The Afterschool Imperative: Igniting Safety and Securing 22.6 Million Futures
We know this universal truth: children do their best learning when they feel safe and secure in their environment. For every parent, caregiver, and community member, there is truly nothing more important than a child’s safety and well-being.
YACS Burmaster Middle School Afterschool program took their Lego Robotics Competition on an epic field trip to the University of New Orleans (UNO). with Dr. Ryan Gray, for a hands-on learning experience that sparked their future research.
At Young Audiences of Louisiana (YALA), our afterschool arts and learning programs are much more than just fun enrichment. They’re a real-deal safety solution and a foundation for lifelong learning. Our commitment to high-quality, supervised afterschool programming is a crucial measure of community protection.
Our ultimate mission? To guarantee that the children in our communities are safe, supervised, and supported. We treat our afterschool sessions as an essential shield of protection—our way of taking a proactive bite out of child vulnerability. Currently, YALA proudly serves six schools with these vital programs.
The Unmet Need: Why 22.6 Million Kids Are Missing Out
The urgency of this work is underscored by the latest national research. Since 2004, the America After 3PM study has provided an essential view into how children spend the hours between 3 and 6 p.m.—a time we call the Critical Unsupervised Gap.
Students from YACS Kate Middleton afterschool program win the NBA Math Hoops Tournament in 2024.
The 2025 results, released in the report "Lost Opportunity: Afterschool in Demand, But Out of Reach for Many," make one thing brutally clear: the demand for afterschool programs is enormous, and much of that demand remains painfully unmet.
The Crisis: Of the nearly 30 million youth whose parents want afterschool programs, more than 3 in 4 are missing out. That’s an astonishing 22.6 million children whose parents would enroll them if a program were available.
The Barrier: Affordability is the single greatest barrier to entry. Low- and middle-income families face the most significant struggle to access these programs, with the highest-income families spending approximately nine times more on out-of-school time activities than the lowest.
“A massive 89% of parents support public funding for afterschool programs across political affiliations”
This is a stark reminder that the programs that provide the most peace of mind and protection are often out of reach for the children who need them most.
Afterschool: The Solution Supported by Everyone
The good news is that parents overwhelmingly recognize the benefits of afterschool programming, and they are demanding action.
Overwhelming Satisfaction: Parent satisfaction with afterschool programs has reached its highest level ever at 95%. Parents consistently cite broad benefits for their children, including increased safety, skill development, and improved school engagement. Furthermore, four out of five parents say having afterschool programs helps them keep their jobs—a direct boost to economic stability.
Bipartisan Support: A massive 89% of parents support public funding for afterschool programs, with support high across all political affiliations.
The data confirms the link: Where constructive supervision exists during that critical unsupervised gap, children are safer. This is the most powerful preventative measure we have.
Our Comprehensive Safety Net
YALA's afterschool model is built to directly address the needs highlighted in the America After 3PM report, providing a comprehensive safety net through multiple layers of protection:
A Consistent Safe Space: Supervision = Protection. We offer a reliable, secure location every weekday. Kids thrive in these supervised situations, benefiting from the consistent, watchful eyes of our amazing, trained staff.
Mentors Who Care (A Lot!): Emotional Security. We provide a predictable, caring environment that reduces stress and fosters the stability children need to blossom. Our staff and artists serve as protective mentors, building essential trust and a true "circle of safety." Through this, children gain confidence and critical thinking skills—the life skills needed to make choices that protect them.
Students at YACS Lawrence D. Crocker Elementary School study the work of Alvin Ailey.
Positive Power = Zero Free Time for Trouble: Positive Alternatives. We fill that crucial window with exciting arts, music, and learning. When a child is happily busy exploring their creativity, moving, and learning to cooperate, they are simply unavailable to be exposed to harmful situations. This is positive engagement at its best!
Join the Lights On Afterschool Celebration
When we focus on the protection of our children, we make our entire community stronger. Supporting afterschool isn't just an optional amenity; it’s one of the smartest, most effective safety and workforce investments we can make.
This week, we are joining over a million people in 8,000 communities for the nationwide Lights On Afterschool celebration! It's a chance to shine a light on the incredible work being done and to advocate for the funding that 89% of parents want.
We’re proud to be part of the solution where the child's safety is the priority. By giving them a secure space to grow, we are sculpting futures that are not just creative, but wonderfully secure.