CalSAC's Annual CA Afterschool Challenge
Sacramento, CA
CalSAC’s CA Afterschool Challenge aims to educate and
empower professionals, youth, and parents to engage
in grassroots advocacy
statewide and locally to advance the Out-of-School Time field.
The CA Afterschool Challenge includes a full day of
training and networking that culminates at the state
Capitol when participates
visit with their legislators to share the importance
of afterschool and
school-age care programs. Our training day includes opportunities
for
experienced and emerging professionals and youth participating
in afterschool
programs. Participants will be greeted by legislators
during our rally at the
Capitol and will learn more about the legislative process
and issues currently
impacting the out-of-school time field.
♦ Network with colleagues, youth and families from throughout
the state
♦ Meet with your legislators to share the importance
of afterschool and school-age care programs
♦ Rally with motivating speakers including legislators,
community advocates, and youth leaders
♦ Gain valuable advocacy skills and training experience
that
you
can take back to your local communities
Highlights from CalSAC's 6th Annual CA Afterschool Challenge!
On May 17 and 18,
nearly 200 afterschool professionals and youth gathered in Sacramento
for CalSAC’s 6th Annual
California Afterschool Challenge.
We urged the legislature to
reject the Governor’s proposed budget cuts in the May Revise that would
eliminate essential services for children, youth, and
families.
Participation at this year’s event could not have been more timely!
CalSAC’s CA Afterschool Challenge
aims to empower professionals and youth by engaging
in grassroots advocacy
statewide and locally. This year’s event included policy and advocacy training,
legislative visits, a rally at the Capitol, and much
more.
Participants
met with legislators and staffers to express their
opposition to cutting crucial
supports to programs and to find solutions to California’s budget crisis that do not
jeopardize the state’s most vulnerable families.
California’s children and
families need us now more than ever! We urge you to continue to voice the
importance of your programs to your local representatives. Below are 3 things YOU can do to stay
involved:
- Tell
California's leadership to prioritize children
today – Click Here!
- Invite
your legislators to visit your local site! Download
the CalSAC Advocacy Guide
and Fact Sheets
for useful resources to help you get started.
- Keep us
updated on what’s happening in your local area on Twitter & Facebook!
We invite you to check out photos
from the event and read what participants had to say
about their experience
below. For support with your local advocacy efforts,
please contact the CalSAC
office at 415-957.9775 or email info@calsac.org.
“Our Circle of
Sisters girls had a very enriching learning and empowering
experience!
We
are so grateful for all you and your team do to make
this important advocacy
work happen!”
“A thousand thank
you’s for all the hard work and dedication you and your
team put forth
in preparing the after school youth and professionals
for our leg visits May
18, 2010.
That info helped build the confidence of my team to
successfully meet and inform their legislators of the
impact after school
programs have on their communities!”
“As I return to
work here at Venice Community Housing, I am excited
to share the information
with my colleagues as we anticipate an upcoming site
visit from the local staff
of Assembly Member Ted Lieu (53rd district).”
“Thanks again
for an amazing couple days. I learned so much and it
was great to take an
active part of the political process that I usually
am not a part of. “
We look forward to seeing you in Sacramento next year!
