Indiana Afterschool Network
Share
We see Indiana as a place where ALL K-12 youth have access to high quality learning experiences beyond the school day that prepare them for success.
Focus Areas:
- Build a case for Out-Of-School Time Programs to help funders and individuals understand the importance of their support.
- Provide increased program access for students. Help communities identify new opportunities, coordinate resources and expand programs.
- Create alignment and relationships between education and workforce to increase student success. OUR GOALS
- Create stronger teams and higher quality programs by establishing standards, best practices, and evaluative tools that help measure success.
- Build a case for the importance of out-of-school time as integral to student growth and development. By doing this, we help foundations, organizations, and individuals understand the value of investing money, time, and resources in out-of-school time.
- Provide increased access to students by enlarging existing programs, developing new opportunities, and bringing more awareness to all programs.
- Nurture the alignment of education and workforce by improving communication and helping students understand their communities and the roles they play within them. HISTORY
IAN began in 2001 as a grassroots effort of school districts and afterschool providers, supported by the Indiana Department of Education. By 2007, IAN had engaged diverse leaders to obtain funding from national and local foundations, corporate sponsors, and several Indiana city/county government entities. We now have thousands of partners across the fields of education, youth development, business, government, faith-based and community organizations in Indiana and nationally. Among those we enjoy the generous support of the C.S. Mott Foundation, the Lilly Endowment, the Lumina Foundation, and many corporate supporters. IAN works closely with the Afterschool Alliance and the National Afterschool Association.
10/09/2026
Literacy is more than an academic benchmark – it’s the foundation for lifelong opportunity.
IAN’s Literacy Standards help out-of-school time professionals incorporate high-quality literacy practices into everyday programming. With guiding principles and practical examples, this free resource makes it easier to support literacy in any OST setting.
Together, we can help young people become confident, capable readers. 📚
🔗 Learn more & access the Literacy Standards: indianaafterschool.org/indiana-afterschool-standards/
10/06/2026
Throughout Q3, our Link IN Learn series dove into the topic of behavioral management – bringing Indiana’s out-of-school time professionals together to share what they’re seeing, work through challenges, and learn from each other. 💬
At our Link IN Learn in Bloomington, local behavioral health experts and program providers sat down together to talk about what they're facing and what's working. Liz Sukys facilitated the discussion, which was honest, practical, and full of ideas people could take back to their programs the next day.
Sandy Washburn led a presentation on Defusing Statements, showing how small changes in what we say can change how a moment plays out.
Thank you to Liz and Sandy for leading the way!
This is what Link IN Learns are for: a platform to share experiences and strengthen the collective wisdom of the OST field. We do this work best when we do it together. 💛
🔗 Registration is now open for Q4, and we’re excited to continue bringing these conversations across the state. Find an upcoming meeting near you and register on our website: indianaafterschool.org/regional-networking/
Thank you to everyone who joined the conversation in Bloomington!
Indiana University
Boys & Girls Clubs of Bloomington
Bloomington AfterSchool Network
IUB Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences
School Care Team
Ireland Home Based Services
Building a Thriving Compassionate Community
Youth Services Bureau of Monroe County
Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning
10/02/2026
How can literacy strengthen STEM learning?
For Nakeisha Washington, Founder and CEO of Nyla Nova STEM, the Indiana OST Literacy Credential helped her intentionally connect literacy to STEM education for youth.
“This experience strengthened my ability to intentionally connect reading, writing, vocabulary, speaking, listening and math literacy to engaging STEM learning.”
At Nyla Nova STEMversity, Nakeisha brings that approach to her team and the young people she serves – connecting literacy skills with opportunities to explore, create and solve problems.
Nakeisha said it best: “Learning never stops when you are committed to making a greater impact.”
👉 Learn more and explore the Indiana OST Literacy Credential: https://www.indianaafterschool.org/literacy-playbook-credentials/
10/02/2026
Looking for practical ways to create a more supportive workplace for youth-serving professionals?
The next Youth Worker Well-Being webinar will explore strategies for supporting part-time and non-traditional staff, including how to identify gaps in benefits access and design practical supports that meet the needs of a varied workforce.
Designing Support for Part-Time & Non-Traditional Staff
🗓 Thursday, October 8
⏰ 12 – 1 PM ET
💻 Virtual via Zoom
Learn more and register: https://iyi.org/youth-worker-well-being-project/events/
10/01/2026
IAN was proud to bring the out-of-school time perspective to the Indiana Chamber of Commerce's 2026 Childcare Summit, where state leaders, employers, providers, and community partners came together to discuss the future of childcare and Indiana’s workforce.
