A Book Drive for Children's Books Makes for a Fabulous Service- Learning Project

Source: The Children's Book Project

 By Sam Piha  

In our previous paper entitled, Reading Buddies: Promoting Literacy and Community Engagement, we promoted the idea of the youth sponsoring a book drive for the Reading Buddies program. But you don’t have to have a Reading Buddies program to sponsor a book drive. The books could go to anybody who could use children’s books- the school, an individual classroom, or any organization serving children. 

“Book drives make a fabulous Service-Learning Project. They are very motivating, and kids have the best ideas. They love to make posters, decorate boxes and deliver books to places that need them.” - Laurie Grossman 

ORGANIZING A BOOK DRIVE
A book drive can be done in person or online. Below are some suggestions from The Children’s Book Project:   

“In-Person Drive 

1. Select a particular period of time — from a day, a week, to a month or more — to hold your children’s book drive and coordinate with the organization, school, or business where it will be held. 
2. Let your community know a few weeks in advance that you’ll be collecting new and like-new children’s books to promote literacy. Notify donors about your children’s book drive through social media, newsletters, email, flyers, posters — whatever works best for your community. Include your contact information, locations of collection bins, the beginning and end dates of your children’s book drive, and a link to childrensbookproject.org.
3. Review our donation guidelines at Give Books, and be sure to stress that we need only children’s books in new and like-new condition. We cannot use: textbooks; encyclopedias; library discards; moldy, torn, smelly, or obsolete books; and books for adults. 
4. Provide large, sturdy, and well-marked collection bin(s) in an accessible and protected location. 
5. Give frequent updates on how your children’s book drive is progressing and encourage more donations before your deadline. 

Online Drive 

1. Let your community know you’ll be collecting children’s books to promote literacy. Communicate with your donors a few weeks in advance about your children’s book drive through social media. Include links to our website, along with our curated online amazon.com or bookshop.org wishlists at Give Books — or your own wish list — along with the beginning and end dates for your drive 
2. Consider having the books delivered to your home or business so you can directly track how your drive is going. (On the receiving end of direct shipments from online sellers, we can’t tell who donated which books.) 
3. Give frequent updates to your community on how your children’s book drive is progressing and encourage more donations before your deadline. 
4. When your children’s book drive is over, you can make an appointment at where their books are going! 

Feel free to contact The Children’s Book Project for further support.” 

MORE ON ORGANIZING A BOOK DRIVE
According to ChatGPT, “Organizing a children’s book drive can be simple and very effective when you focus on a clear audience, easy donation methods, and strong community partnerships.

Step 1: Define the Purpose Choose who will receive the books. Examples: 

• Afterschool Programs 
• Elementary schools Be specific in your messaging: 'We are collecting new and gently used picture books for children ages 0–8 in underserved communities.' 

Step 2: Decide What Books to Collect Set clear guidelines. Recommended: 

• Picture books for ages 0–8 

• Diverse and inclusive stories 
• New or gently used books 
• Bilingual books

Avoid: 

• Torn or damaged books 
• Outdated textbooks 
• Books with writing or missing pages 

Step 3: Set a Timeline Most successful drives run 2–6 weeks. 

Source: The Children's Book Project

Step 4: Create Collection Points- Ask local organizations to host donation boxes: 

• Schools 
• Libraries 
• Coffee shops 
• Churches 
• Community centers 
• Bookstore
• Businesses 

Use: 

• Large, labeled bins 
• Flyers explaining the mission 
• QR code for monetary donations 

Step 5: Promote the Drive- Use simple, emotional messaging. Sample slogan ideas: 

• ‘Every Child Deserves a Book’ 
• ‘Share the Joy of Reading’ 
• ‘Help Build Young Readers’ 

Promote through: 

• Facebook groups 
• School newsletters 
• PTA/PTO 
• Instagram 
• Local newspapers 
• Community bulletin boards

Optional additions: 

• Add bookmarks 
• Include literacy tips for parents 
• Add personalized notes 

Step 7: Thank Supporters- Share results publicly: 

• Number of books collected 
• Photos (with permission) 
• Stories from recipients Example: ‘Thanks to our community, we collected 2,300 picture books for local children!’

