Benefits of after school programs

After school programs benefits communities, youth and families. They boost academic performance and reduce risky behaviors while improving physical health. These programs turn the aimless hours after school into productive learning time.

After school programs create a safe, structured and supervised environment for kids and at-risk youth to nurture their talents and skills.

Here are some after school program benefits.

1. Helps working families

Many parents worry about what their children do when they are away at work. It can be difficult to continually monitor your child and keep up with your career, especially when schools are closed.

Enrolling your child in an after school program provides them with a haven for learning. You can now fully concentrate on your work, knowing your child is in a productive environment. This puts your mind at ease because it's a safe place for your child to go after school. 

2. Academic support

If your child has learning and attention issues, helping them do their homework can be challenging. Getting their homework done in the after school program makes everyone's job easier.

Many after school programs provide structured homework assistance to kids. Usually, there is a dedicated time in the schedule just for homework. This is an opportunity for your child to get help with whatever subject or subjects they are struggling with. However, make sure that the aides are not doing the homework for your kid.

3. Provide supervision

Many at-risk teens fall into drugs and crime because of idleness and lack of supervision. After school programs benefits at-risk youth by providing many fun activities that keep kids busy, eliminating engagement in risky behavior.

The teachers also offer supervision, preventing any naughty behavior. This increases the chance of your child having better grades and fewer behavioral problems.

4. Improve social skills

A good after school program encourages children to mingle, cooperate and support one another. This helps kids feel more confident to join a sport or speak up in class.

At DREAM we offer mentoring programs that benefit your child. We offer team mentoring, which is putting one or a few mentors in charge of a group of youth during an activity. It may be for sports, skills-training, outdoor adventure or any other group activity! Consistency is key, so it’s important for the group to have the same mentors and meet on a regular basis. 

DREAM helps support youth and their families in the community through after school programs, mentoring and athletics. Our Omaha after school programs provides life-changing opportunities for at-risk youth. We understand the risk youth are taking by spending their time in the streets. They can get involved with the wrong crowd or even experiment with drugs. This also affects their behaviors and how they plan to spend their future. That’s why DREAM works hard to provide a safe, fun and nurturing environment for at-risk youth! 

We give youth a safe and comfortable place to become empowered and grow into successful individuals. Help make a difference in your child by enrolling in our programs. Contact us today for more information about our after school programs.