After School
Promising Practices in Afterschool
http://www.afterschool.org%20
provides youth workers with a valuable resource that covers all aspects of creating or improving after-school programs. Topics range from educational and enjoyable projects for children to information on funding. There is also a message board to post questions to colleagues and share ideas. The site is managed by the Center for Youth Development and Policy Research at the Academy for Educational Development.
Health
Healthfinder Games
www.healthfinder.gov/scripts/kids_games.asp
links youth workers to a long list of online educational activities for kids. Most of the games, mazes and puzzles are basic and easy enough for any adolescent to enjoy, and all provide information on government agencies and/or social issues. Some games seem a bit hokey, but the 86 links on the current list are all safe entertainment choices. The site is run by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Management
Nonprofit Risk Management Center
www.nonprofitrisk.org
provides nonprofit executives with tools and resources (both free and for sale) to help control the risks of injuries and other types of damages within their agencies and programs. The D.C.-based center is the predominant source on the issue, and its wealth of publications, online programs and events (such as risk-management conferences) make this a valuable link for managers and staff.
Mental Health
Struggling Teens
www.strugglingteens.com
is a resource for troubled adolescents and their parents to find programs, schools and support for handling behavioral problems. The site includes a listing of specialized education options, including so-called “emotional growth schools,” some of which have come under fire for allegedly abusing youth. There is a discussion forum and news updates, many of which tackle the recent abuse scandals at schools in Costa Rica and Mexico. The site is funded by Woodbury Reports Inc.
Mentoring
Children of Incarcerated Parents
www.cwla.org/programs/incarcerated
provides access to statistics and research on families with incarcerated mothers or fathers. The site links visitors to studies about the impact of parent incarceration, notes funding opportunities for programs serving such families and includes a directory of programs. Children of Incarcerated Parents is funded by the Child Welfare League of America.
Race/Ethnicity
Red, White, Blue and Brown
www.brownmatters.org
sets the stage for next year’s 50th anniversary of the Supreme Court ruling that officially desegregated America’s educational system, Brown v. Board of Education. Visitors to the site can read press materials about the court decision, find national events of celebration and learn more about the organizations sponsoring these events. The site was created by the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.
Sexual Behavior
Rights, Respect, Responsibility Campaign
www.rightsrespectresponsibility.org
touts the progressive mission of Advocates for Youth in building the case for adolescent sexual health programs based on complete information and choice (about contraceptives, for instance). Content includes case studies of such programs and reports on the sexual education and health models of some European countries, as well as updates on legislation in the United States.