Step 8: Helpful Materials to Create -You may want: 

• Donation flyer 
• Social media graphics 
• Press release 
• Sponsor request letter 
• Volunteer signup sheet 
• Book sorting checklist.”

NOTE: ChatGPT can also help you create: 

• a printable flyer, 
• a sponsor outreach letter, 
• a social media campaign, or 
• a complete Book Drive Toolkit.

If you'd like to learn more about supporting youth in afterschool, we are sponsoring a few upcoming webinars that you should check out. Click the titles below to learn more and register:

• Thur. 9/24/26: Supporting Youth with ADHD Features in Afterschool Programs
• Fri. 9/25/26: Addressing the Needs of Foster Youth in Afterschool Programs

Voices from the Field: Youth Activist, Hadley Gray

Source: Hadley's Hope

By Sam Piha

We first learned about Hadley Gray from an article by Giving Tuesday, which we posted last week. She was profiled because she helped organize a blood drive as a fifth grader, and saw something powerful: people showing up to help complete strangers, simply because they could. 



Today, she is the founder and director of Hadley’s Hope foundation, a compassionate nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness and providing vital support and she’s helping create those same opportunities for others. Through community blood drives, Hadley is showing others that giving back doesn’t always require money — sometimes it simply requires the time, care, and a willingness to step up for your community. 

We interviewed Hadley to learn more about organizing blood drives, building partnerships, and how youth-led generosity can create real impact. 

Q: What inspired you to serve others as described in your blood donor article?

A: What first inspired me to get involved with serving my community was my mom, when I was about 4 years old. She was always involved in helping organize charity races for people battling cancer. Before the races I would help put the raffle boxes together and the day of the race I would work the raffle table and hand out water bottles to the runners. When I got older, I had ideas of things I wanted to do for the community. Each event or thing I do for my community is inspired by something I have seen or heard. I listen to what our community needs and see how I can help. 

When I was in 5th grade I was involved with the National Junior Honors Society. The leader in charge of the group always organized a blood drive that was held in our gym. The NJHS students were to help check in the donors for the blood donation company. I remember how easy it was for the community to sign up and come donate blood, it was always busy. We live farther out and at the time there weren’t any blood donation companies located out in our area. As I got older, I heard on the radio that the hospitals were short on blood, they said it was a critical shortage. I remember how simple it was to set up a blood drive, so I started contacting different companies until one called me back and we were able to plan my first blood drive.  

Q: Most afterschool programs are school-based. How should people partner with schools if they are interested in sponsoring a blood drive?

A: From my experience with the schools here in Arizona, you have to first email administration. They generally then ask you to partner with a school club. Most of the time they will recommend a specific club that would likely want to partner with you. Then you would contact them to see if they would be interested in partnering up and make sure you give them all the details. Normally there are no issues.  

Q: If a person under 18 wants to participate in a blood drive, do they need parent permission?

A: People 16 and older can donate blood. They require all 16 year olds to get a form signed by their parents. There are 7 states that require parental permission for 17 year olds; Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. 

Q: If afterschool leaders want to learn more on how to sponsor a blood drive, can they contact you at your foundation?

A: Yes, I’m more than happy to help with what I can. I can be reached at hadley@hadleyshope.org.

MORE ABOUT...

Hadley Gray

Hadley Gray is the founder of Hadley’s Hope and a GivingTuesday Spark Leader. She’s helping create those same opportunities for others. Through community blood drives, Hadley is showing others that giving back doesn’t always require money — sometimes it simply requires the time, care, and a willingness to step up for your community.

 

Hadley’s Hope, led by Hadley herself, is a compassionate nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness and providing vital support. They organize donation drives, fundraising events, and numerous community initiatives, from aiding the homeless with water drives to brightening the days of hospital children with stuffed animals. Additionally, they support foster youths with college dorm packages and run programs like the "Giving Tree" in schools. Their unwavering commitment to kindness shines through in all they do, making a profound impact on countless lives.

How Hadley Gray is Mobilizing Youth-Led Blood Drives

Source: Giving Tuesday

Guest Blog by Giving Tuesday. This article originally was published on Giving Tuesday. 

When Hadley Gray first helped organize a blood drive as a fifth grader, she saw something powerful: people showing up to help complete strangers, simply because they could. 

