--- title: How To Create a Safe Space in Your After School Program description: Providing a safe space is critical for after school programs striving to help children thrive. image: https://www.extendednotes.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/group-kids__800x400.jpg --- # How To Create a Safe Space in Your After School Program March 10 - [Home](https://www.extendednotes.com/) - [Articles](https://www.extendednotes.com/blog) - How To Create a Safe Space in Your After School Program Share this Post [mailto:?subject=Sharing%20a%20blog%20post;body=Check%20out%20this%20ExtendED%20Notes%20blog%20post:%20https://www.extendednotes.com/blog/after-school-articles/how-to-create-a-safe-space-in-your-after-school-program](mailto:?subject=Sharing%20a%20blog%20post;body=Check%20out%20this%20ExtendED%20Notes%20blog%20post:%20https://www.extendednotes.com/blog/after-school-articles/how-to-create-a-safe-space-in-your-after-school-program) [Program Development ](https://www.extendednotes.com/blog/tag/program-development) [Social-Emotional Learning ](https://www.extendednotes.com/blog/tag/social-emotional-learning) [Bullying and Safety ](https://www.extendednotes.com/blog/tag/bullying-and-safety) ![Group-kids](https://www.extendednotes.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/group-kids__800x400.jpg) ## The Role of Safe Spaces in Education   Providing a safe space is critical for after school programs striving to help children thrive. In fact, an article by [Youth Today](http://youthtoday.org/2015/07/how-to-build-safe-spaces-define-then-deliver/) suggested that creating a safe space could foster key social and emotional learning skills.   However, there are currently no formal standards to determine whether or not a program has created a safe space for students.   To get more insight into how to define and create a safe space, researchers at the [Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality](http://www.cypq.org/) interviewed U.S. after school providers across the nation. Their findings identified three overarching characteristics of safe spaces:   - Cultivation of **ground rules** for group processes (such as listening, turn taking and decision making), sharing of emotions. - Cultivation of a culture in which people actively **care **for each other. - Promotion of **equity and inclusion**, and demonstration of support for the principles that all youth are different, equal and important. These insights can be used as guidelines to help program staff define and create a safe space after school. For more information, read the full Youth Today [article](https://tinyurl.com/prznzh9). #### Article Categories ![afterschool advocacy icon](https://www.extendednotes.com/hubfs/ExtendED%20Notes%20Blog/afterschool%20advocacy%20icon.svg) After School Advocacy ![bullying safety icon](https://www.extendednotes.com/hubfs/ExtendED%20Notes%20Blog/bullying%20safety%20icon.svg) Bullying and Safety ![leadership icon](https://www.extendednotes.com/hubfs/ExtendED%20Notes%20Blog/leadership%20icon.svg) Leadership & Professional Development ![parental engagement icon](https://www.extendednotes.com/hubfs/ExtendED%20Notes%20Blog/parental%20engagement%20icon.svg) Parental Engagement ![physical activity icon](https://www.extendednotes.com/hubfs/ExtendED%20Notes%20Blog/physical%20activity%20icon.svg) Physical Activity ![program development icon](https://www.extendednotes.com/hubfs/ExtendED%20Notes%20Blog/program%20development%20icon.svg) Program Development ![social emotional learning icon](https://www.extendednotes.com/hubfs/ExtendED%20Notes%20Blog/social%20emotional%20learning%20icon.svg) Social-Emotional Learning ![stem icon](https://www.extendednotes.com/hubfs/ExtendED%20Notes%20Blog/stem%20icon.svg) STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) ![teaching strategies icon](https://www.extendednotes.com/hubfs/ExtendED%20Notes%20Blog/teaching%20strategies%20icon.svg) Teaching Strategies ![extended notes fb page banner](https://www.extendednotes.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ExtendED%20Notes%20Blog/extended%20notes%20fb%20page%20banner.png?width=342&height=130&name=extended%20notes%20fb%20page%20banner.png) [Follow Page ](https://www.facebook.com/385747254841303?ref=embed_page) ![ExtendedNotes_Logo_Knowledge Base-01](https://www.extendednotes.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ExtendedNotes_Logo_Knowledge%20Base-01.jpg?width=300&height=300&name=ExtendedNotes_Logo_Knowledge%20Base-01.jpg) ExtendED Notes 974 followers Connect with us to get the latest Articles & Insights. ## Related Articles ![related post image](https://www.extendednotes.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/puzzle-pieces__800x400.jpg?width=352&name=puzzle-pieces__800x400.jpg) #### 4 Keys to Building Successful After School Systems With a growing number of children participating in after school programs, how can you better... [Program Development ](https://www.extendednotes.com/blog/tag/program-development) [After School Advocacy ](https://www.extendednotes.com/blog/tag/after-school-advocacy) ![related post image](https://www.extendednotes.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/principal_roles_main__800x400.jpg?width=352&name=principal_roles_main__800x400.jpg) #### Six Roles of Principals in After School Programs Effective principal involvement is crucial for after school program success. [Leadership & Professional Development ](https://www.extendednotes.com/blog/tag/leadership-professional-development) ![social contracts for social responsibility post image](https://www.extendednotes.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/shutterstock_689879734-2__800x400.jpg?width=352&name=shutterstock_689879734-2__800x400.jpg) #### Creating a Social Contract to Foster Afterschool Social Responsibility Need a way to manage your afterschool program that even your students will enjoy? Try creating a... [Social-Emotional Learning ](https://www.extendednotes.com/blog/tag/social-emotional-learning) [After School Advocacy ](https://www.extendednotes.com/blog/tag/after-school-advocacy) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "ExtendEDNotes", "url" : "https://www.extendednotes.com/blog/author/extendednotes" }, "dateModified" : "2025-04-17T15:35:47.317Z", "datePublished" : "2016-03-10T05:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "How To Create a Safe Space in Your After School Program", "image" : [ "https://www.extendednotes.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/group-kids__800x400.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.extendednotes.com/blog/after-school-articles/how-to-create-a-safe-space-in-your-after-school-program", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.extendednotes.com/hubfs/KELC/Branding/KELC%20Logos/extended%20notes%20logo%20vector.svg" }, "name" : "Kaplan Early Learning Company" } } ```