, 2020
NIOST designed the recently released version of its APAS suite of tools to more fully reflect equity, inclusion, and diversity in the experiences of youth, families, and the out-of-school-time (OST) workforce. We also have a number of papers to share from our journal, Afterschool Matters, on these important topics.
November 19, 2019
Growing up, says National Afterschool Matters Fellow Keith F. Miller Jr., he felt “the trauma of a young boy buckling under the weight of poverty and a crippling fear of failure.” In a piece written as part of his fellowship, he shares how his experience with an educational system steeped in systemic racism shaped him and led him to his current path.
October 24, 2019
In NIOST's home state of Massachusetts, it's the second annual STEM Week, with the theme of "See Yourself in STEM." Here are some ways out-of-school time (OST) programs around the country are helping students do just that, as evidenced by these articles in our Afterschool Matters journal.
September 19, 2019
Today marks the first of two Global Climate Strikes organized by young activists this week to draw attention to the climate crisis and call for a move to renewable energy. Out-of-school-time (OST) programs have long promoted student learning that encourages awareness, critical thinking, and innovative solutions around energy and the environment. Take a look at two examples from our Afterschool Matters journal.
September 17, 2019
Some of the most experienced and diversely talented professionals in the out-of-school time (OST) field will next week kick off a year-long fellowship to hone their leadership, research, and critical thinking skills. The third cohort of National Afterschool Matters (NASM) Fellows includes 16 members from 13 states across the U.S., who bring a range of experience in nonprofit and public OST settings.
August 28, 2019
This month, the second cohort of National Afterschool Matters (NASM) Fellows reaches the end of its tenure as the third cohort prepares to start. Take a look at some of the work published by our first two cohorts of out-of-school-time (OST) professionals during the course of their fellowships, covering professional development, youth development, and how to design engaging OST programs.
August 15, 2019
As students around the U.S. prepare to head back to school in the coming weeks, we wanted to share some papers from our Afterschool Matters journal that look at the ways that schools and out-of-school-time programs can be effective partners in serving youth.
June 27, 2019
This week marks National Summer Learning Week, so we're highlighting some papers from our Afterschool Matters journal that showcase the importance of summer learning.
June 5, 2019
Summer is approaching fast, so we're happy to share two pieces from our National Afterschool Matters fellows on creating engaging summer programs.
April 22, 2019
We at NIOST are delighted to celebrate Afterschool Professionals Appreciation Week this week and to offer an extra special "thank you" to all of the out-of-school-time (OST) professionals making a difference in the lives of children across the nation, including our Afterschool Matters Fellows.
April 16, 2019
Dr. Katie Bouman has been receiving recognition recently for her key contributions to the team that gave us the world's first image of a black hole. We at NIOST are proud of the work being done in out-of-school-time (OST) programs to support girls in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, as evidenced by these articles in our Afterschool Matters journal.
February 14, 2019
Out-of-school-time (OST), education, and youth development professionals in mid-career are invited to apply for the National Afterschool Matters (NASM) Fellowship, a one-year leadership development program that better positions them to inform and contribute to the quality of OST programs, practice, and the broader field.
December 12, 2018
We are seeking articles for future issues of Afterschool Matters, a peer-reviewed journal dedicated to promoting professionalism, scholarship, and consciousness in afterschool education. Published by the National Institute on Out-of-School-Time (NIOST) with legacy support from the Robert Bowne Foundation, Afterschool Matters serves practitioners who work with youth in out-of-school time (OST) programs, as well as researchers and policymakers in youth development.
November 28, 2018
Carla O’Donnell-Rizzo, director of school-based programs at Completely KIDS, and one of the 2017-19 National Afterschool Matters Fellows, writes on the Completely KIDS blog about her research on why it is so hard to hire and retain out-of-school-time (OST) professionals.
November 23, 2018
The newest issue of Afterschool Matters, the national, peer-reviewed journal dedicated to promoting professionalism, scholarship, and consciousness in the field of afterschool education, reflects on the field’s ability to help provide students with experiences outside of the classroom that give them opportunities to stretch their skills, grow friendships, and challenge their limits.
October 12, 2018
The National Afterschool Matters (NASM) Fellowship recently held its second retreat for the latest cohort of NASM Fellows, some of the most experienced and diversely talented professionals in the out-of-school time field.
