Although the pandemic has separated us in physical proximity, it’s brought us closer together in our mission and vision of continuing to work together while looking at things in new ways. The pandemic pressed us to be even more creative, even more adaptable, and evermore present with our kids and our colleagues as we confronted new and intense challenges.
We are thrilled to unveil a pioneering alliance between Play At The Core (PATC) and the Social Justice Network (SJN). This partnership comes at a pivotal moment, as SJN is gaining widespread recognition for its innovative advocacy and programming in support of formerly incarcerated individuals.
Image generated with DALL•E This fall, Play At The Core’s CEO and Founder, Jared Carroll, is expanding his teaching role at NYU’s Silver School of Social Work. He’s set to instruct the course, “Exercising Leadership in the Nonprofit and Public Sectors.” But this isn’t just another course; it’s a laboratory of pedagogical innovation. Unique Opportunity for Innovation with an Incredible Team! The curriculum is crafted to explore the nuances of leadership, particularly within the nonprofit and public service realms. Students will gain an in-depth understanding of the current challenges and prospects leaders encounter, arming them with effective change management strategies....
We are thrilled to share some exciting news with you! Our CEO and Founder, Jared Carroll, has taken on a new role as a Senior Consultant at Community Resource Exchange (CRE).
Play At The Core (PATC) has been collaborating with NYU’s Adaptive Leadership in Human Services Institute for the past three years, designing and facilitating one of the institute's signature programs, The Adaptive Leadership Laboratory (the Lab). The Lab brings together a cohort of human service professionals over a period of nine months, providing them with a platform to sharpen their leadership skills while tackling a shared social justice challenge and promoting human services leadership.
Building on five years of partnership, Play At The Core and Doc Wayne Youth Services are excited to be teaming up again in 2023! During the height of the pandemic, Doc Wayne launched The Champions Network -- a training portal created for clinicians and youth development professionals to harness the power of sport to improve mental health for all.
We are thrilled to announce that Play At The Core's Founder and CEO, Jared Carroll, has been invited to join Teachstone's CLASS Advisory Council. Teachstone, a renowned organization dedicated to enhancing the educational experiences of children through the use of the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS), partners with various education systems to provide evidence-based approaches to improve teaching practices.
Virtual Programming Efficacy In our January Newsletter, we called on past partners, team members, and community members to share their feedback on how Play At The Core’s work has changed over the last two years. The responses shined a light on how we worked with our partners in developing programming, the quality of our delivery using virtual platforms, and the ultimate impact of our efforts. We want to thank everyone who shared their insights with us, as we continue to adapt our work to better meet the challenges of this moment. Partnership Development with Play At The Core Partners told...
To partner with organizations as they become the authors of a new healing-centered paradigm for their work, we're thrilled to announce the CORE Institute.
Video and Image by Keira Burton from Pexels This coming spring semester, Play At The Core’s very own Jared Carroll has accepted a role as an adjunct lecturer at NYU’s Silver School of Social Work. Jared will teach the master-level course Management and Organizational Practice for 21st Century Social Work at the Washington Square Campus beginning in late January 2022. Among the goals of the course, students will: Become familiar with the basics of management and organizational practice in social services; Explore the important role of social work, and clinical practice skills in particular, in an organizational context; Critically examine, and begin...
To Our Play At The Core Community: Play At The Core’s mission: To inspire healing and change through play has continued to take on new meaning as the challenges our community confronts evolve. In recent months, I have shared that the Play At The Core team is engaging in an ongoing discussion about our role in promoting greater equity in youth development programming. These conversations are helping us to better define the ultimate goals of our work, and posing some important questions: What does it mean to thrive for a child in a youth program setting? In what ways are...
New York, New York: Play At The Core has been selected to lead a workshop at the 2021 Annual PASE Conference on July 29, 2021. The team proposed a workshop focused on the potential impact of applying best practices in youth development programs to the organizational systems and work environments of youth-serving professionals. Workshop participants will reflect on what makes their youth program uniquely powerful in its engagement with youth, explore the value of expanding those strengths to organization’s internal professional.environments, and experience a dynamic meaning-making exercise to uncover opportunities for professional growth. In short, the workshop will lead attendees...
As we mark the one year anniversary of the murder of George Floyd and I reflect on Play At The Core’s work, I feel grateful for the change efforts we have been able to make and also more motivated than ever to promote healing and equity in the field of child and youth development.
Our wonderful social work intern from NYU, Olivia Saleh, wrote the following final reflection about her experience and journey with Play At The Core. It was an honor and a joy to have her be a part of our team and we cannot wait to see her carve out her social work path and continue to work in partnership with communities.
Over the coming months, we’re updating our web presence to include more resources and ways to interact. Thanks for your patience!
