Young people who have well-developed life skills—such as self-awareness, teamwork, perseverance, and responsible decisionmaking—tend to do better in school, have better health and relationships, and enjoy greater overall well-being than those who do not. There is an evidence base for how to help young people develop these skills, and out-of-school-time (OST) programs can play a key role.
This guide (and its companion resource) aims to help OST intermediaries, the organizations that coordinate and support OST programs, build OST providers’ capacity to strengthen young people’s life skills development. It contains practical, ready-to-use strategies and resources to help broaden the impact of OST programs and improve life skills outcomes for young people.
Building on the work that many intermediaries already do, this guide highlights three key ways that intermediary organizations can help OST providers bring life skills into everyday OST programming: (1) establish a life skills framework to guide programming and practice, (2) connect providers to evidence-based resources that support effective skill development, and (3) offer opportunities for professional development to build staff capacity and confidence. The guide also addresses several common challenges raised by intermediaries engaged in this important work.
Whether just beginning to think about a framework or looking to strengthen existing supports, OST intermediaries can use the strategies and resources provided in this guide and adapt them over time to meet evolving needs.
This publication is part of the RAND tool series. RAND tools include models, databases, calculators, computer code, GIS mapping tools, practitioner guidelines, web applications, and various other toolkits and applied research products. All RAND tools undergo rigorous peer review to ensure both high data standards and appropriate methodology in keeping with RAND’s commitment to quality and objectivity.
This document and trademark(s) contained herein are protected by law. This representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for noncommercial use only. Unauthorized posting of this publication online is prohibited; linking directly to this product page is encouraged. Permission is required from RAND to reproduce, or reuse in another form, any of its research documents for commercial purposes. For information on reprint and reuse permissions, please visit www.rand.org/pubs/permissions.
RAND is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis. RAND’s publications do not necessarily reflect the opinions of its research clients and sponsors.
