PASA
PROVIDENCE AFTER SCHOOL ALLIANCE
The Providence After School Alliance is a nonprofit that I learned about for the first time about a year ago. It is amazing to realize that there are so many wonderful nonprofits doing great things for youth, that so many people do not know about. Each and everyone of them deserves a lot of recognition, even though none of them are striving just for t he "attention." While I have have known about this organization, I didn't know that they were partnered with so many companies until I looked online, companies such as; Southwest, CVSHealth, RIDE, Rhode Island Housing, Textron, The Rhode Island Foundation, The Bill Belicheck Foundation, etc. I also was unaware of how many people work for PASA, at first I thought it was just a small local nonprofit but I was pleased ot find it is much larger. Upon looking at the various bios of different workers, I first thought to myself that the bios should be longer. I couldn't get a full understanding of what each person does with only 2 or 3 sentences. I wish I had a better understanding of what each position entailed, but I think I gathered the basics. If I had to choose one position to work as at PASA I think it would enjoy being the AfterZone Program Manager, which is currently filled by Rebecca Petrarca. The first thing that really interested me about this position is that the program manager works with all the AfterZone sites. I think it would be great to be able to move around, see what is working at some sites and what could be improved at others, have the opportunity to see the different communities that have been built regardless of having the same resources, be able to see the diverse dynamics of each AfterZone and in what ways are the youth taking leadership. Moreover, this position works directly with AmeriCorps which is an amazing program. It is clear to see that Rebecca has an ever-changing job, where she has her hands in multiple places at once. I feel as though with this position there is something new to do everyday, this job definitely does not get boring. With that being said, something challenging would definitely be time management and organization. The AfterZone Program Manager position has a lot to take care of and many people depending on their succeed. If this was a job i were to ever have, I would have to be extremely organized to ensure every AfterZone site, and AmeriCorps Program was getting the attention they needed from me. Each area would need its own "TLC" and I can only imagine the amount of work Rebecca must put into organizing her days to ensure everyone is getting the assistance they need. This also overlaps with time management, you have to be able to manage your time effectively so you can be the best version of yourself. Also, time management is important because projects need to be done by a certain date, if they are not completed on time that can cause major issues for staff, youth, the organization in general. Without the proper time management skills, a worker could be found as "unreliable" which is one of the worst things to be labeled, especially if you take your position seriously. To become the AfterZone Program Manager, Rebecca has 3 other positions at PASA including; program support staff, assistant site coordinator, and operations coordinator. Through this different roles, Rebecca not only proved she was dedicated to PASA and their mission, but also to the youth. This dedication, along with her BA in English from Rhode Island College is what got her the position of AfterZone Program Manager. One question I would have for Brittany is Do you see yourself staying in this field or is this a stepping stone to something else? I would ask this just because I am always curious as to where this experience can bring someone, and what doors have been opened for them since meeting new people and learning new things.
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