Play At The Core (PATC) has been collaborating with NYU’s Adaptive Leadership in Human Services Institute for the past three years, designing and facilitating one of the institute's signature programs, The Adaptive Leadership Laboratory (the Lab). The Lab brings together a cohort of human service professionals over a period of nine months, providing them with a platform to sharpen their leadership skills while tackling a shared social justice challenge and promoting human services leadership.
To partner with organizations as they become the authors of a new healing-centered paradigm for their work, we're thrilled to announce the CORE Institute.
Dear Community Members, Oluwatoyin Salau. Ronald Peters. Angie Zapata. Latisha King. Sakia Gunn. Nireah Johnson. Matthew Shepard. And so many more. For too long we’ve lived within a system that perpetuates institutional and direct violence against LGBTQ+ people. Across the country, people of conscience are saying “Enough is Enough” in our grief and in our rage. While the recent Supreme Court’s landmark LGBTQ+ ruling is a significant and momentous victory, Play At The Core recognizes there is much more work to be done. As NYC Pride turns 50 this year, we at Play At The Core join millions of Americans...
Dear Play At The Core Community Members, Play At The Core stands in solidarity with Black people as they grieve and express outrage at the killing of George Floyd, and the unending violence born out of systemic racism against communities of color in our country. As the leader of this organization, and particularly as a white man, I have a responsibility beyond simply stating this fact. I have a responsibility to listen, to learn, and to act. Play At The Core’s mission to “help youth thrive by inspiring change through play” is rooted in the practice of social work. My...
Over the past few months, educators, caregivers, and youth development practitioners have moved mountains to transition programming to remote platforms. They have been on the frontlines, bravely embracing the new challenges, always with the best interest of their youth in mind. Now, as many states around the country announce their plans for re-opening, our attention turns towards the future of programming. Play At The Core (PATC) is well-positioned to support these transitions as practitioners face unfamiliar territory in building relationships and create engaging program offerings remotely, in addition to supporting children and program teams through the unique grief and trauma...
Last week Play At The Core hosted the third “Community Huddle,” which focused on the theme of building relationships with youth, even when we can’t be in the same physical spaces. Youth development leaders from diverse programs around the world discussed what is “at the core” of how they’ve always built connections with youth in their programs, and how they are adapting these strategies today. From the conversations, and the activities, experiences, and behaviors that were shared, five key themes emerged that underscore how youth development practitioners are building on their previous work to strengthen relationships amidst these new challenges: ...
During these unprecedented times, making time for play has the potential to build new skills, offer support, and build connections all while having fun. Play At The Core will kick off a new series of virtual “Playbreaks,” designed for adults and children alike, every Friday at 3pm. Join us this week for a “Family Feud” themed game! – email info@playatthecore.com to sign up! If you’re interested in learning more about our work, visit us at playatthecore.com. For information about partnering or joining our team, please drop us a line!
On Wednesday, April 15th, over 40 youth development professionals from around the world gathered on Zoom to discuss the challenges they are facing as a result of COVID-19, and the support systems that are helping them through. After playing a virtual activity to reflect on support strategies together, attendees broke into smaller groups and shared openly about the pains, frustrations, and joys they and their communities are experiencing. Key themes began to emerge in the obstacles most commonly being tackled by those in the Huddle. These included: 1) difficulty in providing needed emotional support; 2) ensuring access to needed resources, and 3)...
Play At The Core will be leading a presentation in this year’s InterAct CLASS Summit, taking place April 20-21. The summit, which is an annual gathering of educational leaders, will focus on “supporting great teaching through the power of interactions.” With the transition to a virtual conference, InterAct has also gathered diverse speakers from all areas of the education sector, from representatives from the Department of Education to Directors of Nonprofits. PATC’s presentation will be led by Play At The Core leaders, Jared Carroll and Hewette Moore, and is an interactive webinar that will be offered as a workshop for...
In one short month, COVID-19 has changed every aspect of our lives. Many of us are struggling to wrap our heads around what is happening in the world and how to adapt. And while we are amidst so much change and uncertainty, one thing we can count on is community. Why supporting youth development professionals right now is critical Play At the Core (PATC) is stepping up to provide a supportive space for youth development leaders, practitioners, and caregivers. These individuals are on the front lines, providing critical support to the children and communities that have been hit hardest by...
A note from our founders and the Play At The Core team. If you’re interested in learning more about our work, visit us at playatthecore.com. For information about partnering or joining our team, please drop us a line!
Over the past several years, we’ve heard youth professionals express frustration over the behaviors of children that are facing significant challenges (both inside and outside their program). They lament how much of their attention this draws. In response, many of our partners have requested that Play At The Core facilitate experiential learning workshops with their teams that draw a link between quality relationships and quality youth programs. These discussions are tough, because we acknowledge that teachers face serious pressure within their schools, organizations, and districts that make it hard to prioritize connections with their kids. When it comes to having...