September 6, 2018
State primary elections are wrapping up and election season isn't far behind. Regardless of political beliefs, out-of-school-time programs are helping the next generation of voters become informed and engaged citizens, as research from Afterschool Matters has shown.
August 29, 2018
As children around the U.S. head back to school, we're highlighting a few articles from Afterschool Matters that show the strong connection between out-of-school-time programs and in-school (and in-life) success.
May 31, 2018
NIOST applauds the National AfterSchool Association (NAA) for its new Afterschool Tech Toolkit, which aims to help integrate technology in afterschool programs and to ensure equitable access to digital learning opportunities, especially in underserved communities. Research in NIOST's Afterschool Matters journal has long shown the importance of out-of-school-time (OST) programs in promoting technology and STEM learning, and offers further ideas for effective, equitable programming.
April 30, 2018
Wellesley College, home of the National Institute on Out-of-School Time, has a significant connection to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, site of the Parkland, Florida, school shooting.
April 25, 2018
Spring 2018 Afterschool Matters Journal Now Available: April 24, 2018
Continue ReadingApril 11, 2018
Going to the American Educational Research Association annual meeting in New York this week? Catch our session on "Identifying Cultural Biases: Reflections From Developing Video-Based Training for the After-School Program Practices Tool."
March 15, 2018
NIOST research scientists and trainers will be presenting at next week's National AfterSchool Association Convention in Atlanta, Georgia. Come and see us!
February 28, 2018
In the hit movie Black Panther, the fictional Wakandans of Africa establish a center in Oakland, California, to be run by two women, one of whom is a scientific genius responsible in large part for the Wakandans' technological advancements. One might assume that STEM learning, particularly for girls, will form a big part of the program at the center. In real-life Oakland, however, the afterschool STEM program Techbridge is already having a positive impact on girls' lives through equity-oriented "making" activities, as this article from a recent Afterschool Matters journal shows.
November 27, 2017
The fall 2017 Afterschool Matters Journal, now available, focuses on common goals of afterschool practitioners.
Continue ReadingOctober 25, 2017
NASM launched its second national cohort of fellows in late September 2017, bringing together 25 out-of-school-time (OST) and youth development professionals.
Continue ReadingOctober 10, 2017
The Spring 2017 issue of Afterschool Matters is now available, with articles focused on STEM, care work, and teen agency.
Continue ReadingJanuary 25, 2018
ASM Journal Editor Georgia Hall is reminded by the newest cohort of NASM Fellows of how much OST practitioners have in common.
January 25, 2018
Deadline for article submissions is Jan 10th for the Fall 2018 issue.
April 19, 2017
Out-of-school time, education, and youth development professionals are invited to apply for the National Afterschool Matters (NASM) Fellowship, a two-year leadership development program.
Continue ReadingOctober 10, 2016
The Contributors to the Fall 2016 issue of Afterschool Matters share strategies for making a lasting impact on the field: by validating instruments that measure program quality, by creating infrastructure to support learning in specialized areas, by training OST staff in professional learning communities, and by developing school-afterschool partnerships that can foster shared vision.
Continue ReadingApril 20, 2016
The Spring 2016 issue of Afterschool Matters is now available. ASM is a national, peer-reviewed journal dedicated to promoting professionalism, scholarship and consciousness in the field of afterschool education.
Continue ReadingDecember 11, 2015
WELLESLEY, MA – The newest edition of Afterschool Matters, the national, peer-reviewed journal dedicated to promoting professionalism, scholarship, and consciousness in the field of afterschool education, is focused on inventive programs that aim to engage youth and improve afterschool offerings to ultimately build better futures for young people and support their positive development.
Continue ReadingOctober 22, 2015
October 17, 2012
Twenty-seven educators, program administrators and funders came together on September 14, 2012 to begin a year-long journey of exploring their practice and contributing to the growth of knowledge about the field of youth development. To read more about the kickoff of the National Afterschool Matters Fellowship Program (NASMFP) in New York City, click here.
The Afterschool Matters Initiative is managed by the National Institute on Out-of-School Time, a program of the Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College
Georgia Hall, PhD, is Managing Editor of the Afterschool Matters Journal
Wellesley Centers for Women
Wellesley College
106 Central Street
Wellesley, MA 02481-8203 USA
asm@niost.org
781.283.2547