Getting to know your international contacts 2

Center on the Developing Child-Harvard University

Global gathering in Moscow Put Spotlight on Early Childhood Issues

            In 2000 world governments set a goal for the year 2015, in this goal three issues were presented. 

1.    To end extreme poverty and hunger

2.    All children would receive at least a primary education

3.    To reduce mortality rates by two thirds.

We are very close to the year 2015, and some progress has been made but there is still a long way to go.  I look at the first goal to end extreme poverty and hunger.  Today there is a higher poverty rate than in 2000.  In reading goal number two I have to wonder if “all children” means the financially well off, average intelligence, and no physical disabilities’ or if any child regardless of sex, ability, race, culture, religion, and disability are going to get a primary education.     

Another interesting fact I read about from the Global gathering in Moscow was that only one half of the world’s governments have formal policies or coordination mechanism in place related to Early Childhood Development.  “According to a UNICEF report in 2006, more than 30 governments had established national early childhood development policies, and over 70 countries had some type of national commission to coordinate such programs across ministries and sectors.” (Center on the Developing Child)

World Forum Foundation

World Forum Foundation Video-by Tori Hogan

Early Childhood professionals get together every two years to exchange ideas and learn from each other.  Over 80 countries gather to discuss issues relating to children and families and the issues impacting delivery of services.  As one professional, Sue Sterling-Aboriginal Supported Child Development from Canada stated “We are all equal, people with limited education working and leaning alongside people with PHD’s.”

Mental Health-this is an area that is severely under addressed.  Mental health is just as important to the welfare of a child as anything.

Harvard is launching a project to study mental health services.  They are to address the gaps in knowledge and services available.  They are working in three main areas:

1.    In China they will be assessing mental health services for children

2.    In Rwanda they will be looking at family-bases strategies to prevent mental health issues in children affected by HIV/AIDS.

3.    In Barbados, Republic of Trinidad, and Tobago, and Suriname the team will be addressing child maltreatment and mental health outcomes (Center on the Developing Child).

Reference:

Center on the Developing Child-Harvard University. Global gathering in Moscow Put Spotlight on Early Childhood Issues. Retrieved July 30, 2011, from http://developingchild.harvard.edu

Center on the Developing Child-Harvard University. Global Children’s Initiative: Activities.  Retrieved July 30, 2011, from http://developingchild.harvard.edu

World Forum Foundation Video.  World Forum Foundation. Retrieved July 30, 2011, from http://worldforumfoundation.org

Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc.

Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc.- http://www.cplc.org/

The information that seemed relevant to my professional development was this organization was helping to provide much needed resources to community members who had no other outlet.  Their initial focus was to create jobs in their deteriorating community.  They soon realized there was a much greater need.

CPLC focuses their efforts on:

• Economic Development:  The economic development division provides business lending, commercial development, neighborhood revitalization, and financial empowerment.

• Education:  Our education priority focus encompasses programs such as Head Start, charter schools, prevention, leadership workshops and academic enrichment programs.

• Community Development (Housing):  The housing component encompasses all types of housing development, property management, client counseling, and other pertinent services.

• Social Services:  Our social service programs include behavioral health, domestic violence shelter and prevention, emergency assistance, elder services, legal immigration counseling, HIV, individual and family counseling, women’s health, employment training and drug and alcohol rehabilitation and prevention (CPLC, 2011)

The statement on the website I found interesting and had to do a double think on was their support in the area of migrant workers families.   “CPLC’s Arizona Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Program is dedicated to providing Head Start services to migrant and seasonal farmworker children ages 0-5 and their families. The program is funded to serve a total of 752 children and families at nine centers located across Arizona” (CPLC, 2011).  Migrant families are very transient and the Head Start programs give the children a stable environment with caring adults and nutritional meals.  Arizona fields depend on the work of migrant farmers, politicians welcome the support to the families so they can work longer hours for the community.  Migrant housing is also an area politician’s support.

The organization is involved in many areas of life.  They are investing time in economics by improving communities in which families live in.  CPLC is focused on creating a foundation for a healthy and vibrant community for families to live in.  They want to provide economic opportunities and promote sustainability in it community through jobs and businesses.  With a vibrant community members are able to take control of their life and hopefully become and stay financially stable. 

