Early Childhood Development System in Visegrad Region

Visegrad Region

2021

What was the challenge

Research confirms that quality early childhood development (ECD) can transform the futures of children facing adversity. When services are provided early, the return on investment is the highest. Nevertheless, those children most in need of ECD are often absent from these services.

In partnership with Škola dokorán – Wide Open School n. o., a nonprofit dedicated to community development, and Peter Strážik, the headmaster of the elementary school in Spišský Hrhov, we hosted Holis School 2021 as a six-week online-intensive workshop. This workshop was conducted virtually as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The program aimed to address challenges in ECD, primarily focusing on children facing adversity, and to inspire ECD professionals, local, regional, and national administration and designers.

What are the
results

Over six weeks, participants worked in three teams to create unique proposals to increase accessibility and equity for all children.

At the end of the workshop, each team presented their projected proposals to a jury of stakeholders, emphasizing that meaningful change requires close collaboration across parties. The workshop demonstrated that innovative, inclusive approaches can create opportunities for children and their families to thrive.