Understanding the Delivery of a Canadian-based After-school STEM Program

Due to the rising demands for a Canadian workforce with science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)-related education, there is a need to increase youth engagement in STEM education and programming. Research, however, has shown that youth residing in low-income communities are disproportionately affected by psychosocial barriers, which often inhibit meaningful engagement in STEM programming. Visions of Science Network for Learning (VoSNL) was designed and implemented to address these existing barriers. VoSNL is a charitable organization in Southern Ontario, Canada, that provides weekly community-based STEM programming to low-income and marginalized youth during out-of-school time. VoSNL programming is delivered directly within the community and is free-of-charge for all youth in order to minimize barriers of physical and financial accessibility. The findings in this report have helped to improve the delivery and evaluation of the VoSNL program and may act as a catalyst for program expansion to reach more youth in marginalized communities. Further, the findings can also provide a strong framework for programmers interested in implementing STEM youth programming in a community context, assist in the replication of similar models in other locations, and enhance STEM learning amongst youth.

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Categorised in: Academic Literature