Today, as the founder of Hadley’s Hope and a GivingTuesday Spark Leader in the United States, she’s helping create those same opportunities for others. Through community blood drives, Hadley is showing others that giving back doesn’t always require money — sometimes it simply requires the time, care, and a willingness to step up for your community.

With World Blood Donor Day,  June 14, her story is a reminder of the impact that one person can have when they choose to take action.

We spoke with Hadley about organizing blood drives, building partnerships, and how youth-led generosity can create real impact. Q&A with Hadley Gray, Founder of Hadley’s Hope and GivingTuesday Spark 

Q: What inspired you to start organizing blood drives?

A: When I was in 5th grade with the National Elementary Honor Society, we organized blood drives and I saw firsthand how impactful they were. They didn’t cost anything, yet people always showed up ready to help.

Now, as a GivingTuesday Spark Leader, my goal is to find ways to give back that don’t involve money or the pressure of asking for it. I want other youth to know you don’t need funds to make a difference. Giving shouldn’t be limited by money; it should be accessible to everyone.

That’s why blood drives stand out to me. They’re simple to organize, bring people together, and have a real life-saving impact without costing a thing.

Q: For someone who has never organized a blood drive before, where should they start?

A: They should start by reaching out to blood donation organizations like the Red Cross or Vitalant through their websites. Each organization has information on hosting a blood drive and how to connect with a representative in your area.

Vitalant’s representative emailed me back within a few days, while it took the Red Cross a couple of weeks to contact me. If you already have a date in mind, I recommend starting months in advance to give them time to respond and coordinate availability.

Once you choose a blood donation company, the next step is finding a location. Reach out to schools, community centers, churches, or local businesses to see if they’re willing to help host. This is the fun part — think outside the box because you never know what place will say yes. There are many people out there who want to help make a difference.

Q: What were your first steps in getting your blood drive off the ground?

A: Besides choosing a blood donation company, the first step was finding the right location. We had to make sure it worked with the blood donation mobile unit and met all the requirements, including access to a bathroom for the staff.

After that, we confirmed dates and times that worked for both the host site and the blood donation company. We also made sure everyone stayed on the same email chain so that if anything changed, everyone knew at the same time.

Source: www.pexels.com

Q: What are the key things you need to successfully organize a blood drive?

A: The biggest key is having a strong partnership with open communication between the host site and the blood donation company. 

You also need a good location with enough space for the mobile unit if the drive is outside, or a large conference room if it’s indoors. Parking for donors and staff is important too. An easy appointment system that works for all age groups also makes a huge difference.

Finally, community support and involvement are essential. Encouraging friends, family, and local organizations to invite others to donate, spreading awareness on social media, and hanging flyers around local businesses all help make a blood drive successful.

Q: Who did you partner with, and how did you build those relationships?

A: We partnered with Vitalant mostly because they contacted us first. During our first year, we discovered that the owner of Team 4 KIDS, our host site, and the Vitalant representative were already friends, which helped strengthen the relationship.

We continued building that partnership through constant communication and by always including Team 4 KIDS in conversations and updates. After our first event, Vitalant started reaching out annually to ask if we wanted to organize another blood drive around the same time each year.

Q: How did you spread the word and motivate people to donate or get involved?

A: Vitalant makes advertising pretty easy by providing marketing materials we can hang at the host site and around the community. Local businesses like coffee shops also allowed me to post flyers.

They also send digital materials we can use on social media. To encourage participation, Vitalant offers donor incentives like gift cards, symphony tickets, and entries into larger prize drawings.

On the day of the blood drive, I stand outside the mobile unit talking to people passing by, letting them know there are open spots and helping them sign up.

Q: What helped make your blood drive feel exciting, welcoming, or meaningful?

A: We stand outside the mobile unit greeting donors with smiles and helping create a calm, positive atmosphere. People feel more comfortable when those hosting the event are welcoming and available to answer questions. 

Sometimes donors need help with the check-in process, so we walk them through it. We also try to know as much information as possible about the hosting site and the impact blood donation has so we can answer questions confidently.

Many donors are surprised to learn that a youth nonprofit organized the event, and they often stay afterward to ask questions about my nonprofit and how they can support the work.

Q: What impact has your blood drive had so far? 

