Martin County OST Quality Improvement Initiative

The Martin County Out-of-school Time Quality Improvement Initiative supports out-of-school time (OST) programs, funded by the Children's Services Council of Martin County with ongoing quality coaching, onsite training, mentoring of youth development strategies and professional development. OST programs support children and youth before school, after school, summer, weekends and during seasonal breaks.

MC QIS

A seal that indicates that the program is committed to offering high quality programing and that the program is a participant of the Quality Improvement Initiative.

The tips included in this video will familiarize you with Zoom, and offer helpful tips so you are ready to join us for our online professional development trainings. You can sign up for a free zoom account here: https://zoom.us/signup

Training Opportunities

Creating a Welcoming Environment in Your Program - VIRTUAL

November 14, 2024

9:00 a.m .- 11:00 a.m.

Click here to register.

In this training, participants will understand how building an emotionally safe community of peers and adults is essential for youth to develop as individuals within a group. In this fun interactive training, you will practice activities that help youth feel a sense of belonging and increase participation and learning in your program.

Upon successful completion of this training, the participant will earn 1.5 clock hours (.2 CEUs) of training.

Training Objectives:

Participants will:

  1. Compare and contrast icebreakers, energizers, name games and bonding games.
  2. Demonstrate ways to provide youth with opportunities to develop a sense of belonging.

Core Knowledge, Skills and Competencies Addressed (CKSCs)

Relationships and Interactions with Children and Youth

Enhancing Group Experiences

Identify - D. Identifies child/youth abilities and corresponding positive guidance techniques to support successful group experiences.

Apply - C. Plans and guides group activities to teach children and youth cooperation and collaboration.

Equity and Inclusion

Culturally Responsive Practice

Apply - A. Designs and executes program activities and routines that build on children and youth’s cultural context.

Primary QIS Scales Addressed:

I-Safe Environment

I-E Creating Safe Spaces

I-E-1. Foster positive emotional climate.

I-E-2. Convey warmth and respect.

I-E-6. Show active inclusion.

III- Interactive Environment

III-K- Sense of Belonging

III-K-1- Opportunities for young people to get to know each other.

III-N- Cultivating Empathy

III-N-1- Structure activities for sharing and listening.

Cultivating Empathy - VIRTUAL

November 16, 2024
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

 Click here to register.

Empathy is a skill that can be supported and built with intentionality for both adults and youth.  This training is designed to build practitioners' knowledge of empathy and develop skills they will incorporate into program activities and with youth.  The purpose of this training is to understand how and why cultivating empathy is a key skill for youth development.

Upon successful completion of this training, the participant will earn 2 clock hours (.2CEUs) of training.

Training Objectives

Participants will:

  1. Understand the concept of empathy and practice active listening skills that model empathy.
  2. Identify best practices and plan for supporting building empathy in youth programming.
  3. Plan next steps for incorporating concepts learned about empathy with youth and programs.

Core Knowledge, Skills and Competencies Addressed (CKSCs):

Child/Youth Growth and Development

Identify - F. Identifies physical, cognitive, language and communication, social and emotional, and creative development benchmarks.

Apply - C. Communicates about physical, cognitive, language and communication, social and emotional, cultural and creative differences among children and youth.

Learning Environments and Curriculum

Physical, Social/Emotional, and Cognitive Development

Apply - B. Implements strategies to develop young people’s self-awareness, social awareness, self-management, relationship-building and responsible decision-making skills,

Apply – D. Incorporates activities promoting cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development.

Relationships and Interactions with Children and Youth

Individual Child / Youth Guidance

  1. Provides a supportive environment in which children and youth can learn and practice pro-social behaviors.

Primary QIS Scales Addressed:

I. Safe Environment

I-E. Creating Safe Spaces

I-E-1. Foster positive climate

I-E-2. Convey warmth and respect.

I-E-3. Provide support for safe space.

I-E-6. Show active inclusion.

III. Interactive Environment

III-K. Sense of Belonging

III-K.2. Inclusive Relationships

III.N. Cultivating Empathy

III.N.2. Encourage understanding other’s emotions

III.N.4. Support valuing of differences

Training Testimonial

After Reframing Behavior Management training concluded on October 19, 2022, including 45 attendees, Prime Time professional development manager asked what their take-away was from the three-hour session.

Hear from Candice Delions from the Boys & Girls Clubs Martin County - Bill and Barbara Whitman Branch in the video below.

Q&A

Q: Are programs in Martin County offered incentives and scholarships?

A: Not at this time.

Q: Who is the point-of-contact for this Initiative?

A: Lynn Stanavitch, Prime Time Quality Improvement Initiative Project Manager. Her contact information is located on the right.

Q: Can we attend events and trainings offered by Prime Time in Palm Beach County?

A: Not at this time. Please register for the trainings that are offered on this webpage.

More Information

Contact

DANIEL HUDSPETH

Quality Improvement Initiative Project Manager
561-327-4171 ext. 131
dhudspeth@primetimepbc.org

A Labor of Love in Out-of-school Time Creates Opportunities to Bring Together Children and Families

By Katie Jacob | November 2, 2022

Content Contributor: Andrea Hurtado, Quality Advisor, Prime Time Primary Learning Academy Afterschool Program in Boca Raton, participant of Palm Beach County’s Quality Improvement System, was one of many programs that hosted a fall festival this October organized by afterschool staff. Families joined the event to set up their own “trunk or treat” stations resulting in…

Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics is Happening in Out-of-School Time Programs Across Palm Beach County

By Katie Jacob | October 19, 2022

Prime Time has officially launched its STEAM training series for the fall where practitioners from out-of-school time (OST) programs across Palm Beach County are learning and practicing facilitating engaging activities that explore the worlds of science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM). This series boosts practitioners’ confidence in science knowledge and ability to demonstrate activities that link youth…