The ABCs of engagement in out-of-school-time programs

The rapid growth of out-of-school time programs over the past five years has resulted in a dramatic increase in opportunities for young people. However, many programs have been ill defined, without appropriate attention to the developmental needs of children and adolescents and without the necessary elements in place to fully capture the interests and talents of youth. In this chapter, the author shows how constructs drawn from research in education can be applied to research and practice in the out-of-school-time arena, in an effort to learn how the field can more fully engage young people in activities and programs. With more and more research indicating positive connections between participation in safe, supportive, and challenging activity settings and healthy psychological and social adjustment, attempts to encourage engagement rather than casual participation are warranted. Researchers and practitioners need to be mindful that engagement results not just from showing up, but from the interplay of the affective, behavioral, and cognitive experiences of youth in these settings. Suggestions for designing growth-enhancing contexts that increase the likelihood of engagement are offered, as are suggestions for future research in this area.