This brief takes a look at the growing interest in social and emotional learning (SEL), as well as how afterschool and in-school can work together to support the social and emotional development of young people, in terms of implementing best practices and working in collaboration for the SEL development of youth.
There has been a growing interest in SEL development in the policy context, both on state and federal level. This brief will briefly cover these policies and how they can be linked to afterschool programs and in-school settings. For example, schools may be more likely to use evidence-based SEL programs. While afterschool programs may usually promote SEL through practices and approaches, but do not rely on strictly evidence-based approaches.
There is no current evidence that one way is better than the other. However, by working together to create the best conditions for SEL development in both afterschool and in-school, then youth may gain the best of both worlds.
Ready to implement these practices in your program and school? Check out our tool on The In-School and Afterschool Social and Emotional Learning Connection: A Planning Tool.