Georgia's Government-funded Afterschool and Summer Learning Programs

Afterschool and summer learning programs can close educational and opportunity gaps, support the positive development of the whole child, and can be a key strategy to improving child wellbeing. These programs can keep youth safe, healthy, and provide opportunities for them to develop new skills. The stimulating environments afterschool and summer learning programs provide are filled with positive and supportive relationships, which foster connection and support adolescent brain development and learning. Unfortunately, The America After 3pm survey shows that in Georgia, for every child in an afterschool program, two more are waiting to get in, with 238,265 children alone and unsupervised after school. The Georgia Statewide Afterschool Network (GSAN) partnered with Neighborhood Nexus to create an interactive map that paints a picture of how access to government-funded afterschool and summer learning programs intersect with other indicators of child well-being in Georgia. This map can be used by policymakers, stakeholders, and state and local leaders to visualize where the need for programming is greatest and allow for targeted action that will allow children to thrive. Providers and advocates can use the map to identify gaps in programming and raise awareness for the impact of and need for additional programming.