The City of Alexandria is planning to work with a local non-profit to quantify the demand for after-school activities.
At an upcoming City Council meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 28, the Council is docketed to consider a $60,000 transfer to local non-profit ACT for Alexandria.
According to the docket, the funding is part of an effort to “explore how to expand academic, social, and emotional services and physical supports to all youth during the out-of-school time hours.”
The new study would examine the levels of demand for after-school programming around Alexandria, including a look at where programs are or aren’t available or being utilized.
“The scope of work includes a survey to all Alexandria City Public School (ACPS) parents to determine where children are currently going after the school day ends, the frequency of after school support needed, and the type of support needed,” the memo said. “It also includes follow up focus groups in areas of the city with lower utilization rates of after school programs to better understand barriers, including cost and cultural understanding around childcare.”
The study is itself a follow-up on work the group did to survey after-school providers and needs specifically for middle school students. If the funding for the new report goes through, the memo said staff will return with more data on where the city should direct the rest of the $340,000 set aside to support local youth and families.
