XVI Congreso Internacional de Ciencias Sociales Interdisciplinares

Abstract

After-school programs have been identified as important sites for addressing school’s inability to meet the mental health and academic needs of Black students (Hope, Skoog, & Jagers, 2015). Unfortunately, participation rates among adolescents tend to be significantly low, despite research showing it is positively correlated with school engagement (Litke, 2009; Terzian et al., 2009), positive self-esteem (Shernoff, & Vandell, 2007), decreased risk-taking (Murray; Milner, 2015), and positive mental health outcomes (Vandell,Reisner, & Pierce, 2007). It is particularly concerning that no studies to date have explored the experiences of Black adolescent girls living in resource-limited communities attending non-health or education specific after-school programs. (Murray & Milner, 2015). Focus groups were conducted with thirteen adolescent girls aged 11 to 15, attending a community based after-school program in a low resource community. The goal was to examine their perceptions of a broadly focused afterschool program and identify their desired program outcomes. Reasons given for attendance were mixed, including, primary caregiver pressures, and choosing to be there. However, overall these girls reported that participating in the program was beneficial. Key areas that emerged as most important to these girls were educational supports and engagement in activities, and mental health programs. These findings have important implications for developing effective afterschool programming addressing the multilayered gaps in resources available to adolescents in low resource communities. Specifically, understanding Black adolescent women’s beliefs about afterschool programs will increase programs ability to recruit and retain participants that need and most benefit from their services.