Training
NJSACC offers training workshops throughout the year at locations across the state. In addition, we can also provide on-site training at your workplace.
Some of the topics we cover are:
- Hands-on Science
- Adventures in Peacemaking (conflict resolution)
- Ages and Stages (child development)
- Behavior Management
- Inclusion of Special Needs Children
- Team-building – Activities and Planning
- Trading Spaces: Indoor Room Design
- Snacks and Nutrition
- Imagine: After School Space that Works!
- That's a Family
- Let's Get Real
- Programming for Tweens or Middle School
- Humor & Health - Where Has all the Laughter Gone?
- The ABC's of Playground Safety
- Multi-Site Management
- Kids Talk
- Where Has All the Laughter Gone?
- Program Planning
- Make it, Take it Crafts
- Hurry Up & Wait!
- Fantastic Finales
- Promoting Positive Behavior
- Games ,Games , Games
- 21st Century Afterschool Science Project
- And much more...
We can also work with you to design training sessions to meet your particular needs. For information about programs and fees, contact Jessica Pluta Heiberg at 908-789-0259, or email Jessica.
Advice and Guidance
NJSACC offers free technical assistance in the form of advice guidance and mentoring to afterschool organizations throughout the state. We work with groups by phone, email and face-to face meetings.
Areas we can help you address include:
- Behavior
- Nutrition
- Budgeting
- Room design
- Staff recruitment and development
- Licensing
We can also work with you to address other issues. For more information, please contact Jessica Heiberg at 908-789-0259 or via email.
Training Topics
Adventures in Peacemaking
In this conflict resolution workshop, participants will be provided with tools and skill development that will help children to deal with conflict effectively and without violence.
Imagine: Afterschool Space that Works!
This interactive workshop will explore the components of quality indoor space design for afterschool programs. Participants will be exposed to a variety of resources and techniques. This workshop is based on the book Imagine: Afterschool Space That Works, written by Mav Pardee and published by NJSACC.
That's a Family
In this workshop, based on the groundbreaking video That's a Family, you will see the many different shapes that families take today. Designed especially for elementary-school children, the video takes you in to the lives of children in a variety of family situations, explaining concepts like birth mom, mixed race, guardian, gay and lesbian and stepdad. The film's message of inclusion and respect for all is a crucial one for children and adults to learn.
Let's Get Real
This workshop, featuring the documentary Let's Get Real, will give you information and insight into how to open up a dialogue with young people on name-calling and bullying. The film features middle-schoolers talking honestly about the bullying that goes on in their schools and draws a connection between bullying and other forms of prejudice.
Programming for Tweens or Middle School
Developing activities for Tweens - children ages 8 through 14 - is both rewarding and challenging. Important aspects of doing this successfully include hiring and training appropriate staff, planning multiple week activities with youth making presentations or final products, communicating with parents and keeping them excited about attending. This workshop will be geared to both new and existing programs.
Humor & Health – Where Has all the Laughter Gone?
Kids today are living in a world that brings trauma, crisis, and violence to their life through various modalities. But what about laughter, whimsy and just plain old fun? How do you bring this essential ingredient to life's success to the kids? Bringing laughter to you program daily can help you and the kids understand each other, build self-esteem and forge better relationships with their peers.
The ABC's of Playground Safety
Using the National Program for Playground Safety Safe Supervision Kit, you will learn how to analyze the playground for potential problems and hazards; how to recognize unsafe play; how to effectively monitor play areas; how to develop methods of communication for use in emergency situations; and how to develop an effective supervision plan to reduce injuries and promote safe play.
Multi-Site Management
Managing afterschool is a challenge, but with more than one location it gets even more complicated. Get tips and share ideas on effectively managing programs that take place in multiple locations. The workshop will cover staff supervision and program development.
Kids Talk
We hear our kids talking everyday. Are they speaking in code? Does what they say make sense to you, or does it sound like unnecessary chatter with no thought or feelings behind it? Are you up for the challenge of examining what kids need from us to successfully convey their messages without feeling judged?
Where Has All the Laughter Gone?
Kids today are living in a world filled with trauma, crisis and violence. What they need more of is laughter, whimsy and just plain fun. How do you provide children with these essential ingredients to a successful life? Bringing laughter to your program daily can help you and the kids understand each other better, build self-esteem and forge better peer relationships.
Program Planning
Quality Programs offer activities that are fun, enriching and educational. This workshop will provide strategies for staff to develop activities and programming that are enriching, educational and age appropriate. Staff will be introduced to best practices for quality in school age programs. Participants will explore implementing best practices into programming and discuss and share ideas.Ages & Stages
After school programs are not pre-school programs with bigger chairs and more food. Learn how to design a program that meets the cognitive, physical and motional needs of the children you serve.Make it, Take it Crafts
Staff leading crafts have more success leading activities and getting child participation when they have experimented with a project and have a sample to show the children. Participants will make craft projects to have samples to bring home. All projects are low cost and creatively made from items around the home, inexpensive and leftover craft items.Hurry Up & Wait!
How many times has your group rushed to get ready for their next activity only to have to sit and wait for it start? Participants will learn quick games to play with school-age children while you are waiting for the bus, filling up a few extra minutes in between activities or when you just want to have some quick fun.
Hands on Science
School Age Child care programs are a great opportunity to reinforce skills and information learned during the school day in a fun way. Participants will use common household items to explore scientific operations that are gooey, slimy and exciting for kids to experiment with, all while learning basic scientific principals that make connections to the school day.
Fantastic Finales
You've almost made it-it's the last ten minutes of the day. Everything I put away but you still have several children waiting to get picked up. What do you do? Reach for Fantastic Finales. These activities will keep your children entertained and challenged for those last few minutes with little or no supplies.
Promoting Positive Behavior
School Age Programs have a great "out of school" challenge when it comes to children's behavior. Kids want to have fun and often cross the line with negative behaviors. This workshop will explore reasons for negative behavior and discuss establishing a framework that promotes positive behavior and constructive discipline.Designing and Implementing an Inclusionary Afterschool Program.
Learn how to provide support services and collaborate with school staff, counselors and parents to develop a plan for offering an Afterschool program to children with IEP's and other disabilities.
