Family Learning Programme
In an attempt to promote the concepts of family and intergenerational learning in the Caribbean, efforts will be made on multiple levels to document and disseminate information about family and intergenerational learning; promote integration of family learning concepts and methodologies into existing CCSI programme initiatives including RCP, ECHO and FLP to serve as examples; offer concrete training opportunities for staff engaged in these programme initiatives and other interested stakeholders; and to promote dialogue at the policy and planning level.
In preparation for its next cycle of activities from 2007-2011, The Caribbean Child Support Initiative (CCSI) began exploring a comprehensive approach that would address both children and parents’ educational needs and began work by adding to it family literacy concepts and methodologies. In the US and UK, Family Literacy (FL) is widely known for its aim to involve parents in preparing their children for school by assisting them in acquiring pre-academic reading and writing skills, that is to say that a school-centered approach would seem to prevail in those countries.
In an effort to further the concepts and methodologies of family literacy and family learning in the Caribbean and disseminate their usefulness in conjunction with other development interventions; it was decided to proceed with a family learning approach that is regional in scope rather than a single stand alone programme in one country.
Countries that have expressed interest in further exploring the family learning concept include:
- Belize
- St. Vincent
- Grenada
- Dominica
- St. Lucia
Synergies with other CCSI Initiatives:
In order to capitalise on opportunities for integration of family and intergenerational learning into a variety of content areas, the Family Learning programme will develop useful tools with two existing CCSI community efforts: The Roving Caregivers Programme (RCP) and the Early Childhood Health Outreach (ECHO) Programme. In the RCP in St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada and Dominica, literacy extensions will be developed to compliment the newly edited RCP curriculum. Corollary trainings will be conducted for RCP staff in the use of these literacy extensions.
In the ECHO programme in St. Vincent, adding adult and child literacy related “tools” for maternal and child health (documentation and record keeping as well as information for parents on child development) will be explored with programme staff and developed by the FLP consultant.
Expected Outcomes:
- Awareness and Sensitization of Family Learning (FL) concepts and family learning
- Regionally disseminate materials for and about family and intergenerational learning in the Caribbean – with a final product ready for dissemination by the end of 2010.
- Engage a wide range of stakeholders in discourse about FL concepts
- Package FL resource toolkit
- Enrich RCP/ECHO with Family Learning concepts (through literacy extensions and documentation)
- Remove the ambiguity associated with Family and Intergenerational Learning (and family literacy) by showing its integration into existing programmes and sectors (health, education, agriculture, community development)
- Develop a Case Study on Family Learning in the Caribbean – examining the merits of a regional approach including different modalities of service delivery (integrated models, stand alone, etc..)
Positive Responses to Family Learning Consultations
Written by CCSI Content 1
Following the launch of the Regional Family Learning Programme (FLP) in Belize in 2009, Regional Coordinator Fortuna Anthony, is encouraged by the responses in the islands of St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada.
The first consultation since the launch in Belize was in St. Lucia at the Auberge Seraphine Hotel on November 26, 2009. There was much interaction and discussion with participants and while there are several positive initiatives in St. Lucia, the participants agreed that there was the need for a close networking and a National Plan for the development of a Family Learning Programme.