A wonderful service CPLC provided is parent education and support.  The service Parenting Arizona is helping to prevent child abuse and neglect through parent education (CPLC, 2011).  They provide in-home family support as well as community based parent education.    The staff is bicultural and bilingual to provide services in ways families may welcome it. 

Reference

Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc. A promise of opportunity. Retrieved July 23, 2011, from http://www.cplc.org

Poverty in Mongolia

Poverty in Mongolia

The transition to a privatized economy and democracy sounds like a great deal.  Farmers owning their own cattle and farms seem like the perfect set up.  Mongolia transitioned very quickly from a socialist society to a democratic system in the early nineties.  The transition was very hard on the people.  They experienced high unemployment, inflation on services and goods, and a cut in social service support.  The last thing they needed was a cut in service support.  Health care before the transition was open to all citizens and was of a very high quality, now the health care is poor due to health insurance fees and regulations.  In the education realm the government no longer funds or support early childhood education and the number of students enrolled in schooling has declined.  The children living in poverty often do not attend or have to drop out to help with the economic situation of the family.  Some improvements have been made in the reduction of poverty but not enough to cover the gap between the “have and have not” families.    As an outsider to the transition between a socialist society and a democracy seems like a bad move.  Not knowing all the facts in the situation it is hard to defend my position.  From what I read the government made sure that health care and education were funded and regulated.  Now there are many families who are homeless and a large population living below the poverty line.  Children have a larger responsibility and are having to become adults at a very young age.

Heart Breaking Facts:

Malnutrition has risen

51% of the families do not have access to safe drinking water

The Poor increased over 40,000

Harsh weather conditions reach a negative 30-40 degrees in the winter (the is rough for homeless families with no shelter)

On the Plus Side

Enrollment in schools is on the rise (not in poverty stricken families)

Birth rates have reduced and more children survive

Infant and children under 5 mortality rates fallen

Immunization rates have risen

Acute respiratory and diarrheal illnesses declined




Resources:
http://www.childhoodpoverty.org/

Global Autism Project in Nairobi, Kenya

Global Autism Project -Kaizora Consultants Ltd.
Nairobi, Kenya

Website issue: Autism around the world-http://www.globalautismproject.org

The organization Global Autism Project is provides help and services for parents, teachers, and children who have or are dealing with autism. Kaizora in Nairobi is part of the Global project that services families in Nairobi.  The organization is now working on in home visits and care for families who cannot make it to the center do to transportation or other issues.  The families they are servicing rang in age but the two sessions I read about were preschool age children with different disabilities.   One of the challenges they run into is language diversity.  The families they are working with have limited English skills but still remain optimistic about the help they will receive.  The organization is extremely devoted to the families in their care and work with each child on an individual basis as to reduce distractions for the child.

Related Topic of the Week-

It has been confirmed to me that all over the world people deal with and struggle with the best methods to incorporate and manage multiple language inclusion.  That across the world there is no “one” language that is spoken.  Every country is being transformed into a Multilanguage area.  We are not alone.

Contact Update:

I went with this organization since I am fascinated with Autism.  I have sent many emails to organizations around the world but have received not contacts yet.  It is a little frustrating.

Establishing Professional Contacts

I have sent out emails to two prospective organizations through NAECY.  The first organization is in South Africa and the second organization is in Canada.  I have not at this point heard from either organization.  I am hoping to get some conformation in the next day or so.  I am eager to hear about the differences between the two countries as well as the differences and similarities to the United States programs.  I am hoping that I will not have to do the alternative assignment but am able to communicate with the other professionals.  I choose to look at Africa because I am interested in the progress they have made.  I did some research on Africa in previous courses and have been extremely fascinated with their culture and distressed by the challenges they face each and every day.  I choose Canada because I have friends who live there and I am interested in what they may encounter in placing their child in preschool care.  I also choose these particular websites because they speak and write in English and I am not able to communicate in any other language. 

Niger Delta Academic Foundation- http://www.ndafonline.bravehost.com/ and National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators http://www.naecte.org/ (Newsletter: http://www.naecte.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14&Itemid=29 )   are the website I have chosen to follow. 

Programs I have contacted:

Niger Delta Academic Foundation- http://www.ndafonline.bravehost.com/

Canadian Child Care Federation