The role of the supervisor of an afterschool club

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to highlight my experience of being an after-school club leader and the challenges I have faced when integrating special needs children with a large group of typically developing peers. I also want to highlight important moments that we share with the children, where it becomes evident how strong emotions a child experiences even in after-school care. My approach in my work has developed through my experiences, and for this reason, I want to emphasize that this is just one perspective among other responsible leaders. I conducted diary reporting for 8 weeks during spring 2025. The weekly reports reflect my own experiences, which I also support with ethical and legal considerations, different theories about child development as well as the guidelines provided by the Finnish Board of Education. I used an autoethnographic research method in my thesis. I do not disclose any information about my employer or where the workplace is located, nor any identifiable characteristics of individuals. This applies to my workgroup and clients, namely the children. After reading my diary I find it clear how hard it is to make plans because of the unexpected situations that happen frequently. The law does not give guidelines in all tricky situations that occur in after school clubs. Very often you have to trust in your own instinct and experience. It is special needs children who suffer most, when the daily routines are interrupted.