The DAA Collective newsletter keeps Denver's afterschool community connected to resources,
professional learning and networking opportunities. Learn more about us.
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YESS Academy Healthy Lifestyles Curriculum
The YESS Academy Cannabis Awareness & Education Social Emotional Curriculum empowers youth to thrive in a post-legalized world by giving them the information and skills to make healthy decisions — for themselves. The course is designed for 5th-8th grade students who are at risk of unhealthy decisions with Cannabis misuse.
To learn more about this curriculum and more, please check out the YESS Academy website HERE.
Youth Voice Needed!
Do you work with middle and/or high school youth? Their voice is CRITICAL and we need to hear from them! Vaping use has skyrocketed and the opioid epidemic is a national crisis rapidly impacting our youth. The Denver Afterschool Alliance, housed within the Office of Children’s Affairs, is working with the YESS Institute to expand the Healthy Lifestyles Marijuana education and awareness curricula to include a section on Vaping for middle school youth and a section on Opioids for high-schoolers. The curriculum is designed to provide young people with accurate information and create an open and interactive space where youth can learn, ask questions and make informed, healthy decisions. Afterschool and summer programs are the ideal space for young people to test the new curriculum and provide input and feedback to ensure it is engaging, inclusive and accessible for all. For more information, check out the flyer HERE.
The City and County of Denver has extended the Denver Connector Pilot, a free ride share used to commute to local neighborhood destinations and transit stations in Montbello, for another two years. As part of the extension, the Montbello service area will be expanded to include Gateway, as well as the Globeville and Elyria-Swansea (GES) neighborhoods.
All rides are currently free and available weekdays from 6 a.m. - 8 p.m. The service provides on-demand trips anywhere within either of the two service areas (Montbello/Gateway and Globeville/Elyria-Swansea).
Riders should download the Denver Connector mobile app to request rides using their smart phone or call (720) 905-4438 to request rides in English and Spanish.
Denver Public Schools is looking for community partners!
Community partners can work with DPS students and schools and access student outcome data through DAAconnect. Please contact Cynthia Willer at cynthia_willer@dpsk12.org, or sign up for an onboarding session here to learn about what it takes to become a District partner.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to be seen by thousands of Denver families!
Last month, our Youth Program Locator had more than 2,600 visits from Denver families searching for quality programs and services! Make sure your listing is updated, so that families can find you! If you are not on the Locator or need to update your information, please login to DAAconnect today and update your profile and program schedule.
Attention DAAconnect users: Your feedback about your experience with DAAconnect can help us identify needs and plan for future system upgrades. Please take a moment to share your feedback with us! Click here to take our survey:https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6PQXPVZ
Funding Opportunities
Rose Community Foundation is announcing an open funding opportunity for nonprofit organizations in the Greater Denver region. This grant cycle is intended to support organizations that provide youth- and child-focused services, center youth and family voice, and address systemic inequities to increase educational achievement and bolster post-secondary work options for youth furthest from opportunity
Timeline: Applications are due by March 1 at 5 p.m. Notifications about grant decisions will be sent via email by May 26, 2023. Grant amounts will typically range from $25,000 to $75,000. Application Overview and Questions
Apply HERE.
Tony Grampas Youth Services (TGYS) is excited to announce a new funding opportunity, the Youth and Community Partnership (YCP) Grant. The YCP grant is a one-year funding opportunity to support youth and community-led initiatives within communities. A youth and community led initiative is one that involves the youth and community voice at each of the following stages: planning; implementation; budget; and evaluation.
Please see the grant flyerfor more information and the full grant information page on theTGYS website
The Denver Division of Disability Rights is seeking funding proposals from Denver disability-oriented nonprofit organizations which have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The goal of this funding is to assist nonprofits that serve the disability community in closing service gaps and to re-establish service levels to and beyond pre-pandemic levels through advocacy, direct services and supports, and assistive technology and training.
For more information about this opportunity, view the RFP HERE.
Job Opportunities
Denver Kids has a Full Time Educational SEL Counselor position available! Check out the job posting HERE.
To apply, send a cover letter expressing interest in Denver Kids and this role, as well as a resume showing experience relevant to the position to apply@denverkidsinc.org.
Community Opportunities
On Saturday, February 18th from 6:00 - 10:00 PM at the Denver Art Museum,YouthSeenwill be hosting the YouthSeen Gala!
Enjoy an evening of reflection on the last five years of community building, memories and a look into what's to come. Support YouthSeen’s vision of a society where people are empowered as individuals to access non-judgmental and unbiased treatment in every aspect of their lives.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) is creating messaging for their Forward Together marketing campaign that aims to reach young people and parents/caregivers across Colorado to encourage strong, meaningful connections, and raise awareness of why these connections are important.
If you are interested and willing to share your personal story, please send an email to: mikhail@se2changeforgood.com *Please include the following when you email: your full name, your town/city, phone number, and email address.
Ready, STEM, Go!: Inspirations & Resources for Out-of-School Time March 14 & 15, 2023
Ready, STEM, Go! is a two-day virtual conference, which will shine a spotlight on resources, strategies, and inspiration to boost OST STEM programming.
Registration is FREE and grants you access to the full two days of live conference sessions, the On-Demand Video Library, Exhibit Hall, and more. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!
The Clyfford Still Museum (CSM) has put out a call for young filmmakers!
The CSM and Denver Film seek short films by filmmakers ages 1 to 18. They are looking for films on the concept of BIGNESS to complement CSM’s upcoming exhibition Awful Bigness.
The deadline to submit is April 1, 2023
Check out the website for all the detailsHERE.
Upcoming Professional Learning Sessions
We are so excited to see all of you at the upcoming professional learning sessions this spring!
Space may be limited to some of the sessions. If you are unable to attend after having signed up, please cancel your registration in Eventbrite or email Erma Cerda so that we can open seats up to other interested parties!
OST Community Shout Out:
Heart & Hand Center's Emilia Autin-Hefner-
A 2023 NextGen Leader!
Congratulations to Emilia Autin-Hefner, Program Manager with Heart & Hand Center, for being named one of the National Afterschool Association’s 2023 Next Generation of Afterschool Leaders!
In selecting its 2023 Next Generation of Afterschool Leaders, NAA sought to highlight emerging young leaders who are active in the broader afterschool community, demonstrate contributions that have influence across entire organizations and communities, are actively engaged in efforts to elevate the afterschool field, have a proven passion for development of themselves and others, and demonstrate persistence in their work to grow as leaders.
Emilia will be profiled in the Spring 2023 issue of NAA’s AfterSchool Today magazine. Check out the digital edition of the magazine hereafter March 8, 2023.
Emotional Intelligence Corner: Celebrating Black History Month
These are just a few powerful quotes from prominent African American leaders. We encourage you to take the opportunity to reflect on one (or more) of these quotes and the impact it has on you, your work and your life. Use these and others with your staff and youth in a way that sparks thoughtful reflection and action. Here are some ideas…
Welcoming Ritual to start a team meeting
Activity for young people of all ages
Quote of the day posted on a white board/bulletin board
