The values of social inclusion and respect for diversity have always been central to the Bernard van Leer Foundation’s mission, with its focus on socially and economically disadvantaged young children
When planning development programmes for children living in poor communities with few services, all aspects of their lives need to be addressed. This report illustrates the difference a comprehensive programme can make in the lives of the children, their families and even the community as a whole. By studying two villages, one with the programme and one without, this report shows far-reaching effects in many areas. The children who took part in the programme felt emotionally secure; they were well-behaved and mixed well with their peers of both sexes; their health was better than the children of the control group. But above all, the programme children had internalised values and a sense of self - and they had hopes and dreams for the future
Can a 14-week programme for adolescents have a lasting effect on their lives? This tracer study shows that, 10 years on, 40 Trinidadians in their 20s are doing their best to meet life's challenges. These young people, many from backgrounds of disadvantage and abuse, took part in the Adolescent Development Programme run by SERVOL. The study compares their outcomes with a similar group of people and, while the differences between the groups are small, there are some distinctions. The former trainees themselves believe that the course enhanced their parenting skills and had a positive impact on their lives. The report also shares learning from the project
In this report, Martin Woodhead takes the four local studies conducted as part of the Bernard Van Leer project on 'The Environment of the Child' as a starting point for examining issues of quality development in early childhood programmes. These studies took place in Venezuela, Kenya, India and France. The aims of the publication are to (i) make explicit the frameworks of thinking that underpin judgements of quality, (ii) explore the possibility of working towards a shared frame of reference, which is context sensitive and allowing for diversity and (iii) apply this framework towards a better understanding of the quality issues that confront large scale early childhood programmes. The concept of 'the environment of the child' focused on those cultural variables relating to communities and individuals, directly affecting the development of children growing up in poverty. The author argues that sensitivity to diversity and to one's own preconceptions should be key elements informing all early childhood work