Convening with peers in the youth development field is one of the many benefits grantees in the Best Starts for Kids (BSK) Expanded Learning Initiative have. This voter-funded initiative administered by School’s Out Washington (SOWA) provides youth organizations in King County with funding, quality improvement, and professional development supports.
Due to resource constraints such as time and funding, youth providers often find themselves isolated, making it easy to forget that so many other providers are grappling with similar questions and challenges. Additionally, building partnerships requires significant time, effort, and interconnectedness that many programs don’t have capacity for—making convenings like BSK Learning Community Meetings (LCMs) an invaluable opportunity for grantees.
LCMs are designed to give BSK grantees that rare chance to connect, share, and learn from and with each other. While SOWA hosts smaller cohort-based LCMs throughout the year, the annual spring All-BSK LCM brings together representatives from each grantee organization and prioritizes making space for providers to build connections with one another.
On April 2, 2026, 55 BSK grantees gathered at SOWA’s Tukwila office for the initiative’s third All-BSK LCM. The first half of the LCM was dedicated to connecting one-on-one through multiple rounds of a pair-and-share activity, which encouraged grantees to meet new people, reconnect with peers, and share ideas and insights with one another with the potential to discover new ways to collaborate further.
Allani, Interim Program Manager at Filipino Community of Seattle, shared about how her connections extended past the BSK LCMs: “Through our [LCMs], I’ve been able to build relationships across multiple communities. Most notably, I’ve built a great relationship with Chimwemwe of Open Doors, [another BSK grantee who] I was able to connect with my boyfriend’s mentee who needed support after a severe accident. Chimwemwe was able to connect with his family and offer resources. I’m so happy to be part of such an impactful and caring community.”
The second half of the All-BSK LCM focused on peer learning breakout groups, led by grantees who suggested and volunteered to facilitate about topics important to them, including restorative practices for youth experiencing harm, how to include parents in programming, and facilitating for youth engagement. Each topic garnered interest from grantees, who shared key takeaways with the full group when attendees came back together. One notable quote from the restorative justice practices group was, “Connection before Correction,” which was an insight that grantees from other groups resonated with, too.
“This is my second LCM and it is always a fantastic experience to hear/learn from shared experiences,” shared Aviona from South End Stories. “This time is priceless!”
Ultimately, the All-BSK LCMs are a way to uplift the wide range of skills, insights, and expertise that the community of providers in the BSK Expanded Learning Initiative has developed through their commitment to improving youth outcomes. These peer learning opportunities are essential to strengthening programs. By providing these All-BSK LCMs annually, grantees continue to build and strengthen rapport with one another, leading to long-term collaboration and partnerships that extend beyond BSK LCMs.