A: Our first blood drive in 2023 resulted in 19 blood donations, including six first-time donors and two people donating Power Red, which counts as two units instead of one. That drive impacted 63 lives. In 2024, we had 21 total donations. Four people returned to donate again at my event, one donor gave for the first time, and six people donated Power Red. That drive impacted 81 lives. In 2025, we had 19 donors, including five returning donors and three first-time donors. That drive impacted 57 lives. 

Source: Giving Tuesday

Q: What was one challenge you faced, and how did you navigate it? 

A: One challenge was meeting the requirement of keeping a bathroom accessible for the entire duration of the event, since the hosting site normally closed before the blood drive ended.

We didn’t find out about the requirement until just a few days before the event, which meant the host site had to quickly find a solution. Luckily, one employee volunteered to stay later so the bathrooms could remain open for the blood drive staff.

Q: What would you say to a young person thinking about organizing their first blood drive?

A: If a young person told me they were thinking about organizing a blood drive, I would tell them to 100% go for it. I know organizing a blood drive can seem intimidating at first, but blood donation organizations help walk you through the entire process. They take care of many of the logistics, including donor appointments, so your main job is often helping secure a location and spread the word.

My biggest piece of advice is to connect with a blood donation organization early, especially if you have a specific date or location in mind. Planning ahead gives everyone more flexibility and helps ensure your drive is set up for success. One whole blood donation saves three lives, so the impact your blood drive can have on your community is bigger than you can imagine.

With World Blood Donor Day coming up on June 14, it’s a great reminder that anyone can make a difference. Whether you donate blood, volunteer at a drive, or organize one yourself, small actions can have a lasting impact on the lives of others. 

MORE ABOUT...

Hadley Gray is the founder of Hadley’s Hope and a GivingTuesday Spark Leader in the United States, and she’s helping create those same opportunities for others. Through community blood drives, Hadley is showing others that giving back doesn’t always require money — sometimes it simply requires the time, care, and a willingness to step up for your community.

Hadley’s Hope, led by Hadley herself, is a compassionate nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness and providing vital support. They organize donation drives, fundraising events, and numerous community initiatives, from aiding the homeless with water drives to brightening the days of hospital children with stuffed animals. Additionally, they support foster youths with college dorm packages and run programs like the "Giving Tree" in schools. Their unwavering commitment to kindness shines through in all they do, making a profound impact on countless lives.

Vitalant is one of the nation’s largest nonprofit blood and biotherapies healthcare organizations, providing hospitals and patients across the U.S. a safe blood supply. Vitalant’s mission is to unite blood and biologics donors, talent, and innovation to save and improve lives. They aspire to become the nation’s most innovative and inclusive blood and biotherapies partner. 

READING BUDDIES: Pairing older elementary students with younger ones

Source: www.communityreadingbuddies.org

Guest Blogger Ryan Wheeler, Edutopia. Originally published 8/8/18 © Edutopia.org; George Lucas Educational Foundation. All rights reserved.

Peer mentoring is a powerful, underused tool in schools. One study suggests that partnering with higher achieving peers can have a positive influence on a student’s learning, and students who are older, more capable readers can be these peers for young students. With this in mind, I have used a practice called Reading Buddies in elementary schools to great effect.

Reading Buddies is a concept that pairs different grade-level classrooms for community reading time—an upper-grade classroom connects with a lower-grade one, and students partner for time with books.

Establishing a Reading Buddies Program

The structure is simple: Pair upper-grade classes with lower-grade ones. Ideally, in a pre-K through fifth grade elementary school, third graders pair with prekindergartners or kindergartners, fourth graders with first graders, and fifth graders with second graders. It’s best to have students work in pairs, but groups of three are fine as well. Set aside at least one 30-minute session per month for the students to read together.

Gather the students in a classroom, the library, the cafeteria, or even outside on a sunny afternoon. Let the younger students pick the books at first so they get hooked with an interesting read. Later you can have the older students share some of their favorites. As the year progresses and the skills of the younger readers increase, you can have the students take turns reading to each other, giving everyone a chance to show off.

Source: Bolton County School District

The benefits are profound. Reading Buddies allows younger readers to see what being fluent looks like as they have a peer model demonstrating reading skills; they can also acquire a positive role model with some intentional pairing. The older students develop social and emotional skills like patience and empathy as they work with their littler buddies.

