Supporting Youth With YMCA of Western NC Afterschool Programs

Supporting Youth With YMCA of Western NC Afterschool Programs

Think back on your childhood, those fond memories of running around with no care in the world, playing with your friends, dreaming up worlds you'd never seen, and making up new games on the spot. Childhood is a foundational time in anyone's life. It's about exploring the world around you and getting to know others, and yourself. It's a time to build long-lasting friendships, to nurture your curiosity, and build a deeper connection to the world around you.

But not everyone can.

Finding safe and reliable afterschool care shouldn't be difficult—but it is. With limited availability, unaffordability, and transportation challenges many parents are unable to secure this much-needed service. So, what happens? One parent bears the brunt of the problem, sometimes sacrificing their career. Or the alternatives: relying on a slightly older neighborhood child to supervise yours, an older relative taking on childcare duties, or a child coming home to an empty house. All these alternatives are far from ideal, and deprives children from the numerous benefits provided by afterschool programs.

At the YMCA of Western North Carolina, we offer a variety of different high-quality and affordable afterschool programs, so you never have to compromise. We understand that childcare is a necessity, which is why we provide parents with the highest standard of care, at a price they can afford. With a team full of skilled members, you can have the peace of mind of knowing your child is in an enriching and safe environment. Click here to learn more about the afterschool childcare services we have available.

YMCA of Western NC: Our Afterschool Programs

At the YMCA of Western NC, we offer a wide variety of afterschool programs and services for kids of all ages. From consistent childcare services for school-age children to counselor jobs for those 16 and up. With such a wide range of options, we are sure there is something for everyone. Read on to find out more about our many different afterschool programs.

Locations

Here are the areas in which we provide service:

Asheville City Schools

• ACS students are served at YMCA Youth Services at Beaverdam in North Asheville
• Claxton (school provides bus)
• Ira B. Jones (Y provides bus)
• Isaac Dickson (school provides bus)
• Lucy S. Herring
• Hall Fletcher (Y provides bus)

Buncombe County Schools

Enka District:

• Sand Hill-Venable (on site)
• Hominy Valley (on site)
• Candler (transported to Hominy Valley)
• Pisgah (on site)
• Enka Intermediate: served with Horizons Program, ages 10-14, Monday-Friday, $65 registration fee, $110 per week

Erwin:

• Eblen Intermediate (served at West Buncombe Elementary)
• Emma (transported to Johnston)
• Johnston (on site)
• Leicester (transported to West Buncombe)
• West Buncombe (on site)

North Buncombe:

• North Buncombe (on site)
• Weaverville Elementary (on site)
• Weaverville Primary (transported to Weaverville Elementary)

Roberson:

• Avery's Creek (on site)
• Estes (on site)
• Glen Arden (on site)
• Koontz: served with Horizons Program, ages 10-14, Monday-Friday, $65 registration fee, $110 per week

Reynolds:

• Bell (on site)
• Fairview (on site)
• Haw Creek (on site)
• Oakley (on site)

Owen:

• Black Mountain Primary (on site)
• WD Williams (on site)

McDowell County Schools*
(Corpening subsidy available to all McDowell County students)

• Eastfield Global Magnet School (transported to Marion)
• Glenwood Elementary
• Marion Elementary
• Nebo Elementary (transported to Marion)
• North Cove Elementary
• Old Fort
• Pleasant Gardens
• West Marion

*Some schools remain closed due to Helene and fire damage.

Program Hours

With five different afterschool programs being offered, the hours may vary depending on the individual program and location. Generally, you can expect each afterschool program to run from the time school lets out, to about 6 p.m. Here is some information on the individual programs:

Full-Time: Monday through Friday, including days off of school. The program starts when schools let out and ends at 6 p.m. When there is no school, our hours are 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. The program runs for a total of 41 weeks.

Part-Time: The part-time program allows you to pick three days of the week when you can drop off your child as needed. The hours are still the same, from when school lets out to 6 p.m. On days when there is no school our hours range from 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

Year-Round: Monday through Friday, days off of school, and even summer care. Regular hours are when school lets out to 6 p.m. Summer hours and days off are 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. This program runs for a total of 50 weeks.

Year-Round + Watia Upgrade: This program runs Monday through Friday, on days off of school, and it even includes summer care. Regular hours are when school lets out to 6 p.m. Our summer hours and days off are 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. This also includes a full week of overnight summer camp at Camp Waita and runs for a total of 51 weeks.

Afterschool Drop-In Care: Our afterschool drop-in program lets you choose the day(s) your child will be in our care. Regardless of the day, hours will be the same, from when schools let out to 6 p.m. On days when there is no school our hours are 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

You can find more information here for each individual program.

Here is what a normal day at a YMCA of Western NC afterschool program can look like for your child:

Benefits of YMCA Afterschool Programs

At the YMCA of Western North Carolina, we don't just babysit your kids. Instead, we strive to make a positive impact in their lives. We help them grow, improve their social skills through organized activities, and teach them the importance of high academic performance. We may only watch your kids for a few hours a week, but we hope to instill in them lessons they carry for life.

