Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
REMARKS
Council Member Stevens' concerns about stabilizing the after-school program sector
2:54:00
·
162 sec
Council Member Stevens expresses frustration with the use of the term 'universal' and emphasizes the need to focus on stabilizing the after-school program sector. She argues for building infrastructure and addressing systemic issues before claiming universality.
- Stevens calls for stabilizing the system rather than just aiming for 'universal' coverage
- She highlights issues such as underfunded programs, staff payment, and facility maintenance
- The council member stresses the importance of building infrastructure before expanding
- Commissioner Howard acknowledges the concerns and suggests alternative phrasing
Althea Stevens
2:54:00
I just want and I have to say this on record because I think that for me, even the word universal actually pisses me off because I think that we have to focus on not just saying that we're gonna get to universal, but how do we build an infrastructure so we can get there and it could be effective.
2:54:14
And so I think that people use that word in terms of like it's a sound bite and it sounds good, but it really frustrates me because for me it's like how are we stabilizing the system to get to a place where providers can actually pay their staff, where we have facilities that are up and running and that are functional, we have all these contracts where and I'm gonna get to cornerstones and beacons of we have those programs that are underfunded and that and that are not having any investment.
2:54:40
We have all these programs and so I feel like when you even look at a program like three k, part of the issue was we wanted to get the universal opposed to actually building the infrastructure out so it could be stable.
2:54:51
And so I would rather us have real conversation of like how are we stabilizing the system opposed to just saying universal.
2:54:57
And I get it, people don't understand that.
2:54:59
Universal sounds nice.
2:55:01
It sounds good when we're making a press conference.
2:55:03
But for me, I want to talk about how do we stabilize the sector and ensure that people can have quality equitable programs, not just saying we have universal because every time we say universal, it's been a mess.
2:55:17
And so I would love for us to just and that's just me, it just and this is me just going on a tangent because for me we should be stabilizing the system.
2:55:25
What does the workforce look like?
2:55:27
Every provider has talked about struggling finding staff.
2:55:30
No one's talking about investments in DOH that we're going to need to get SAC license and get these people clear.
2:55:36
Like none of that is being talked about in a real authentic way in order for us to get there.
2:55:41
And so again, we're give the points to the to the administration for investing in these programs, but we also have to talk about how do we stabilize it because we can say we're gonna get to universal and it all collapse because we haven't done the work.
Keith Howard
2:55:53
So you've been a champion with us in RHY, you've been a champion with us in SYEP, you've been a champion with us in a Compass After School Programming, champion in fatherhood initiative.
2:56:04
I 100% agree that you're gonna be a champion here.
2:56:07
Now if we wanna use another word, after school for everyone.
Althea Stevens
2:56:11
I know.
2:56:12
I wanna talk about stabilizing the sector because we are because even But
Keith Howard
2:56:15
you were pissed off at the other word.
2:56:17
I'm giving you another word
Althea Stevens
2:56:19
after school Do not start with me because that's not what I said and if that's all you heard, that's gonna make me angry because I am saying this sector needs to be stabilized and so it sounds nice to say universal but we have to talk about what does it look like to get to universal.
Keith Howard
2:56:36
We agree.
Althea Stevens
2:56:37
That's the meat and potatoes.
2:56:38
The universal is cute.
2:56:39
We're not there.
2:56:40
We're just not there.
Keith Howard
2:56:41
We agree.