In this third episode of the podcast, Georgia Hall, Ph.D., director of the National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST) hosts Brittany Jacobs, Library Director at the Burlington Public Library in Iowa, and Edward Franklin, President and CEO of Voice of Hope Ministries in Texas. Brittany and Edward talk about the essays they contributed to the book, which explore the relationship building that allows OST programs to go beyond short-term benefits to sustained and transformative influence for individuals and communities.
Brittany reads from her essay “Sanctuary,” about how libraries can offer out-of-the-box learning opportunities for youth. She talks about an anxious fifth grader who came to the library looking for help with his math homework and soon became a library regular, and her experience empowering elementary schoolers by connecting them with young inventors through social media.
Edward reads from his essay “Afterschool as Mission,” about his personal experience finding autonomy and responsibility as a young person in his church community. He discusses his work with young people during the out-of-school time hours, as a youth minister, "to extend grace" and keep youth on successful life trajectories.
Brittany and Edward’s essays appear in the book co-edited by NIOST, The Heartbeat of the Youth Development Field: Professional Journeys of Growth, Connection, and Transformation. Through both research and personal essays, the book shines a light on the intricate connections between research and practice, touching upon both the vulnerability and triumph of youth development work. The passionate voices of youth workers in this volume lead to the inescapable conclusion that programs and policies for youth must be informed by these same voices and the values they express.
About the National Institute on Out-of-School-Time:
For 40 years, NIOST has been a leader in defining, shaping, and promoting out-of-school time (OST) as a distinct professional field with evidence-based quality standards. We bridge the worlds of research and practice to provide OST directors, staff, planners, school administrators, community leaders, and others with research, training, evaluation, and consultation to enhance and improve the quality of programs for all children and youth. https://niost.org
NIOST is a program of Wellesley Centers for Women, a research and action institute at Wellesley College that is focused on women and gender and driven by social change.
https://www.wcwonline.org
About Brittany Jacobs:
What started out as an insatiable curiosity as a child, and a banning from the local public library at eight years old, has evolved into my career as a public librarian and children’s book author and illustrator. (Don’t worry, the irony is not lost on me.)
With a focus on curriculum development for informal learning environments during undergrad (BA) and an emphasis on human-centered design and equity in graduate school (MSLIS) I have steeped myself in informal pedagogies and best practices in order to make learning fun and transformative for all who walk into the library.
By harnessing the power of play, partnering with established community groups and supporting classroom initiatives, I’m helping to re-write the narrative of what a public library is as well as what OST learning looks like in-between the stacks.
A public library director by day, my evening and weekends are all about books in a different context altogether -- writing and illustrating them. You can find me on the shelves with Duck, Duck, Tiger, Big Breath: A Guided Meditation for Kids, The Kraken’s Rules for Making Friends, Transforming Your Library into a Learning Playground, or in-between them as Director.
About Edward Franklin:
Edward Franklin has over 30 years of experience serving in out-of-school-time programs in underserved urban communities in America. He has led Voice of Hope Ministries, a Christian OST organization, located in Dallas, Texas for 18 years as the President and CEO. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Temple University, a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts in Religious Counseling from Westminster Theological Seminary and is in his final stages of a Doctor of Ministry degree from Dallas Theological Seminary. He is a NIOST National Afterschool Matters Fellow, a White-Riley-Peterson Fellow, and a Christian Community Development Association Leadership Cohort alumnus.
He is passionate about his work and faith and dedicated to serving children and families residing in underserved communities domestically and abroad through quality, Christian, OST programs.
