ECEC Play Hubs

Hračkárnice

About the project

The overall goal is to combat segregation of Romani young children and families, and enhance social cohesion through community based inclusive Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services. The project also aims to improve the transition experience of Romani children to schools.

This project promotes the active involvement of Romani and non-Romani communities in ECEC services, through the development of ECEC Play Hubs that are a successful approach to overcome segregation and provide access to quality non-formal ECEC service. These services also improve transition experience to formal education and build the capacity of parents.

Objectives:

• Improve the responsiveness and accountability of local authorities, particularly elected and senior civil servants, towards marginalized Roma communities
• Build the capacity of local authorities and Roma community representatives to develop and implement policies and public services that are inclusive of all, including Roma
• Strengthen Roma families in Roma communities by supporting Roma parents (both mothers and fathers) in their efforts at raising their children in a safe, secure and caring family environment
• Offer parents information, improve their social skills and knowledge regarding early childhood development, about the importance of their role, provide information regarding alternative, effective parenting techniques, foster improved communication and understanding between parents and their children, supplementing the discovery and learning experiences of their children and promoting positive parental attitudes towards education
• Enlarge the range of educational materials for children, especially those from marginalized Roma communities
• Improve and build the trust between all the involved stakeholders

Main activities:

• Study visits
• Stakeholders mapping, local needs and challenges analysis
• Formation of Local Action Teams
• Training design
• Training of trainers
• Training of practitioners at the local level
• Setting up of 4 ECEC Play Hubs – Spišský Hrhov, Roškovce, Spišská Nová Ves and Dobšiná
• Implementation of community-based non-formal educational activities – lending of toys and books to families, trust-based parenting workshops, learning through play workshops, health enlightenment, common inter-generational learning/teaching/training activities
• Home-visiting program
• Assessment, evaluation and monitoring
• Advocacy dissemination events