IAN Senior VP of Engagement Brent Wake moderated a panel on how quality before and afterschool programming supports student success and helps parents remain active in the workforce. The session featured leaders from Indiana's OST field, including Justin Armstrong of AYS, Inc., Anthony Williams of the YMCA of Muncie, and Lana Taylor of the Indiana Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs.
School-age care is an important part of the broader childcare conversation, and the OST voice needs to be at the table as Indiana considers solutions for children, families, and the workforce.
🔗 Read the Indiana Chamber’s full article on the 2026 Childcare Summit: https://www.indianachamber.com/indiana-chamber-childcare-summit-sparks-discussion-action/
The updated Indiana Afterschool Quality Standards are here!
IAN has released the 2026 Indiana Afterschool Quality Standards, offering OST programs a clearer, more practical framework for strengthening program quality and supporting continuous improvement.
The new standards are organized into eight domains, separating Program Practice from the Program Systems that help sustain quality. They also introduce Emerging, Building, and Innovating maturity levels, making it easier for programs to identify where they are now and what growth can look like over time.
👉 Explore the updated standards: https://www.indianaafterschool.org/indiana-afterschool-standards/
09/25/2026
As of 2026, over 9,000 Indiana third graders have not yet mastered reading at grade level.
MyLocker provides the tools to help out-of-school time professionals change this outcome. Unlock guides, toolkits, and sample activities to make impactful adjustments in your program’s everyday activities. 📚
🔗 To access these resources, create your MyIAN account at myian.indianaafterschool.org
Source: 2026 IREAD Statewide Summary Results from Indiana Department of Education
You spoke, we listened. The new MyIAN is officially live! 🎉
Shaped by feedback from Indiana’s out-of-school time field, MyIAN brings IAN’s primary quality tools together in one streamlined place to help providers reflect, learn, and strengthen their programs.
Log into the platform to explore:
• INQPSA: Strengths-based self-assessment grounded in the Indiana Afterschool Standards
• Indiana Out-of-School Academy: 500+ online professional learning modules
• MyLocker: Lesson plans, engagement ideas, team tools and more
Want a closer look? Join us next Tuesday, September 29 for a virtual walkthrough of the new platform and updated quality tools.
MyIAN Walkthrough Webinar:
🗓 Tuesday, September 29
⏰ 1–2 PM ET
🔗 Register: https://ow.ly/BQsI50ZQAzV
👉 Start exploring the new MyIAN today: myian.indianaafterschool.org
09/17/2026
Whether your youth-serving program is urban or rural, big or small, challenging behaviors take a toll on staff, programming, and the students.
Our latest Link IN Learn continued the conversation on behavior management – a common challenge in the out-of-school time community. IAN brought together OST providers, mental health experts, and community leaders to discuss what behaviors they are encountering in these programs.
Liz Sukys facilitated the conversation, where attendees shared their experiences, produced tools, and leveraged the experts on how to approach these situations: elopement, apathy, neurodivergence, and more.
🎤 Special thanks to Rebekah Enzler, School Care Team, for her presentation on “Kimochis" and to the Tolson Center of Community Excellence for hosting us in their beautiful community room. And thank you to Partnership for Children, and Emilly Herriott, for collaborating with us to bring everyone together.
We are grateful to have so many experts in the OST field and create space for collective wisdom. IAN is here to listen. 🤝
Tolson Center ∙ Centro Tolson
Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning (OECOSL)
School Care Team
The Source Elkhart County
Kosciusko Community YMCA
South Bend Code School
Oaklawn
Boys & Girls Clubs of Elkhart County
La Casa de Amistad
Indiana Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs
Elkhart Community Schools
Partnership for Children
🔗 Join the next conversation:
https://www.indianaafterschool.org/regional-networking/
09/16/2026
📣 Reminder: Youth Worker Well-Being Project grant applications are due next Friday, September 25 at 5 PM ET!
Eligible Indiana youth-serving organizations can apply for up to $20,000 to invest in workplace well-being.
Funding initiatives include:
• Building Culture & Community (up to $20,000)
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (up to $20,000)
• Trauma-Informed Workplaces (up to $10,000)
🔗 Learn more and apply: iyi.org/youth-worker-well-being-project/grant-opportunities/
Want to build a healthier workplace for your youth workers? Applications for the Youth Worker Well-Being Project grants are now open through September 25 at 5 PM ET!
Funding up to $20K is available. Learn more and apply at https://iyi.org/youth-worker-well-being-project/grant-opportunities/
Click here to claim your Sponsored Listing.
Category
Contact the organization
Telephone
Address
PO Box 90122
Indianapolis, IN
46290
Alerts
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Indiana Afterschool Network posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.