Harrisburg, Pa. (October 24, 2019) – The Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network (PSAYDN) today announced newly established youth innovation and entrepreneurial hubs, known as Pennsylvania YouthHubs, across the state. The announcement was made during Lights On Afterschool Day, which celebrates the extraordinary work being done by students who attend afterschool programs.
The first of their kind in the state, YouthHubs build a broad-based, coordinated system of entrepreneurial programming for and by youth and serve as a fusion of strategies within workforce development; the arts, culture and design; and community revitalization. Led by the informal learning community and youth, the YouthHubs create a motivational environment where educators, students, and community partners can nurture entrepreneurial creativity while learning from each other, making connections, developing new skills and being inspired to reach their full potential. The project is made possible through generous funding by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.
“PSAYDN is thrilled to announce the development of Pennsylvania YouthHubs. The three awarded Hubs – Sunrise of Philadelphia, Inc., Youthplaces, Inc. and the Central PA Institute for Science and Technology – will lead the state in providing the infrastructure to support increased awareness of youth entrepreneurship and career pathway opportunities, along with increased accessibility and equity opportunities for children, youth and families,” said PSAYDN Director Laura Saccente.
As part of PSAYDN’s efforts to prepare students for their next step, each YouthHub will be utilizing the Tallo platform to connect participants with opportunities around the state and country. Students showcase talents and skills on their free Tallo profile so that colleges, companies and scholarship providers can identify and connect with them on the app. Tallo and PSAYDN are working together to tailor the Tallo user experience to the exact needs of the YouthHub students so that they get the best possible results from the platform.
Two of the YouthHubs will host ribbon-cutting events during Lights On celebrations today. The Lights On events highlight three of the significant contributions that afterschool programs make to Pennsylvania communities: keeping kids safe and healthy, inspiring them to learn, and relieving working parents of worries about their children’s activities during the afternoon hours. The day also signifies a call to work with policymakers to ensure more programs and funding for afterschool are available.
“Today is a powerful reminder that afterschool programs offer a range of opportunities and supports to schools, children and families,” Saccente added. “Learning does not end at 3 p.m.; but unfortunately, Pennsylvania does not have enough afterschool programs. Let’s change that.”
About PSAYDN
PSAYDN promotes sustainable, high-quality out-of-school time youth development programs through advocacy and capacity building to enhance the welfare of Pennsylvania’s children, youth and families. PSAYDN is an initiative of Center for Schools and Communities. Learn more at www.psaydn.org.
About Tallo
Tallo is an online platform that connects talent with opportunities. The Tallo app assists students in designing a career pathway, educators in recruiting top talent to their schools, and employers in developing a stable, continuous talent pipeline. Students (age 13+) and professionals showcase their skills and abilities in their online profile, connect directly with companies and colleges looking for the next generation of talent, and match with over $20 billion in scholarships.
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