The DAA Collective newsletter keeps Denver's afterschool community connected to resources, professional learning and networking opportunities. Learn more about us.
Afterschool Professionals Appreciation Week
The National Afterschool Professionals Appreciation week is here! The Denver Afterschool Alliance wants to take a moment to recognize and appreciate each of you today. You are essential workers who provide critical services to youth and families in Denver, from working directly at the point of service, to advocating at the policy level (and everything in between); we need each of you! There are more than 250 Afterschool & Summer organizations, employing more than 10,000 professionals and serving more than 50,000 youth—that is POWERFUL and could not happen without YOU. We see you and appreciate you today and every day. Keep the appreciation going beyond today!
With Gratitude,
The Denver Afterschool Alliance
Coffee and Conversations
The April Coffee and Conversation: Summertime at the Museum Experience was facilitated by the incredible Tamera Sakotas, Teacher Programs Consultant with the Denver Museum of Nature and Science (DMNS)! She discussed the many youth programs offered by the Museum over the summer, as well as the variety of methods that the programming can be delivered to the out-of-school time community (virtual, on-site, off-site). She even led the group on an interactive activity similar to what is offered to youth that allowed them to explore the Prehistoric exhibit of the museum. Along with the incredible array of youth-centered offerings outlined during the event, Tamera also talked about the many Professional Learning opportunities available at the museum to educators. Please check out the Education Page on the DMNS website for both professional learning and student facing opportunities. After the immersive activity concluded, the group was brought back together to brainstorm and exchange some summer field trip/activity ideas, as well as share what organizations are doing in their summer programs this year. Visit daalearn.org for a more in-depth look at what was discussed! A huge thank you to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, and to Tamera Sakotas, specifically, for hosting us!
Keep an eye out for a Special Edition newsletter hitting your inboxes the first week of May with details about our next Coffee and Conversation event!
Youth Violence Prevention Week
Youth Violence Prevention Week (April 22-26) is here, and the Youth Violence Prevention Center – Denver (YVPC-D) Gamechangers has a full calendar of activities and events happening throughout this week to raise awareness, unify and empower the community!
Exciting Opportunity to lead at the Achieving Excellence Academy (AEA)
The Achieving Excellence Academy (AEA) is a cultural summer program that highlights the experiences of Black/African-American, Latinx, Asian-American/Pacific Islander, & Native American/Indigenous families, students, and educators.
The AEA is currently looking to hire 1 Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) and 1 Latino/a/Latinx identifying Community Partner/LLC to lead their respective affinity spaces during their summer program. For more information about this opportunity, click HERE. If you are interested in becoming an AAPI or Latinx community partnercomplete an application today, and reach out through direct email to ashlea_skiles@dpsk12.net.
Clothes to Kids of Denver
Clothes to Kids of Denver provides FREE school clothing to kids who are in need or in crisis. To shop, students must be age 3 - 21, enrolled in school or working toward a GED. No Referral Required! They have in-person appointments and also offer wardrobes for curbside pick-up. Families needing clothing should call 720-379-4630 or email for an appointment.
Spread the word about this amazing resource by handing out this flyer to your communities!
If you would like to donate clothes, please check out their Clothing & Shoe Donations page for details about what they take and what their greatest needs are!
My Name Is: #mynameis
73% of people have had their name mispronounced. Regardless of reason, it’s hurtful to those affected. After all, your name is more than just a name. It's part of your heritage, identity and pride.
That is why Race Equality Matters has established #MyNameIs - a campaign to encourage people to raise awareness of simply introducing phonetic spellings as standard practice.
#MyNameIs is a simple but highly impactful solution that ensures the correct pronunciation of people’s names.
Check out the MyNameIs Guide for more information about this campaign, and how you can take action at your organizations!
Summer Employment Opportunities for Teens
Is your organization looking to hire teens for the summer? Does your organization serve teens that will be looking for summer employment/internship opportunities? Let's bridge the divide in our DAA Collective newsletter! If you would like to spread the word about employment opportunities to youth serving organizations in Denver, please send a flyer or posting to Erma Cerda. We will post it in the newsletter for programs to share with youth!
Groundwork Denver has employment opportunities for youth this summer!
Groundwork Denver is seeking a part-time temporary intern to assist in energy audits, energy efficiency improvements and air sealing. The internship is open to youth ages 16 and up! Please apply through the online posting at https://groundworkcolorado.apscareerportal.com/j/0288d1y
The Youth Green Team is a summer employment program for youth approximately aged 14 to 18-years old. Participants will work on projects focused on improving the physical environment and health and well-being for the Denver metropolitan area, as well as our public lands, including national forests, parks, and wildlife refuges. The Youth Green Team has a number of different positions available over the summer. Check out Groundworks Denver's jobs webpage for more information and to apply: https://groundworkcolorado.org/about/job-openings/
Youth In-Person Hiring Fair! | April 27th| 11-1pm | Carla Madison Rec Center
Hey there, future leaders! Get ready to kickstart your career journey at the Youth Hiring Fair! Join Denver Economic Development & Opportunity (DEDO) at the Carla Madison Recreation Center on April 27th from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM for an exciting opportunity to explore job options, connect with employers, and land your dream job. Whether you're looking for part-time gigs, internships, or full-time positions, this event is your one-stop shop to jumpstart your career. Don't miss out—bring your friends and come ready to apply and shine! RSVP Now
DAAconnect Updates
The DAA is preparing a report and map for Mayor Johnston’s press conference about summer programming options in Denver. We need your help to ensure that the Youth Program Locator has accurate summer program info ASAP:
If your program is not appearing or needs updating, please update your listing inDAAconnect. You can update your Program Schedule directly from your Dashboard.
