YMCA Afterschool Programs Address Academic and Social Needs of Youth
SouthCoast of MA – Providing youth with opportunities to continue to learn and engage in meaningful activities at the end of the school day can boost their academic success. To help motivate and inspire kids to learn, YMCA Southcoast is offering afterschool programs to school-aged children throughout Fall River, Dartmouth, New Bedford, Mattapoisett, Marion and Rochester. The Y’s afterschool program combines academics with play and offers a caring and safe environment for youth who would otherwise be left unsupervised.
During the school year, 15.1 million U.S. children are left unsupervised after 3 p.m., according to the Afterschool Alliance, a nonprofit public awareness advocacy organization. In Massachusetts, one in four children are left alone and responsible for taking care of themselves. With the start of the new school year, YMCA Southcoast encourages parents to make sure that children are involved in safe, educational experiences after school.
“At YMCA Southcoast, we believe all kids deserve the opportunity to discover who they are and what they can achieve,” said Nancy LaRue Bonell, Chief Operations Officer at YMCA Southcoast. “In the Y’s afterschool programs, youth are cultivating values, skills and relationships and have an extra support system that encourages them to achieve success.”
Studies show participation in afterschool programs helps boost school attendance and academic performance and reduces gaps in academic achievement among children from disadvantaged households.
Y afterschool programs promote a love for learning, social and emotional development, and character and creativity. In all of our Y’s afterschool programs youth receive help with their homework, they can explore the arts, work on science projects and play all sorts of active games and sports. All programs are licensed by EEC. YMCA Southcoast participates in the MA subsidized PACE voucher program and EEC contracted slots. Financial assistance is available to those in need, to ensure that every child and teen has the opportunity to learn and grow at the Y.
For more information about any of YMCA Southcoast’s afterschool programs, please visit our website ymcasouthcoast.org or contact your local Y branch.
