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Guidelines

Proposal Guidelines
To be considered for review, all proposals must be fully completed and submitted, by October 17, 2016 including:

  • Title (50-character limit): designed to interest participants. It may be easier to write your title after writing your description.
  • Description (750-character limit): brief accurate description that communicates the content you'll deliver, why it's important to our participants, and what they can expect to gain from attending. This description is read from a participant point-of-view during the workshop selection process to decide if it's a good fit for NAA17. Make it compelling!
  • Identify format, learning strand and content level for your presentation. Select the best fit for your content. Learn more about formats, strands and content levels (see below for more info).
  • Presenter Contact Info: phone number, email address, organization, title for all presenters (including co-presenters and panelists).
  • All aspects of the proposal should be written in complete sentences. This is your opportunity to make an impression, please be as professional as possible.
  • If selected, you must confirm presentation by December 16 and register for the conference by January 6. Please note, all presenters are required to register for Convention. Lead presenters (only one per session/poster) receive discounted rate of $350 if registered by January 30, 2017. After that, rates will increase. Co-presenters, panelists and other presenters are required to register at the full Convention rate, based on the date of their registration. Learn more about rates and registration deadlines here.

Session Formats
NAA17 offers three presentation formats:

  1. Workshop: 75-minute sessions intended for hands-on trainings, discussions, lectures, panel presentations, or active sessions that engage physical activities. At least 15-minutes of audience Q&A is required.
  2. Express: Quick, 30-minute sessions that share ideas participants can use right away. It could be a website, project, or special event you hosted. No Q&A time required.
  3. Posters: Pre-printed posters that are displayed in the Learning Expo on Tuesday of Convention. Poster presenters will stand with their posters during lunch on Tuesday from 12:30pm-1:45pm to answer questions and engage with participants about their work. Poster presenters must hang their posters on assigned poster board in the Learning Expo the morning of Tuesday, March 21st and remove posters the same day by 2:00pm.

Learning Strands
All presentations must fall within one learning strand (that best fits your content). Strands align with NAA's Core Knowledge and Competencies for Afterschool and Youth Professionals.

We offer four strands with suggested sub-topics, though each strand is not limited to the sub-topics included.

1. Developing High Quality and Innovative Programs (NAA Core Knowledge Competencies 1, 2, 3). Subtopics include (but are not limited to):

  • Curricula and Activity Ideas
  • Developing Learning Environments
  • Supporting the Whole Child
  • Project Based Learning
  • Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Programming
  • STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math)
  • Literacy

2. Youth Engagement (NAA Core Knowledge Competencies 4, 5, 6). Subtopics include (but are not limited to):

  • Youth Voice and Choice
  • Youth Leadership
  • Youth Planning and Reflection
  • Creating Community and Group Experiences
  • Interactions
  • Cooperative Learning
  • Positive Guidance strategies
  • Bullying Prevention
  • Cultural Competence
  • Inclusion

3. Healthy Eating, Physical Activity (HEPA), Community and Family Engagement (NAA Core Knowledge Competencies 7, 8). Subtopics include (but are not limited to):

  • NAA HEPA Standards
  • Healthy Eating Curricula, Activity Ideas, and Resources
  • Physical Activity Curricula, Activity Ideas, and Resources
  • Snack and Meals Resources
  • Healthy Communities
  • Family/Parent Engagement
  • Developing Partnerships
  • Community Engagement

4. Program and Professional Development (NAA Core Knowledge Competencies 9, 10). Subtopics include (but are not limited to):

  • Continuous Program Improvement
  • Funding and Sustainability
  • Program Evaluation
  • Core Competencies
  • Human Resources
  • Risk Management
  • Staff Supervision
  • Coaching
  • Aligning with the School Day
  • Youth Recruitment Strategies
  • Program Marketing
  • Self-care (work-life balance, time management, managing stress)
  • Emotional Intelligence for adults
  • Leadership development
  • Training Skills (becoming a trainer)/Train the Trainer
  • Workplace Culture

Content Level
All presentations must identify the content level to align with participant knowledge and training needed to fully participate in the session. Aligned to NAA's Core Knowledge Competencies, we have three levels to choose from:

Content Level (select one):

  • Developing (NAA's Core Knowledge Competency Level 2) – Participants possess the knowledge and skills expected of someone with some experience in the field. Includes knowledge and skills that might be commensurate with a Youth Development Credential, a certificate in child/ youth development, or equivalent training/education or related work experience.
  • Proficient (NAA's Core Knowledge Competency Level 3) – Participants are practitioners who can apply knowledge and information that meets requirements of Level 2 plus knowledge and skills that might be commensurate with an associate's degree in child/adolescent development or related fields (e.g., Social Work, Recreation, Special Education, Education) or related work experience.
  • Advanced (NAA's Core Knowledge Competency Level 4) – Participants are seasoned practitioners who can apply knowledge and information in increasingly nuanced ways. Meets requirements of Levels 1, 2, and 3 plus the knowledge and skills that might be commensurate with a bachelor's degree in child/adolescent development or related fields or related work experience.

Questions?
Contact Presentation Managers Erin Leonard and Jill Poppe at Presenters@naaweb.org.

We look forward to reading your proposal!

 

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