Fellowship
The 2019-2020 Cohort kicked off its Fellowship with a retreat on the Wellesley College campus in September 2019.
The National Afterschool Matters Fellowship
The National Afterschool Matters Fellowship is a one-year professional development and leadership training program is hosted by the National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST) at the Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College. The NASM Fellowship is for mid-career out-of-school time (OST), education, or youth development professionals who demonstrate a commitment to continuation of their careers in these fields. NASM fellows are selected by application, and over a year-long process engage in reflection, inquiry and writing activities that position them to inform and contribute to the quality of OST programs, practices, and critical issues in the field.
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What Does It Offer?
- A collaborative process of study, conversation, and engagement within a community of OST professionals in a shared investigation of OST practice, policy, and experiences;
- Direct, hands-on inquiry-based research, learning, and writing, under the guidance of experienced mentors;
- Leadership development, designing and delivering training/presentations for peers, administrators, parents, and community members;
- Product preparation and writing for dissemination, such as briefing papers, workshops, curricula, and articles for professional publication;
- A fall retreat at Wellesley College, led by NIOST (travel stipend provided);
- A participation stipend upon successful completion.
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Who Is It for?
The NASM Fellowship is for mid-career OST, education, or youth development professionals who demonstrate a commitment to the field. NASM fellows are selected by application, and over a year-long process engage in reflection, inquiry and writing activities that position them to inform and contribute to the quality of OST programs, practice, and the broader field.
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What Is the Philosophy Behind It?
The NASM Fellowship is informed by the theoretical and philosophical foundation of teacher inquiry, a 40-year movement that profiles teacher knowledge and emphasizes the importance of teachers in improving practice. Research engages professionals in identifying questions and problems in their own work experiences, and then provides the structure for them to examine these problems systematically and reflectively. NASM Fellows are viewed as the agents of through their fellowship experiences. The fellowship model provides frequent, ongoing opportunities for practitioners to reflect on practice, engage in inquiry projects based on their own questions and concerns, and share about their work. Those who are well informed and effective in their practice can be successful teachers of other practitioners as well as partners in development and implementation of such practice. The NASM Fellowship engages professionals in the OST and youth development fields in a process of leadership development where they learn to reflect on, study, improve, and assess their work with a view toward improving its quality and impact. All fellows work towards the production of products, e.g. essays, published papers, conference presentations, presentation webinars, that contribute meaningful knowledge and innovation to the OST field and their own organizations.
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How Did It Start?
The Afterschool Matters Fellowship began over two decades ago in New York City funded by the Robert Bowne Foundation. From 2008 to 2014 Fellowship cohorts were offered in seven other cities around the country. In 2015 NIOST in partnership with the National Writing Project launched a national virtual model for the Fellowship inviting professionals from around the country to engage, reflect, and share best practice and knowledge building with each other.
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Applications
Applications are not being accepted at this time.
If you would like to be on our Fellowship mailing list, please use the Contact Us link below.
