Supporting Children and Adolescents Through Early Childhood Education and Development, Protection, Empowerment, and Skill Enhancement Programs Project
Supporting Syrian & Turkish Children and Adolescents Through Early Childhood Education and Development, Protection, Empowerment, and Skill Enhancement Programs Project
Between April 1st and September 30th, in collaboration with UNICEF, we conducted the "Multi-Sectoral Earthquake Response Project to Support Children and Adolescents Through Early Childhood Education, Protection, Empowerment, and Skill Enhancement Programs." As of October 2nd, the project continues as the "Supporting Syrian & Turkish Children and Adolescents Through Early Childhood Education and Development, Protection, Empowerment, and Skill Enhancement Programs Project." The project duration covers the period from October 2nd, 2023, to September 30th, 2024. The following programs are being implemented within the scope of the project.
- EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION (ECE) PROGRAMS
The main goal of the program is to support the intellectual, physical, social, and emotional development of children aged 3-6 and to provide parents with knowledge and skills in child development. At the same time, preparing children for primary school and life in general is also among the program's objectives.
Home-Based Early Childhood Education Program: The program aims to support the development of disadvantaged children who live in unfavorable conditions and do not have access to institution-based early childhood education services and to improve the home learning environment. Empowering mothers is a priority strategy to achieve this goal. Additionally, strengthening the bond between fathers and children is targeted through guided books and notes for fathers.
Family Education and Engagement Program: This program aims to empower families with knowledge and skills in child education to support children's development and strengthen intra-family relationships. It aims to establish effective communication and learning environments through workshops for parents and children.
Playground Early Childhood Education Program: This program aims to support the cognitive, physical, social, sensory, and psychomotor development of children in fixed centers and education tents.
Mobile Early Childhood Education Program: This program aims to support the cognitive, physical, social, sensory, and psychomotor development of children in rural areas where there are no educational activities through traveling teachers.
- DIGITAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (Maker and Mobile Maker)
This program provides innovative technology-based training activities for children aged 10-14. It includes training in areas such as algorithms, 3D modeling, coding, woodworking, artificial intelligence, and robotics coding. An important feature of the program is its aim to reach disadvantaged groups. The training activities are conducted both in centers and through mobile vehicles.
- YOUTH PARTICIPATION PROGRAM IN DISASTER RESPONSE AND RESCUE (GENÇLİNK)
The main goal of the program is to increase the awareness of young people in disaster areas about current announcements, enable them to share information about their needs, contribute to their regions through need analysis maps, raise awareness about the current risks and resources of the community, and facilitate the adaptation process to the existing disaster situation by minimizing possible problems. To ensure the sustainability of the activities carried out within the program, local volunteer networks consisting of young people living in the region are being established.
- SOCIAL CIRCUS PROGRAM
Social Circus is a program that interacts with communities, neighborhoods, and schools to build intercultural connections in fragile socio-economic environments and conflict areas. It provides visual entertainment to children and young people, especially through circus and street arts education, performances, and workshops, encouraging their participation in unique artistic processes.
- CHILD PROTECTION PROGRAMS
This program is implemented to enhance the social, emotional, and cognitive skills of children aged 7-17, increase their well-being, and raise awareness among parents. It also aims to identify at-risk children and families and provide appropriate interventions.
Psychosocial Support Program: The program aims to increase children's self-awareness, understanding of their social environments and society, recognition of challenging life events, and coping capacities.
Individual Psychological Counseling Program: It is provided to individuals or groups who are at risk or affected by trauma, emotional and social difficulties, girls and boys experiencing psychosocial challenges, and parents/caregivers.
Group Psychological Counseling Program: It supports children in expressing their emotions and concerns, discovering effective ways to deal with psychosocial and emotional problems, and addressing similar problems and emotional needs.
Positive Parenting Program: The program aims to strengthen supportive communication between parents and children for child welfare, provide awareness-raising activities for parents regarding family systems, increase parents' awareness of child development stages and developmental needs, and support parenting skills.
Child Empowerment Program Adapted to Disasters: The program aims to help children understand that their reactions to difficult events are normal responses to abnormal events, provide guidance on how to cope with unwelcome memories or negative thoughts, improve children's concentration, liveliness, and evaluate their mood.
Youth Empowerment Program Adapted to Disasters: The program aims to create concrete opportunities and safe spaces for adolescents to answer their questions and realize their potential while helping them understand that their reactions to difficult events are normal responses to abnormal events.
Case Management Access Activities Program: It aims to enable early identification and referral for individuals and groups at risk, such as child laborers, out-of-school children, unregistered children, child brides, individuals with special needs, and survivors of gender-based violence, through risk and sensitivity assessment, and to provide appropriate interventions by social service specialists.
Case Management Service (Child Protection and FSW) Program: It includes initiating and monitoring the planned intervention process targeting identified individuals or groups with protection risks or vulnerabilities, those affected by trauma, girls and boys experiencing psychosocial challenges, and parents/caregivers, under the supervision of social service specialists.
- EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT (ECD) PROGRAMS
Mother and Child Support Corner Health and Nutrition Services Program: Mother and child support corners have been established to support breastfeeding, nutrition, health, hygiene practices, and early childhood development for children with and without special needs. Within this framework, health, nutrition, IYCF (Infant and Young Child Feeding) awareness, and counseling services are provided to caregivers, especially pregnant women, and mothers/caregivers of children under 24 months.
ECD and Nutrition Counseling Program: Nutrition counseling is integrated as part of the 11-week Home-Based Early Childhood Education (ECE) program. Additionally, each educator spends two full days per week conducting home visits to families with children aged 0-3, providing counseling services on health, nutrition, and child development.