Early Childhood, After School and Youth Program Administrator Competencies

The field of early childhood, after school and youth programming is increasingly dynamic and requires managers and leaders who can continually assess and grow their own knowledge, skills and dispositions to stay responsive to ever-changing needs and expectations in their position. The goal of this book is to describe the many facets of the role of the administrator and the knowledge, skills and dispositions needed to be successful managers and leaders. We recognize that wherever an administrator may begin to look at this role, there are multiple layers to every aspect, leading to a role that can be overwhelming. These 4 core areas with 14 competencies and 126 indicators provide a framework that makes the role of an administrator accessible. Therefore, we've designed a self-assessment tool managers and leaders can use to assess their own skill level from beginner to expert for the indicators listed under each of the fourteen competencies. The book includes a template for administrators to create an action plan with specific next steps outlined to increase his/her skill level. Program quality improvement begins with the administrator making a plan for self-improvement through intentional professional development opportunities.