This week I checked out Harvard
University’s Global Children’s Initiative (http://developingchild.harvard.edu/activities/global_initiative/).
This global program focuses on
1.
reframing
the discourse around child health and development
2.
supporting
innovative, multi-disciplinary research and demonstration projects, and
3.
building
leadership capacity in child development research and policy.
Using
those strategies the program created activities around three domains: early
childhood development; mental health; and children in crisis and conflict
situations.
Within
early childhood development they plan to educate leadership officials in
international agencies about the health and developmental needs of children in
a variety of settings. They were successful in setting up their first major
effort in Brazil. Núcleo Ciência Pela
Infância aims to use the science of child health and development to guide
stronger policies and larger investments to benefit young children and their families
in Brazil.
Basically, they are
trying to do the same thing in other countries that advocates for early
childhood have been trying to do in the United States for years; educating the
powers-that-be on the importance of early childhood development. I think what
this group is doing is wonderful! They are not able to help all countries in
need but are doing their best to reach a few. I think it is also wonderful that
they are not just going to help and then leave. They are educating the policy
makers and leaders in that country so that they will understand the importance
of early care and development.
Ryan,
ReplyDeleteI haven't had any luck in making an international contact either. But I am learning a lot about global issues through the various websites we have explored. I noticed a common theme with issues in the ECE field locally and globally, recruiting policy makers to take actions by identify issues and advocating for improvements is vital. Policy makers have a major influence of investments and standards in the field.
Ryan,
ReplyDeleteSometimes I feel that our policy makers need educating on the issues of early childhood care. It seems to me that our children are having to go without so that they can clean up the mess in other areas. Education is very important; especially for this generation of children. We have different children being born now and days. It seems as if they are born with technology knowledge. They are so full of energy that they need our programs to learn how to foster it into positive behaviors.
Ryan, just want to encourage you not to give up on your contacts. It took a while for mine to come through and even now it seems like we are not lined up with the class work.I think it is great that we are given an alternative to our work. I enjoyed reading about Harvard's University GlobalChildren's Incentive. I particularly liked their global program of strategies centered around three domains early childhood, mental health andchildren in crisis.
ReplyDeleteI agree also that sometimes policy makers need more educating on the issues of early childhood care. I feel like they need to be in the classroom and see first hand just what goes on. I think it is great though that other countries are learning about early childhood education and the importance because education can open many new doors. Great post!
ReplyDelete