- MISSION AND OBJECTIVES OF THE NETWORKThe Network for Early Childhood Development in the Roma Community in Bulgaria (the Network) was established in January 2018 and is coordinated by the Trust for Social Achievement Foundation. The Network aims to support professionals working with minority children in improving the reach and quality of services provided and seeks to unite the advocacy efforts of its members in this direction. The network also supports the development of role models by the Roma community itself. The main objectives of the Network are:
- To develop expert capacity among professionals and support staff working with Roma communities in the field of early childhood development;
- To help increase the number of professionals from the Roma community working to provide early childhood services;
- To advocate for the provision of more equitable and quality services that support the creation of more inclusive systems;
2. PERFORMED ACTIVITIES OF THE NETWORK IN 2023
During the period May-June four events were held to share successful practices for working with children from vulnerable communities introduced by an educational institution.- In May, a joint half-day event with a regional character was held for specialists working with children aged 2-7 years from vulnerable communities in the People’s Community Centre “Rodolyubie – 1873”, town of Asenovgrad. “Why is it important for families to be involved in the lives of their children in kindergarten/school” was the theme of the event.
In 2023, REYN Bulgaria supported an exchange of experience specifically for and promotion of Roma professionals in the field of early childhood development, and the members of the network took part in:
* ISSA Connects for Learning 2023 International Step by Step Conference on Striving for Quality Early Childhood Services for Children in Adverse Contexts held in Opatija, Croatia. The conference was attended by a group of eight professionals – members of the REYN Bulgaria Network and representatives of the TSA team.
* The 14th Regional Conference of the Community of Teacher Innovators, on the theme “Teachers as Peace Builders. The Role of Teachers in Building a Culture of Peace”, held in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. REYN Bulgaria participated in the conference through five representatives – directors of kindergartens and psychologists – members of the Network.
* A two-day seminar was held in Lukovit for an international exchange of experience on the topic “Role Models in Early Childhood” with civil society organizations from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belgium, representatives of the International Association “Step by Step” (ISSA), as well as Bulgarian educational institutions and local authorities. The experience of the Trust for Social Achievement Foundation in supporting role models was presented, and the international participants had the opportunity to visit a kindergarten “Sluntse” and talk to parents about the benefits of having educators from the local Roma community in the kindergarten team.
*Over 30 teachers from Burgas region participated in trainings on “Child Portfolio as a tool for communication with parents and families” and got acquainted with many effective ways to interact with parents based on the child’s portfolio. Young educators and psychologists, role models from local communities, supported by TSA within the framework of the project “Young Roma Educators” also received training.
REYN Bulgaria is implementing advocacy initiatives to support educational mediators in kindergartens in 2023.
* In order to support the sustainability of funding for the position of educational mediator in kindergartens, the REYN Network initiated an advocacy initiative with the participation of six NGO members of the Network as well as numerous member kindergartens and preschool groups in schools.
* Two trainings for educational mediators of the “Embracing Diversity” program were also held in the town of Bishkek. The training sessions were held in Veliko Tarnovo and Plovdiv, which was attended by over 30 educational mediators from the country. The aim of the trainings was to support the capacity of mediators in kindergartens to interact with parents, to support children’s learning at home, to promote the building of a local learning community for the benefit of children and families.
* On 3 November, REYN Bulgaria – coordinated by the Trust for Social Achievement Foundation, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Bulgaria successfully organized a conference on “Practices and Directions: the Educational Mediator in the Kindergarten”. The event aroused the interest of over 120 participants from all over Bulgaria – principals, mediators, teachers, PTA experts, academics, representatives of institutions. The conference was an opportunity to share successful practices from the work of educational mediators in kindergartens, as well as to join efforts to recognize the importance and support for the sustainability and professional development of educational mediators in early childhood education.
* The three kindergartens that participated with a presentation on the successful practice of mediators during the conference “Practices and Directions: the Educational Mediator in the Kindergarten”, received from the Trust for Social Achievement Foundation a donation of children’s books and a children’s open library. The REYN Network encourages the use of such resources to develop children’s love of reading and early language skills.
In June 2023, with the support of four local organizations – members of the REYN Network – New Path Association, Dialogue Association, Club of Non-Profit Organizations, Asthma Foundation, information sessions for parents on the important role of kindergarten for children were held (project “Every day in kindergarten I learn and play”), involving more than 265 parents and more than 10 kindergartens from small towns. In a series of six sessions, issues related to the role of early childhood, the importance of attending kindergarten, the benefits of regular attendance for better socialization and building children’s early language skills, and the importance of good interaction and a trusting relationship between parents and teachers/caregivers were addressed.
*In 2023, REYN produced and published a Handbook for conducting information sessions for parents – “Every day in kindergarten I learn and play”. The aim is that the guidelines for information sessions will help more nurseries and local communities to raise parents’ awareness of what happens in nursery and why it is important for children.
3. PLANNED ACTIVITIES IN 2024
1. Network events to share successful practices of educational institutions for working with children from vulnerable communities. The opportunity is aimed at institutional members of the REYN Network – nurseries, kindergartens and pre-school groups in schools.
2. Promote the exchange of experiences to encourage and promote early childhood development professionals working in vulnerable communities.
3. Dissemination of knowledge and experience from the International Conference on Early Childhood Development, organized by the International Association “Step by Step” and the Foundation “Trust for Social Achievement”, which will take place for the first time in Bulgaria, in Sofia, Bulgaria. Sofia, 22-24 October 2024.
4. A new resource for teachers – an information booklet on the role of identity in children’s development, developed by REYN Croatia. Issues of group and individual identity”.
5. “Children’s Portfolio as a Tool for Communication with Parents and Families”.
6. Continued advocacy efforts to support the capacitation and career development of kindergarten educational facilitators.