Supporting the next generation with After School Matters

ASM provides out-of-school opportunities and creates environments where teens can discover and deepen their after-school passions.

In brief

• EY Parthenon provided pro bono consulting services for ASM, a nonprofit dedicated to providing out-of-school opportunities, in order to maximize their impact in Chicago.
• The EY team identified clear pathways for ASM to become the most influential leader in the space by providing examples of how to expand teen programming and offerings to support smaller nonprofits in this space.

After School Matters (ASM) is a nonprofit dedicated to inspiring Chicago's teens to discover their passions, develop important life skills and build friendships. The organization provides out-of-school opportunities, including 1,635 different programs, and creates environments where teens can discover and deepen their after-school passions. Students earn financial stipends for time spent in the program, including some remote opportunities, eliminating common barriers to getting involved. For each of the past five years, ASM has annually offered about 25,000 opportunities to Chicago teens, representing more than 50% of all such opportunities across the city.

“Our program plays a preventative role for teens,” says ASM’s Chief of Strategy and Staff Melissa Mister. “After school hours and summer breaks are the most vulnerable times for teens. This is when violence spikes. If teens aren’t engaged, then their mental health can suffer. But, by surrounding themselves with strong mentors and peers with similar interests, our teens feel more connected and hopeful.”

Jim Welch, Global Medtech Leader at EY, has been involved with After School Matters for almost a decade. He supported ASM’s management team as the chair of the Finance Committee and a member of the Audit and Investment committees, sponsored volunteer programs at EY and has served on the Board of Directors for eight years.  Jim’s teen daughter, Torrie, is also an instructor for the Lutz Leadership Council where she supports ASM with recommendations for improved programming and building community while learning and practicing different theories of leadership.

A few years back, the Board was having critical conversations about how to amplify ASM’s influence. They sought answers to a core question: “How can we maximize our impact for Chicago?” That’s when Jim raised his hand and called upon his EY teammates.

“The size and scale of the operation at ASM is tremendous. So, the opportunity for us to be a part of their strategy after 30 years of exponential growth was exciting,” says Jim. “Both EY US and ASM are dedicated to developing people. They help people harness their skills and strengths, find passion in what they do and help them understand that new experiences can open important doors.”

In addition to the aligned missions and EY Parthenon’s strong experience in both education and nonprofit strategy, it was a perfect match of needs and skills. EY Parthenon worked with ASM on a three-month comprehensive strategy consulting project focused on identifying unmet demand for out-of-school time (OST) programs in Chicago. The goal was to expand the definition of impact beyond the number of individuals ASM serves daily.

“It really helped to have educators on the team. They had a true passion for the work and really cared about the young people and their experiences in high school,” says Melissa. “When they visited our programs, they were visibly excited by the work.” 

The high-performing team, led by Sophie Boorstein, Annie Liu and sponsored by Haven Ladd and Seth Reynolds, gathered extensive marketplace data, conducting interviews and sending surveys to students, parents and other non-profits with the same mission. Immediately, the team was able to validate the impact and scale of ASM. 

“EY US helped us gain more insight into what pulls students to our programs and what demands are placed on them,” says Mary Ellen Caron, Chief Executive Officer at ASM. “In most cases, we heard feedback like this before, but it is extremely valuable to have it communicated and validated through an objective and reputable third-party source like EY US.”

Then, the consulting work shifted to identifying clear pathways to becoming the most influential leader in the space. For example, redesigning and expanding programming would address new teen interests, like artificial intelligence and trades programming.

The EY team also developed a roadmap for creating services and offerings to support smaller nonprofits in the same space, expanding ASM’s ability to fulfill the mission. It was the perfect example of how our efforts create “ripples” in our local communities.

“I've told many people this: it's one of the best examples of strategy consulting work that I've seen at the firm,” says Jim. “The team had an understanding of the impact that these programs have on the individuals and their lives, and it made them want to work harder and to dig even deeper.”

The EY team shared the findings during a three-hour workshop with ASM’s CEO and leadership team.  In talking through the results and implementation plan the EY team ensured the ASM leadership team was prepared and confident to engage with stakeholders and make the necessary changes.

“The EY team presented its research and recommendations to key stakeholders – including our entire executive team and the board,” says Mary Ellen. “For everyone to hear the validity of the work and the details of what EY uncovered was phenomenal. Not only did it give us a reason to celebrate how far we’ve come, but it also gave our strategic direction legs to stand on.”