Additionally, for upper elementary students who are struggling with grade-level reading, the opportunity to access easier reading material without stigma or shame while sharing with a novice reader can create a positive experience with an activity that may otherwise be less than enjoyable. And the roots of the school community deepen as classes across campus work and share together.

Social and Emotional Benefits

You might be worried about the reading level or the behavior of the older students, for good reason. But this opportunity could be just what they need: When students are given the freedom to be better, to work for something bigger than themselves, and to mentor others, they can thrive. Those who are not reading on grade level will have a chance to practice with picture books that they wouldn’t otherwise pick up and to increase their confidence as they read to a mesmerized kindergartner.

I’ve seen this success for students with behavior difficulties. Let me tell you about a student I’ll call Marcus, a fifth grader with attention issues who read at a first-grade level and was often in trouble, but who had an amazing heart. His teacher, who was justifiably worried about his progress, partnered with a kindergarten class for Reading Buddies. Marcus was paired with Tony, a little guy with his own set of difficulties, such as defiance, use of profanity, and physical aggression.

They got on fine, but the relationship didn’t blossom until after a few sessions. While walking to meet the kinder class, Marcus saw Tony talking to his teacher outside the classroom and being less than respectful. When Tony belatedly made it to Reading Buddies, Marcus put his arm around him and began to mentor him. Marcus gave him the old “Don’t be like me, kid” speech. Tony looked at Marcus with an expression of embarrassment and respect for someone who had had similar difficulties through the years.

Over time, the teachers worked out an intervention where Marcus could go spend time with Tony outside of Reading Buddies both as a reward and as an intervention when Tony’s day started getting hard. As part of a token reward system, Tony could request that Marcus join him for lunch or recess. For the intervention, Marcus would sometimes come down to the kinder classroom to give Tony a pep talk. This was a positive relationship for both students as Tony had a role model and Marcus had someone to mentor, which helped him grow.

Source: Bolton County School District

This program of cooperative learning is a great way to build community in the school and to promote reading, which are goals for nearly every school. Both sets of students get excited about Reading Buddies time because it’s a chance to get out of class, have fun, and make a friend. I’ve seen kindergarten and first grade classes deliver letters of encouragement to their partners before the scary state assessments.

With thoughtfulness, the relationships can extend beyond just one school year and carry over beyond reading books. Powerful moments of connection can happen, and social and emotional lessons are inevitable. These are some wonderful outcomes, all from just sharing a book.

To learn more about Reading Buddies, check out our latest briefing paper entitled, Reading Buddies: Promoting Literacy and Community Engagement.

MORE ABOUT...

Ryan Wheeler

Ryan Wheeler is a Behavior Specialist in Houston, Texas. He is a progressive educator, positive thinker, playful and engaged dad. He is also a contributing author for Edutopia.

Edutopia is an operating foundation and educational website created by filmmaker George Lucas in 1991. It operates as an initiative of the George Lucas Educational Foundation to shine a spotlight on evidence-based teaching strategies and real-world innovations in pre-K–12 education. The Edutopia Foundation is dedicated to transforming pre-K-12 education so that all students can acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to thrive in their studies, careers, and adult lives. 

Afterschool and the Education Culture Wars (Part 2)

By Sam Piha

In part 1 of Afterschool and the Education Culture Wars we introduced the issues that many schools are facing regarding critical race theory and the call to ban books dealing with identity issues (racial and gender). In part 2 we offer some tips on how to avoid entanglement in these education culture wars and how to combat misinformation in the community. 

HOW TO AVOID ENTANGLEMENT IN THE EDUCATION CULTURE WARS

When Describing the Program, Sharpen the Message; Avoid Acronyms and Jargon 

When describing your program in written outreach documents, remember your audience are not afterschool insiders- they might be parents and community members. It is very useful to have parents and community members review the text to ensure that it is understandable to an outsider. This is also a good way to build parent advocates for the program who can speak out and support if the program comes under scrutiny.  

