Public relations trainings officially started on November 30, 2020. From that day, more than 150 registered representatives of local municipalities from various institutions started having access to video and text materials with which they had the opportunity to gain additional knowledge and obtain important information about the Project and topics such as public relations, public speaking, guest appearances in radio and TV shows, performing and promoting activities through social media and other communication channels, writing press releases and others.

In the past period, some of the participants, after attending the theoretical part of the training, moved to another segment related to homework and promoting the Project through local media and social networks. News related to projects at the local level were promoted on the official websites of preschool institutions, municipalities/cities, social work centres, local media portals as well as social media (Facebook profiles and groups). The texts and stories that were forwarded to us by our associates from the local communities were soon published on the ECEC official website and other social networks of the Inclusive Preschool Education and Care Project.

In accordance with the adopted plan, the names of the representatives who submitted their homework and forwarded texts on current events from their local municipalities were published on the website of the Project – Project Ambassadors – https://ecec.mpn.gov.rs/?page_id=3620.

The effective cooperation and courtesy of the first Project Ambassadors so far is just the beginning of the story about the promotion of the Project in local governments. In the following period, news and current events are expected to arrive from other participants from other munipalities.

Within Inclusive Early Childhood Education and Care Project with the help of the obtained financial resources from the grant program, a new car was procured for a preschool institution in the municipality of Krupanj.

Through the “Mobile School of Parenting” project activities, a coordinated stay in the field of all partners, local community, preschool, health center, Center for Social Work, Red Cross, is planned in order for them to provide an assistance to parents through the organization of mobile counseling, parenting school which aims to develop parenting skills. The purchase of vehicle will significantly improve the work of all partners in providing assistance to parents through their activities.

The project implements daily programs lasting 4 hours for children who do not attend preschool as well as children from vulnerable social groups aged 3 to 5.5 in the three local communities of Brstica, Bela Crkva and Kostajnik.

“The duration of the Project implementation is 30 months and in that period intensive work will be done on the sustainability of the project and inclusion of children in other local communities, in the municipality of Krupanj, in preschool programs at an early age, so that children achieve full growth, development and learning from the earliest age in a stimulating environment “, points out Dusica Zeljic – project coordinator.

Activities on the project, as far as the current epidemiological situation allowed, began through the purchase of computer equipment, gift packages for children, conducting creative workshops for children and parents, as well as the purchase of a car.

One cycle of baby massage and baby workshops was realized in the kindergarten “Sveti Sava”, where 7 families with babies aged 3-12 months were included. In the kindergarten “Gorica”, the program was realized through two cycles, in the first cycle 10 families with babies aged 4 to 8 months were included, while in the second cycle there were 6 families with babies aged 2.5 to 4 months.

Member of the Municipal Council Stana Lukic and the director of the Preschool Institution Cukarica Biljana Gajic visited the kindergarten “Gorica” ​​where the “Baby Program” is being realized, and they were welcomed by the project coordinator Aleksandra Petrovic and baby massage instructor and psychologist Nevena Strizak.

“This is another program that is for the benefit of our children, and which is implemented in compliance with all epidemiological measures.” For children of the youngest age, this early developmental stimulus is the most necessary, so this baby massage is a very useful project “, said Stana Lukic.

Director of PU Cukarica Biljana Gajic pointed out that the Project achieves a priority goal within the Development Plan of PU Cukarica, which refers to increasing the coverage of children not included in preschool education, especially children from vulnerable groups, increasing inclusiveness, and systemic continuous support children and families.

Baby massage instructor and psychologist Nevena Strizak said that in the long run, all these effects of baby massage contribute to the continuation of a safe base in the relationship with the parent, better general control of their body, feelings and behaviors and parental confidence in caring for the child.

Project coordinator Aleksandra Petrovic emphasized that the inclusion of fathers in the programs is important, because the goal is to strengthen the competencies of both parents for quality child care, and added that the implementation of the “Baby Program” in three more locations is in line with the needs of families.

Funds for the implementation of this program are provided from grant funds and relate to: baby oil, towels, diapers, disinfectants. Upon completion of the program, each family received an educational package for the child.

Just as a reminder, the preschool institution Cukarica implements two quality programs to support the early development of children and the improvement of parenting competencies. These are the Baby Program and the Short Program, which are intended for children aged from birth to 6.5 years who are not in the system of preschool education. Within the project, so far, the “Baby Program” has been realized in two locations, in the kindergarten “Sveti Sava” on Banovo brdo and in the kindergarten “Gorica” ​​in Sremcica.

The preschool institution Cukarica continued to successfully implement project activities within the project “Dad, Mom, play with us”. In the kindergarten “Gorica” ​​in Sremcica, two spaces are equipped for the realization of quality short programs.

“An important condition for the success of the project is the constant improvement of the quality of the preschool education system, by improving the material conditions and enabling professional development of educators as well as their professional development,” said the director of the PU Cukarica, Biljana Gajic.

“We use all available space resources that we have in the kindergarten, so we have equipped the space for the realization of baby programs, intended for families who have babies aged 0-12 months. Also, the space for the realization of the short program “Igroteka” is equipped. This program is intended for children who are not in the system of preschool education at the age of 1-5.5, “said the coordinator of the PU Cukarica team, Aleksandra Petrovic.

The member of the Municipal Council, Stana Lukic, pointed out that considering the fact that the City Municipality of Cukarica does not have the authority to equip preschool institutions, any donation that would improve the living conditions of children in kindergartens is very important.

The City of Zrenjanin is another local municipality on the list of grant winners. In the previous period, a large number of activities were realized in this city within the Inclusive Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Project of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia.

The project “To a kindergarten with a smile” is being implemented by the City of Zrenjanin with partners, namely the Preschool Institution Zrenjanin, the Centre for Social Work, the Red Cross, the Health Centre “Dr Boško Vrebalov”, the General Hospital “Dr Đorđe Joanović” and the “Stay Awake” association. The project aims to improve the availability, quality and equality of preschool education for every child from birth to 6.5 years, and especially for children from vulnerable groups.

Within the goal related to strengthening the capacity of institutions and organizations in local municipalities for providing services to children and families from vulnerable social groups, the space in the Health Centre “Dr Boško Vrebalov” in Zrenjanin has been adapted and equipped. The space is intended for the examination of children aged 5.5 to 6.5 years from the city of Zrenjanin as well as from all populated places by physiatrists, and as part of the regular examination of children when starting the first grade of primary school. Cooperation with the institutions of our city provided an opportunity for parents to make one of the obligatory examinations of children for starting school more accessible and practical.

In addition, in the context of improving the availability of preschool services for children from vulnerable social groups, 2 spaces for the implementation of programs in the preschool institution have been adapted and equipped.

In the kindergartens “Zvončica” and “Zvezdica”, 2 new groups of a full-day program for children aged 6 months to 3 years have been formed in the adapted premises. Kindergartens have been adapted and equipped with the most modern furniture, props and teaching aids. 16 children are enrolled in the kindergarten “Zvončica”, and 14 children in the kindergarten “Zvezdica”. In this way, the coverage of children aged 6 months to 3 years has been increased, especially mu of children from vulnerable social groups.