The Project aims to establish the K-RAE-EYN (Kosovo Roma Ashkali and Egjiptian Early Years Network),a network of ECD (Early Childhood Development) professionals and para-professionals from Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities in Kosovo, and those who work with Roma, Ashkali and Egytpian communities in Kosovo. It is based on the concept of Romani Early Years Network (REYN), which was launched at a special event, during the international ECD conference, organized jointly by the International Step by Step Association (ISSA) and Diversity in Early Childhood Education and Training (DECET) in October 2012.
Given the complexity of the situation with early childhood education of Roma Ashkali and Egyptian children in Kosovo, there is a need for a service that helps the community based ECD centers address challenges they face including the quality of services and organizational issues. This service provides professional development opportunities, peer learning and networking to ECD professionals and para-professionals from Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities in Kosovo, and those who work with Roma, Ashkali and |Egytpian communities, and would be linked to wider networks on national and regional level.
The Project is implemented by KEC in cooperation with six partner NGOs from Kosovo, all of them with significant experience in provision of ECD services for Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian children in Kosovo. The main project outputs are:
- A strong inclusive professional learning community amongst Roma, Ashkali, Egyptian and other ECD practitioners working with Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian children built.
- Roma, Ashkali, Egyptian and other ECD practitioners have capacity to apply modern and inclusive approaches in working with Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian children.
- K-RAE-EYN has capacity to advocate for inclusive policies and practices on the local and national level.
Project activities include facilitation of networking and peer learning among ECD professionals and para-professionals working with Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities in Kosovo, as well as participation in the wider REYN Network. Capacity building activities aim to improve performance of educators working with Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian children, as well as their capacity to advocate for inclusive policies and practices. The Project will provide on-site support to K-RAE-EYN members and help them organize a series of awareness raising events in the seven Kosovo regions. A Regional (Western Balkans) Workshop on Inclusion will be the final event of the Project for this grant-period. The network is envisaged to continue its work afterwards.