ISSA Joins Work of UNA Learning Group on Social Inclusion and Early Childhood Programs

ISSA was invited to join an additional UNA Learning Group, Social Inclusion and Early Childhood Programs, which investigates how to ensure sustainability once good practice has been established. While other UNA Learning Groups address aspects of children and enthnic diversity from the perspective of program development and evaluation, this group focuses on developing understanding of the wider social, political and economic context of early childhood services internationally, particularly with the aim of developing wider strategies to engage governments and other national and international organizations to promote and support the design and delivery of early childhood programs aimed at addressing racial and ehnic divisions and conflict.

ISSA has been invited to join other members of this Learning Group: representatives of Fundacion Dos Mundos, UNICEF, ChildFund International, Bernard van Leer Foundation, Macquarie University, Columbia University, and Plan International. Liana Ghent, Executive Director of ISSA attended the first meeting of the Learning Group, hosted by Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia between 9-13 September 2009, where three working groups were set up to explore how to influence civil society and political landscapes through an ECD lens. In one of these working groups, ISSA and Plan International are preparing a working paper looking at how umbrella organizations support their constituency to design and deliver programs which target social inclusion and respect for diversity. In this working paper, ISSA and Plan describe their approach to promoting social inclusion and present case studies from the field, showing how they benefitted from the support of an international NGO (Plan) and an international professional association (ISSA).

ISSA’s case study is a project carried out by the Center for Interactive Pedagogy (CIP), ISSA’s member organization in Serbia, in partnership with International Child Development Initiatives (ICDI) from The Netherlands and 5 other NGOs as local partners. The project focuses on five of the most disadvantaged municipalities in Serbia, reaching out to children aged 0-6 from disadvantaged groups (ethnic minorities, children with special needs, children from foster families) with special attention to Roma communities. Involving different stakeholders, the project works through awareness raising, capacity building, and networking. The working paper outlines not only the approach, lessons learned, and gaps identified in the project, but also how it benefitted from the fact that CIP, as ISSA member, is part of a professional association. 

For more information about this Learning Group, please contact Liana Ghent.