YMCA Boosts Summer Program Quality with Self-Paced Staff Training

The Challenge

Partnering with local school districts and leveraging Arly, the YMCA of Central Virginia has expanded to serve more students each year. As they grew, adapting staff training became vital. Facing limited in-person training capacity, they needed a comprehensive, self-paced training solution to effectively prepare staff for their various roles. The goal was to maintain the high standards of their program, which combines academic instruction with fun, hands-on enrichment activities, aimed at closing the achievement gap for students below grade level.

The Solution

Determined to optimize the limited in-person training and ensure staff readiness for success, Kelly Knapp meticulously planned staff training using Arly’s resources. Arly made it easy for Kelly to curate a comprehensive, self-guided plan tailored to each role, including site administrators, instructional coaches, licensed teachers, instructional assistants, and enrichment staff.

As staff juggle end-of-school-year obligations and prepping for summer programs, self-paced training has emerged as a lifeline. Equipped with Arly’s functionality and curriculum, staff hone their skills, ensuring readiness to deliver high-quality,
impactful programs.

Key Benefits

• Forge a tailored staff training program adaptable to program-specific requirements.
• Develop role-specific training checklists for streamlined and specialized instruction.
• Give staff the ability to prep on their own time preparing ahead for in-person programming.
• Track completion of self-guided professional learning courses to ensure staff is fully equipped and paid for training.
• Ensure comprehensive technology training so goals like attendance rates and academic gains can be easily tracked and reported.
• Streamline academic and enrichment curriculum implementation by utilizing Arly's pacing guides, resources, and sample schedules.

The Results

Leveraging Arly’s resources, the YMCA of Central Virginia successfully prepared staff to deliver high-quality programs, resulting in significant academic gains for students. In their short 4-week program, students achieved a 3+ month gain in literacy and math!