LAUNCH OF THE BCCN/NIPPA JOINT EARLY YEARS TRAINING PROJECT

SDLP Leader, Mark Durkan, officially launched two projects set to bring a cash injection of £500,000/€700,000 to the early years sector across Ireland.

The launch, which took place at the Hillgrove Hotel, Monaghan on Monday 20 October, marks a unique partnership approach, adopted for the first time by two major early years organisations. 

A training project and a High/Scope project, designed by NIPPA – the Early Years Organisation and the Border Counties Childcare Network will focus on social inclusion and will bring long-term economic benefits in terms of employment, competitiveness, quality of care and creativity to the early years sector in Northern Ireland and the southern border counties of the Republic of Ireland.  

Funding for both projects has been received from the EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation.

Speaking about the significance of the partnership Siobhan Fitzpatrick, Chief Executive of NIPPA – The Early Years Organisation said: ” This partnership is about creating new relationships and new strategies to tackle the common issues and challenges facing children and their families in some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged communities, both sides of the border.  We are confident that this new way of working together and opportunity for growth and development will help create a change in this part of the island which as been blighted by sectarianism and bitterness for most of our lives.” 

The training project will improve the services offered to children and their families promoting parent confidence in the use of day care services to enable more parents to return to work. It will also bring people from both sides of the border together to enhance workforce skills, increase the employment prospects for people working in the sector and enable women to progress in management positions and take up leadership roles.

The High/Scope project will train and support a range of early years staff and community groups to implement the High/Scope approach in approximately 40 early years settings over the next four years.  This approach to early learning is a highly successful model which supports parents and fosters tolerance, respect for others, problem solving and conflict resolution.

Reinforcing the need to give serious consideration to the current and future needs of Ireland’s young citizens, Denise McCormilla, Project Manager of Border Counties Childcare Network said: “ There is a real need for early childhood activities on both sides of the border to be delivered on a cross-border basis.  We are aware that decisions about re-directing funding are currently being considered and are especially delighted that Minister McDowell and Mark Durkan have joined us today to offer their support.  We are confident that this joint partnership approach will deliver the long term benefits for children, adults and communities in some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged communities in Northern Ireland and the Southern Border Counties of the Republic of Ireland.”