Our Mission

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The mission of Cambridge Agenda for Children Out-of-School Time (OST) is to convene, catalyze and support the youth serving community in Cambridge for the shared purpose of increasing equity, access and innovation and sustaining the highest quality OST opportunities and experiences for all children, youth and families.

Beliefs

1.    All young people have the desire and capacity to succeed and contribute to their communities if provided with access to appropriate resources and supports.

2.    Young people and families are better served when the systems and institutions that support them are aligned and connected.

3.    For all young people to succeed, barriers to equity and access need to be directly addressed.

4.    Opportunities and experiences for youth are enhanced when people across different levels of power and perspectives learn together, design together, and build mutually beneficial partnerships.

5.    All people have the capacity for change and growth. When adults who work with youth are provided with opportunities for continuous learning, clear expectations and accountability, there is a positive impact on opportunities and experiences for youth.

6.    Cultural competence and respect for diversity are essential to our work and success.

7.    Our work is guided by data, research and best practices, all of which are necessary to raise awareness about how success is possible for all young people and to advance the growth of the OST field.

8.    Lasting change requires attention to systems while grounding our work in the developmental needs and experiences of youth and children.