Source: Nicolas Picard, Unsplash.com

“The first question they [parents] had was, ‘What the hell are you talking about?’” he said. “’I get math. I get reading. What the hell is social-emotional learning? ’When commissioners explained they wanted schools to nurture qualities such as discipline, self-management, and relationship skills, “they’d [parents] say, ‘Oh yeah, we’re for that,’” - John Bridgeland, CEO of Civic Enterprises

Terry Peterson

“Working on education improvements and reforms for almost fifty years, I have observed that almost any education innovation using initials [or acronyms] is likely to invite pushback. Also, describing development and learning in shorthand “buzz words," not mainstream terms, also invites problems. Case in point: We give very conservative critics great aid by providing them both initials, SEL, and words like social emotional learning. Instead, say practically that we are working to strengthen: self-management skills, social awareness skills, responsible decision-making skills, and teamwork skills” - Terry Peterson,  Afterschool Alliance

Double Down on Commitment to Program Values

“We all just have to continue to believe in what we do and stick together and not back down.” - Bridget Laird, CEO of WINGS for Kids 

While it is important to steer clear of trouble, we have to remain committed to our views. Below are some inspirational statements taken from As Terms Like ‘SEL’ Draw Fire, Organizations Supporting Schools Sharpen Their Message by Libby Stanford for ED Week.

“Although the rhetoric surrounding critical race theory and SEL can be loud at times, it has not deterred education organizations from being vocal about their work. ‘If anything, we’ve doubled down on our values, we’ve doubled down on our program,’ Peter Shulman (CEO of Urban Teachers) said.” 

“Urban Teachers isn’t coy about its stance on race and racism in its messaging. On its website, the organization writes “Structural racism and inequality have kept generations of urban children from receiving the education they deserve.” 

Get Involved, Especially in Your Local Community

Support for afterschool is not guaranteed and may have a shelf life. Thus, it is vital that we get involved in decision making to protect afterschool. Below are some suggestions. 

• Support candidates and groups that agree with your values. 
• Vote for local, state and federal candidates that agree with your values.
• Keep up on what’s happening locally and across the nation.
• Write to your elected officials to continue supporting afterschool.

Participate by:

• Running for school board or a local office 
• Follow or attend local school board meetings. They are often televised, or video recorded and publish their notes and future meeting agendas on community websites. You can view a recorded school board meeting from Polk County, Florida, as they discuss the banning of books.  

On September 13, 2022, Temescal Associates and The How Kids Learn Foundation will be sponsoring a webinar on this topic to further discuss the issues behind the current education culture wars and how it affects afterschool. Panelists will include Terry Peterson (Afterschool Alliance), Michael Funk (CDE), Bridget Laird (WINGS for Kids), Melissa Schlinger (CASEL) and Femi Vance (AIR). To learn more and register for this informative webinar, click here.

A Summer Youth and Community Engagement Model: Play Captains

By Sam Piha

Source: www.playcaptains.com

The Play Captain model is an excellent way to engage older youth over the summer in community service and promote safety for younger kids. This model was developed in Philadelphia by Rebecca Fabiano and her organization, Fab Youth Philly. Below Rebecca responds to a few of our interview questions. If you are interested in learning more or having an exchange with Rebecca, contact us and we will arrange a Zoom discussion. Rebecca is also available for remote or in-person training.

Q: Can you briefly describe the Play Captain’s Initiative?

Source: www.playcaptains.com

A: Coined after the Block Captain and Jr. Block Captain roles, the Play Captains Initiative is a workforce development and civic-engagement initiative with the mission to empower and train teens in leadership, playful learning and facilitation to make the Playstreets and neighborhoods of Philadelphia more playful. 

There are over 400 Playstreets in Philadelphia every summer, which are part of the Free Summer Meal Program, overseen by Parks & Recreation and serve as a safe place for children to receive two free meals a day during the summer. The Playstreets are closed off to cars between 10am-4pm and a resident on the block applies to be a Playstreet Supervisor; they distribute the meals. Not all of the Play Streets are as ’playful’ as they could be, which is why I created this initiative. I saw the opportunity to tap-in-to two underutilized resources in our City; the Playstreets and teens. 

Q: Do you provide training for the Play Captains? 

