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We have all seen it and felt it; the sense of wellbeing in adults is often closely tied to how we experience our workdays. Sources of job stress, job turnover, and job dissatisfaction among youth development professionals have been identified as things like work-life imbalances, overwhelming workloads, lack of training or professional development, and not being meaningfully recognized for the time and expertise they contribute. This new year is filled with opportunities – prioritizing how we demonstrate appreciation for out-of-school time workers will help us pursue each with better-connected employees.

The new year brings with it fresh opportunities to dream up and pursue both personal and professional goals. Before we charge full speed ahead, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on the trials and triumphs we experienced in 2022. It has been a year with continued resilience and cautious optimism as in-person meetings, office hours, and events slowly made their way back into our lives.  365 days of reimagining and rebuilding in a post-pandemic nation together is cause for some celebration.

3…2…1… Happy New Year! 2023 offers each of us a blank slate. It comes with brand-new opportunities to get our thoughts organized and our things right through dedication kick-started by resolutions. Setting New Year’s resolutions is a form of self-efficacy; “by virtue of aspiring to a goal and following through on it, I have a sense of control over what's happening in my life.” With the crisis of the pandemic behind us, and new normals before us, this year comes in with a reminder to carve out time just for you. In fewer than three months, you can knock out your most critical resolutions by attending the National AfterSchool Association’s 2023 Convention!

It’s that time of year again; 43 states are preparing for their State Legislature or General Assembly to begin in January, while two have already started, and five gear up in February and March. Though each state has its policies to create, enact, or kill, some common themes emerge among proposed legislation for workers across the nation. Uplifting the out-of-school time (OST) profession has been an NAA focal point since day one. Now, equipped with a more robust advocacy strategy, NAA is poised to support a comprehensive overhaul of job quality in the field with our Thriving Workforce Initiative.