Project Access Helps Create Innovative Quality Standards in Youth Education Programs

ORANGE, Calif. - July 10, 2017 - PRLog -- Project Access today announced its role in developing the groundbreaking Quality Standards for Expanded Learning in Public and Affordable Housing. These standards are a new innovation in the field of service-enriched affordable housing, and were developed as part of a cutting-edge collaboration between the Partnership for Children and Youth's HouseED network, and Project Access, and the standards are endorsed by the National Afterschool Association, the California Department of Education, the Center for Youth Program Quality, the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, and the Housing Development Consortium.

"Project Access is proud to have played a role in developing these innovative quality standards for expanded learning and youth education programs in public and affordable housing," said Teresa Ichsan, Vice President of Resident Services at Project Access. "The development of these quality standards represents a tremendous milestone for the place-based, service-enriched housing model that Project Access has implemented for more than 18 years."

The groundbreaking Quality Standards for Expanded Learning in Public and Affordable Housing offer guidance to expanded learning programs in housing communities, building on the Quality Standards for Expanded Learning in California established by the California Department of Education and reflecting the unique needs of housing communities.

Housing communities have an important role to play in closing the opportunity gap through the ability to bring quality learning opportunities to children where they live. Endorsed by leaders in both the expanded learning and housing fields, these Quality Standards are a huge step in this direction, providing expanded learning programs with common language and practices to enhance their programs and make a difference for the youth they serve. Developers and leadership committee members for these quality standards include representatives from Project Access, Partnership for Children and Youth, the California Department of Education, Hysten Consulting, Eden Housing, MidPen Housing, Mercy Housing, Pacific Housing, East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation, and the Village Community Resource Center.

Project Access is an innovative leader in the emerging adoption of quality standards for after-school programming in affordable housing communities, and took a leadership role in developing the standards in 2015.  Project Access was recognized at the HousED Annual Stakeholder's Gathering on May 19, 2017 as a key partner in the creation of the Quality Standards for Expanded Learning in Public and Affordable Housing.

The housing and education partnership model is an exceptional method of service delivery for addressing the academic achievement gap experienced by children in poverty. The model is partnership-driven, and enriches affordable housing communities with high-quality after-school and youth education programming in order to break down barriers to receiving services. After-school programs serve as an extension of the classroom and are a critical platform for bridging the achievement gap between low-income youth and their more affluent peers. Additionally, the unique service model uses an evidence-based system called the Youth Program Quality Intervention (YPQI), which is a continuous improvement approach to providing youth services. Ultimately, the program model and the Quality Standards leverage affordable housing communities to support equitable educational opportunity for all children.

For more information on Project Access, visit www.project-access.org. To download a copy of the Quality Standards for Expanded Learning in Public and Affordable Housing, visit http://partnerforchildren.org/housed-quality-standards/.

About Project Access

Project Access is a 501(c)(3)nonprofit organization with headquarters in Orange, California and Oakland, California. The mission of Project Access is to be the leading provider of vital on-site health, education, and employment services to low-income families, children, and seniors. Founded in 1999, Project Access is committed to giving low-income families the tools they need to break the cycle of poverty by becoming healthier, further educated, and financially stable. Project Access currently operates more than 60 Family and Senior Resource Centers throughout California, Colorado, Texas, Georgia, and Arizona. Our resource centers serve as "one-stop-shop" community hubs that provide low-income families with the resources needed to achieve financial self-sufficiency. This unique model of service delivery allows Project Access to directly impact the lives of hard to reach pockets of underserved, impoverished families in their own backyards. In 2016, Project Access' programs served 14,000 people.