The South Dakota Afterschool Network works to better our state and its communities by connecting providers, parents and policymakers with proven tools and resources to increase the quality of and access to out-of-school time programming for K-12 children and youth.

Afterschool is a lifeline that keeps youth safe, helps kids learn and grow, and provides parents the ability to work without worry. While South Dakota is home to more than 300 afterschool programs, the demand for programs exceeds available spaces. In fact, 1 in 3 South Dakota children (34 percent) who are not in an afterschool program would be enrolled if it were available. That’s more than 42,000 children who are missing out on opportunities to participate in programming that supports their development academically, socially and economically.

Afterschool can provide valuable opportunities for students to explore STEM, and we are here to help your program succeed in STEM Learning! From webinars and trainings to our signature TMC Trailers that bring turnkey STEM activities to your doorstep, our diverse collection of resources meets you and your students where you are and provides the support you need to deliver quality programming to your students at any age. 

The South Dakota Afterschool Network wanted to create a mapping tool to better understand the landscape of afterschool and summer programs available for children and families. From the initial launch of the new mapping tool, we have identified some startling findings.

YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES

Youth Mental Health Resources

Supporting the social-emotional needs of youth can be challenging. When it comes to mental health, it’s important to have resources available to help youth professionals and families navigate each situation. This ever-growing list contains links to a variety of quality resources. For immediate mental health resources and support call 988.

HOW RIGHT NOW

The CDC’s How Right Now campaign is designed to strengthen emotional wellbeing and resiliency.  It does this in a variety of ways. First, it asked “how are you feeling today?” Youth then choose from the options of afraid, angry, grieving, lonely, sad, stressed, worried, or not sure.  When you click on each emotion it takes you through a variety of articles and resources that can help someone work through these emotions. There is also an option that helps walk someone through what it looks like to open up about their mental health and speaks on the importance of conversations. This ranges from both having meaningful conversations, to learning how to listen with compassion. It has an option for people who need immediate help and where they can reach out depending on what their emergency issue is.  In addition, users can access an option where they can hear from those who have the same struggles as them. This page is a great resource for those looking to work through sometimes difficult and heavy emotions. 

YOUTH ENGAGED 4 CHANGE

The Youth Engaged 4 Change offers solutions to the statement I want to…find opportunities, find answers or find inspiration. Finding opportunities allows you to look into a variety of different categories including: internships, jobs, leadership, professional developments, scholarships and grants, and volunteering & service that are offered in your area and your state. This is a great tool for those looking to get involved, but not sure where to start.  Finding answers opens the door to look into a variety of important topics facing our community and country as a whole. These topics vary from employment, to foster care, to juvenile justice, to building healthy relationships, to many more. Each option provides a plethora of resources and articles pertaining to the topic. Find inspiration shares real stories of real people in hopes to give others hope that these things are truly obtainable. Their mission is to provide youth-focused resources and opportunities that inspire and empower young people to make a difference in their lives and in the world around them by improving their knowledge and leadership skills.