A: We do provide training for the Play Captains. Play Captains are teens ages 15-19 and they receive about a week (35 hours) of pre-employment training where they learn about concepts like playful learning and effective facilitation. They spend a lot of time playing games and learning how to modify them for a number of conditions and situations they may face on the Playstreet. They ALSO receive weekly professional development (PD) on Fridays on a variety of topics. They are paid ($9/ hr) for their time in training and for PD.

Q: How do you work with the community?

A: We work all year round with the community to build relationships with both individuals and other organizations. We attend community meetings both to learn about the happenings in the neighborhood and to promote the program. We also work with the Police Department and the Community Relations Officers (CROs) and created a “how to work with our Play Captains” guide for the CROs to encourage positive interactions.

Q: How are youth selected and assigned? 

A: Youth complete an application and typically participate in a group interview. For most teens (over 85%) this is their first job and so we want them to have a positive experience that really reflects what it takes to get a job. If we don’t hire a teen, we provide them with resources where they can keep looking for jobs. 

Source: www.playcaptains.com

The Play Captains work on a team of 5 teens, supported by 1 adult Group Leader. The Group Leaders are youth work professionals that we hire and train. We are often able to hire youth work professionals that are from the neighborhoods where we are playing/on the Playstreets, which helps in a number of ways. They are often known to others, so that helps bridge a connection between our organization and the community and, then after the program is over, they are able to maintain connections to the teens. We prioritize placing teens on Playstreets in the neighborhoods where they live. Then, day to day, they follow a schedule where they rotate to a number of Playstreets throughout the day, for a total of 4 days per week (Mon-Thur) for 5 weeks. They go to the same streets over the course of their employment in order to build consistency and relationships with the children that play on the Playstreets.

Q: How are you amending the model in response to the COVID pandemic? 

A: We ran the program last summer in the height of the Pandemic and put several safety measures into place, which we plan to put into place again this summer. For example: everyone wore masks indoors and outside; we did a deep clean of our indoor space 3x per day; we deep cleaned all of the supplies (balls, jump ropes, etc.) at the end of each day; and we created special socially distance arm signals to help the children on the play streets keep a distance. For example: Airplane arms (arms out to the side) when we wanted to have them stand in a circle or near each other, Frankenstein arms for when we needed them to line up and maintain some distance and Hands on Hips, once they are in their socially distance position.  

Q: What do you believe are the benefits to the youth participants? 

A: One of the biggest benefits is that this opportunity provides teens with a first job experience. About a quarter of our teens go on to get afterschool jobs the fall after they are a Play Captain. Other benefits that the teens often report include: feeling valued by their community and feeling like they can make a difference in the lives of younger children; and many teens that self-define as shy say that they had a chance to meet new people and “come out of their shell.”

Q: What do you believe are the benefits to the community? 

A: I’ve been told by residents how much they appreciate seeing the teen Play Captains engaged in something positive and that they feel it is good for the community that the teens have something meaningful to do. 

Q: How do you assess the impact of the program? 

A: For the past three years we’ve worked with a Playful Learning Landscape Action Network (PLANN) who developed a data collection tool and who train data collectors to collect data on the Playstreets to see if the activities the Play Captains facilitate help foster the Six Cs of Playful learning (collaboration, communication, content, critical thinking, creative innovation, and confidence). We also pre/post survey our teens to understand what they learn during training, and what they retain over the course of their employment. We conduct exit interviews with staff and engage in post programming focus groups with residents, Street Supervisors and other stakeholders. We use the data to revise training and to improve the selection of the activities that the teens facilitate on Playstreets, as some examples of how we strive to be a data-driven project. 

Q: If there is interest, would you be able to assist others in replicating this initiative?  

Source: www.playcaptains.com

A: Absolutely! We’ve built a program based on best practices in youth development, workforce development and community engagement, yet it is adaptable and flexible. I would encourage people to check out our website: www.playcaptains.com and watch our videos on YouTube to see the Play Captains in action. 

Rebecca Fabiano (She/Her/Hers) is the President and Founder of Fab Youth Philly and The Play Captain Initiative. For nearly 25 years, Rebecca has worked in various capacities across nonprofit and youth-serving organizations, served on boards and helped to build solid youth programs that engage, encourage, and create spaces for positive development. As a program leader, she has successfully raised funds and managed program budgets; hired and supervised staff; developed and sustained strong community partnerships and designed award-winning programming.​