Child Trends
Few benefits can be gained from out-of-school programs without the active, consistent participation of youth. This brief provides ideas for overcoming common barriers to youth participation, including issues of safety, transportation and cost; the need for youth to fulfill family responsibilities at home; youths holding jobs; and the inability of some youth to identify with staff members.
The brief outlines an action plan to measure attendance and retention rates in programs, provides helpful resources, and profiles how one out-of-school program is addressing participation barriers. Free. 8 pages. (202) 572-6000, http://www.childtrends.org/Files/Child_Trends-2007_06_19_RB_AttendandReten.pdf.