Improves Social Skills

Developing social and emotional maturity is an essential part of any child's life. These skills play a key role in growing quality friendships with others, better understanding their own feelings and needs, as well as helping them make smart and educated decisions on their own. While they can sometimes be understated, nurturing their social skills can help your child blossom into a successful member of society later on in their adult life.

Here at the YMCA of Western NC, we work hard to naturally develop your child's social skills through various group games and activities. The nature of our afterschool program ensures your child is constantly socializing with kids their own age and older. This consistent socialization helps them develop key social skills without them even realizing it. From activity stations to outside time in the playground, your child will be placed in various social situations, developing skills like collaboration, conflict resolution, and even their sense of empathy, all tools that will help them to succeed in any future endeavors.

In fact, research studies have long demonstrated the strong correlation between an individual's emotional intelligence and their interpersonal relationships, with an especially strong link between emotional intelligence, empathetic thinking, and social skills—all of which we work hard to nurture here at the Y.

Aids Academic Performance

Another key benefit of our afterschool programs is helping your child achieve high academic performance. While this may look different for every child and family, we want to help your child meet their own academic goals, whatever they may be. Part of our core curriculum here at the YMCA of Western North Carolina includes homework support. With qualified staff trained in nurturing the development of your child, you can trust we've built a strong support network to further your child's academic growth.

To help your child achieve their academic goals, we've built 'Homework Agreements,' with the understanding that every family has different needs and expectations. With this 'Homework Agreement,' you can help us create an individual education plan for your child to focus on while at the Y.

With rising concerns over the turnover rate of North Carolina teachers, as increasing numbers of educators leave the sector, there is an unnerving feeling that North Carolina classrooms are in crisis. A recently published report shows that North Carolina schools are experiencing growing attrition rates, with over 10,000 of North Carolina's 90,683 teachers pivoting towards other careers. With this classroom crisis, why not provide your child with some additional support outside of school?

Research on the impact of afterschool programs on children has shown that children who take part in programs similar to ours are positively impacted in their academic endeavors. Children participating in afterschool programs were found to spend more time on homework, more likely to help a friend study, and have higher college aspirations than those not participating. At the YMCA of Western North Carolina, we hope to instill healthy school habits your child can use later on down the road.

Provides Daily Physical Activity

One of our core pillars of interest is health, wellness, and fitness, which we implement on a daily basis to ensure your child gets their daily dose of physical activity. We do this through various different activities, like group games, outside play, team-building exercises, and activities.

By playing outdoors your child is laying the foundation for an active and healthy lifestyle. When engaging in play, your child is able to build strength, and endurance, as well as improve their coordination and motor skills. There are many other health benefits such as reducing health risks like cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and infectious diseases.

But the benefits aren't just physical, they're mental as well. In an age with increasing rates of anxiety and depression, it is more important than ever to spend more time outdoors, more time playing, and more importantly, more time in community with other people. Research shows a strong link between one's well-being and the outdoors, with happiness often considered to be in abundance when spending time outside. Spending time in nature can boost your child's ability to experience positive emotions and reduce their mental distress. With smartphones, tablets, and technology running rampant, why not look up at the natural world around us, and just play?

Program Features and Activities

At the YMCA of Western North Carolina's afterschool programs, we provide a varied set of activities to help develop your child's sense of curiosity, enrich their social abilities, and build a strong sense of self.

Activities for individual YMCA afterschool programs can be found here. Typical activities generally, but are not limited to the following:

• Arts and crafts
• Cooking
• Go Green activities
• Group games
• Homework assistance
• Outside play
• Sports
• Team building
• Adventure
• Anti-bullying programs
• Obesity prevention
• Group exercise

Core Curriculum

The YMCA of Western North Carolina's afterschool childcare program adheres to the YMCA of the USA School-Age Care Curriculum Framework, which was developed by Y-USA in partnership with the YMCA of Greater Providence and the National Institute of Out-of-School Time.

Below are the curriculum areas that our staff follows to plan our activities:

• Arts and humanities
• Character development
• Health, wellness, and fitness
• Homework support
• Literacy
• Science and technology
• Service learning
• Social competence and conflict resolution

Learn How to Enroll!

If you've found yourself constantly searching the internet for 'An affordable afterschool program near me,' then look no further, you're in the right place. The YMCA of Western North Carolina has multiple locations. From Asheville to McDowell, and Buncombe County, we have 25+ locations of service, and we're sure we've got one near you. Click here to learn more about our afterschool care and how you can enroll your child.

Key details to keep in mind:
We are closed the week before school starts, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, Memorial Day, and the week after school gets out.

Join our Team: Work in our Afterschool Childcare Programs

Do you have a passion for helping others? Well, why not get paid to do so? Here at the YMCA of Western North Carolina, we've built a fun and safe work environment for those looking to play a big role in shaping the future of countless children. Here, you can truly make an impact. From mentoring to helping kids grow, and learn, you can be that difference maker. For those aged 16+, we have multiple job opportunities. Click here to learn more about how you can join our team.

Choose the Y

Our programs at the YMCA of Western North Carolina strive to instill foundational skills in your child that will last long after they leave our care. From strong study habits, knowledge on healthy eating, and the ability to form strong and long-lasting friendships, the YMCA is more than just an afterschool program. It's a place where your child can grow, and more importantly, thrive.