If you have already updated your summer program listing, THANK YOU--we appreciate you doing so! If you have questions or need assistance in updating your summer program, please reach out to our DAAconnect team at DAAconnect@denvergov.org.
Funding Opportunities
Denver Arts & Venues presents the DAV Arts & Culture Fund, supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). Government entities, non-profit organizations and individuals are all encouraged to apply. The DAV Arts & Culture Fund will provide up to $15,000 in funding support for new or existing programs inspired by one or more of the seven vision elements outlined in Denver’s Cultural Plan that further develop Denver’s creative landscape:
Integration – Arts, culture and creativity are fully integrated into daily life, work and play in Denver
Amplification – Arts, culture and creativity are amplified in Denver
Accessibility – Arts, culture and creativity are truly inclusive and accessible for all
Lifelong Learning – Exposure, education and participation in arts, culture and creativity span our lifetimes
Local Talent – Denver’s diverse artistic and creative professionals are locally cultivated
Economic Vitality – Denver’s economic vitality is accelerated by arts, culture and creativity
Collective Leadership – Collective and collaborative leadership is committed to high impact results across Denver
For more information and to apply, click HERE. Submission deadline is Tuesday, April 30, 2024 (11:59 p.m.)!
CEDS Finance, in partnership with the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT), is excited to announce their new Small Business grant program!
Grants of $5,000 will be awarded to underserved small businesses based on the eligibility criteria, with a priority on low-income status. Applications will then be reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis until all grant funds are disbursed. The application is open during these dates only: Wednesday, May 1st - Friday, May 5th, 2024.
Learn more about this great opportunity HERE.
A new RFP has opened up regarding Youth Violence Prevention in Rec Centers (Night Moves). Collaborators will work with Denver Parks and Recreation (DPR) to provide high quality, engaging youth services. They will work jointly with DPR to design, plan, coordinate and implement activities and events that are appealing to youth and keep them returning. DPR and collaborators will seek out youth voice from the Night Moves Youth Peer Mentors and the DPR Youth Council to ensure services are in alignment with youth needs and interests.
A pre-proposal conference will be conducted virtually on the date and time listed in the Schedule of Events, front page in Bidnet.
Question Acceptance Deadline is 05/07/2024 11:00 AM EDT
RFP Closing Date is 05/22/2024 11:00 AM EDT
For more information about this opportunity, please visit Bidnet HERE.
Colorado organizations serving newcomers from the Southern U.S. border are encouraged to apply for the Rose Community Foundation's Newcomers Fund. At this time, the Newcomers Fund steering committee is prioritizing grants to organizations that are helping migrants find temporary shelter and permanent housing or addressing other basic needs like food and health/mental health care, as well as those assisting with applications for temporary protected status and work permits. They are interested in supporting nonprofits working at a larger scale – those serving 20 or more people.
Interested nonprofits, please login or create an account to access the brief eligibility quiz.
For all open funding opportunities with Rose Community Foundation, click HERE.
The Denver Police Explorer Program is accepting applications!
The goal of the Denver Police Explorer Program is not simply to expose Explorers to what a career in law enforcement is like, but to take it one step further and help these young people who do decide to go into law enforcement to prepare for their future career. For qualifications and to apply, clickHERE.
Ángeles Sin Fronteras is a Texas based foundation that provides financial support to get to and from chemo treatments to patients in Mexico and does events to provide women going through chemotherapy treatments with wigs and makeup kits. With help and coordination from Ana Fauvet, a medical interpreter at UCHealth Anschutz, this organization is coming to Aurora on April 27th for an event entitled Nadie Lucha Sola! For more information, check out the event flyers in English and Spanish.
Anyone who is interested in coming to the event needs to register! Please register through Eventbrite, or by sending an email to ana.fauvet@uchealth.org
Upcoming Professional Learning Opportunities
Check out the full DAA Collective Spring Slate HERE!
Some details are still being finalized on the Spring Slate, so make sure you refer to the DAA Collective newsletter and/or daalearn.org for up-to-date information regarding the Professional Learning opportunities.
In the last EI Corner we invited you all to celebrate YOURSELF by identifying your strengths and celebrating them as National Afterschool Professionals Appreciation week approached. We are deep into APA week and invite you to do one thing to appreciate yourself this week. It can be something small or something big--you choose—take time for YOU. Ideas to spark your “me time”:
Watch a clip from your favorite comedian
Take a walk in your favorite place
Make yourself a cup of hot tea/coffee/cocoa and read
Do something creative…just for you! (Draw, write, make music, etc.)
Watch a show you’ve been wanting to see
Listen to new albums that have been released (I hear there are some good ones!)
