Social Inclusion, Education and Urban Policy for Young Children Erasmus Project

Project Title

Social Inclusion, Education and Urban Policy for Young Children

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for higher education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2016

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Inclusion – equity; Integration of refugees; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

In the project Social inclusion, Education and Urban Policy for Young Children we approached the complex questions about how to enhance social inclusion and avoid exclusion in society. We especially focused on the professional educational work with young children aged 0 to 8 years in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC). We aimed at establishing a collaboration between different stakeholders within this field: Professionals in the ECEC practice, lecturers of education for pedagogues, researchers and policy makers at a municipality level. During the project period of three years, from September 2016 until September 2019, eleven partners have been working closely together to reach the goals that were set for the project. We worked to develop education and training supporting social inclusive, inter-cultural competences and – in an urban perspective – combating discrimination and segregation. The cities involved in this project are all facing growth of population and the need for inclusive education. This includes providing the necessary conditions to support the development and education for young children in the cities and their families. The project builds on existing knowledge and practice and focuses on the necessary inter-professional and inter-sectional cooperation to create inclusive practice in an urban environment, and the urban policy supporting this.
The participating organizations came from six European Cities, organized in ‘The City Network’ [Municipalities of Amsterdam, Berlin, Copenhagen, Ghent, Ljubljana and Rotterdam], coordinated by Childcare International. Other partners were from Research/Higher Education Institutions [Pedagoski Institute in Ljubljana, VBJK in Ghent, University College Copenhagen and Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences] and from ECEC organizations [VTRC Hansa Christiana Andersena in Ljubljana and Kindertagesstätten Berlin Süd-West]. All together about 30-35 persons have been actively participating and contributing to the good results of the project. It has been a continuous group of people, with only very few changes during the three year period. Furthermore there have been active contacts with the work field, since a big number of field visits have been organized for smaller groups by each of the five transnational meetings and also during the exchange periods in the autumns of 2017 and 2018 with students and researchers/lecturers from Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Ljubljana and Ghent.
The results that have been produced during the project period are: Four literature reviews (from Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Ghent and Ljubjiana) + a synthesis report; reality based cases from all partners + a competence profile on inclusion; a film website including 19 interviews with stakeholders and four documentaries on ‘working inclusively in practise’; a framework for an educational program and finally an article with a set of recommendations for policy makers in the cities. On a longer term this broad approach to the issues involved has created a solid ground and the possibility to implement new approaches to social inclusion. The educational material [cases, competence profile, films] is already in the curriculum planning to be used in the programs for future professionals in The Netherland and in Denmark from the autumn semester 2019 onwards. This material will also be used as training material in the practice field in all countries. The Policy paper offers important issues to be further discussed in and amongst the municipalities, and the literature reviews are very useful in (applied) research projects.
At the final transnational meeting and in the written evaluations [see appendices] all partners have expressed that the exchange with European partners has been impactful and there are various plans to continue collaboration. Action is taken to organize inspirational networks, job shadowing, student exchange and new applications for projects.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 343190,5 Eur

Project Coordinator

STICHTING HOGESCHOOL VAN AMSTERDAM & Country: NL

Project Partners

• Stichting Kinderopvang Internationaal
• Københavns kommune Børne – og ungdomsforvaltningen Nørrebro/Bispebjerg
• STAD GENT
• Kindertagesstätten Berlin Süd-West
• Senatsverwaltung für Bildung, Jugend und Familie
• VERNIEUWING IN DE BASISVOORZIENINGEN VOOR JONGE KINDEREN
• MUNICIPALITY OF LJUBLJANA