Community Approach & Processes
Finding a means of engagement between different stakeholders
Relevant & accurate early childhood information
The experience that any facility/service can be truly effective only when it responds to a specific need, coupled with the absence of an authentic and community-validated source of information, provides the basis for initiating a process of information-collection on early childhood care and education at the local level.
Utilising information as the basis to engage various stakeholders of the local administration (Taluk, Gram Panchayat), and the Women and Child Welfare Department results in initiating a discussion on early childhood care in their context and the collation of related-information. These discussions also identify the existing gaps in a facility for a certain GP. Based on this process of secondary data collection, villages (of the particular GP & taluka) that completely lack dedicated early childhood facilities/services are identified.
Having thus identified a need in these villages, a preliminary discussion involving some of the significant stakeholders (Anganwadi worker of a neighbouring village/ local Govt school teacher/SDMC members/ GP members/village elders, etc) is facilitated. Their understanding of early childhood care and education, their experience and the perceived need for a facility is deliberated upon. This preparatory meeting also helps the village members identify a local volunteer to undertake the house-to-house survey that would constitute the primary data collection process while also cross-validating the already existing data.
Makkala Araike Mathu Shikshana Sabha
Following the process of data collection and initial discussion, a village-level meeting on the issue of early child care (Makkala Araike Mathu Shikshana Sabha) is facilitated; comprising all relevant stakeholders, particularly parents, local elected representatives, local government preschool teachers, SDMC members and other village elders. This meeting is organised with the support of the same locally identified volunteers at a place and time convenient for the stakeholders in that particular village.
The information collected (primary and secondary data) is collated and analysed prior to the meeting and then presented to the stakeholders at the meeting; in a manner that establishes the veracity of the information while also supporting the community to identify the need for addressing early childhood care and education in their context.
The framework underlying the facilitation of this meeting seeks to primarily establish the significance of each participant at the meeting, attempting thereby to overcome traditional barriers of gender, caste, religion, etc. that divide the community. The process of information-collection and the initial discussion with key stakeholders is shared at this meeting, before proceeding to present the information and place it for discussion. The information sharing helps provide the context for a discussion on the existing situation and concerns of early childcare in the community, moving towards articulating and building a collective vision of caring for their children. It also entails that the community considers its own practices and understanding of early child care.
Keeping in mind its specific priority as articulated by the community- in terms of care and preschool education, or a combination of the above aspects – the community is supported in examining various possibilities to appropriately address this need. The joint decision of the community to initiate a preschool facility in the area to suit these needs is further elaborated in terms of personnel, material and other resources. A mapping exercise follows to determine how these resources can be met - within the community and using external support.
The exercise of mapping needs and resources takes the power of allocation of resources from a select few and brings it to the public domain where in true democratic practice; people get to decide the utilisation of available resources. This also brings with it a feeling of capability and empowerment to the community. The issue of early child care then becomes relevant as a public concern, necessitating the community to be the prime decision maker in organising and supporting the initiative.
In addition to enabling an understanding of the community's early child care needs and facilitating the articulation of their concerns, the Makkala Sabha also sets the basis for institutionalising the process of stakeholder ownership of early childcare, through formation of a village level parent structure.
Planning & Budgeting meetings
Identifying parents as a key stakeholder group, MAYA facilitates specific processes to find a means of engagement with and between parents. The process of budgeting and planning for resources needed in the centre, is an occasion to review and affirm the community's contribution and ownership of the individual centre as all the centres access the basic resources of space, teacher and fees from within the local community. This process also serves as an oppurtunity to build and strengthen the facility seeking external support.
The planning & budgeting meeting is conducted at the end of the first quarter of the centre initiation, during which the centre is entirely supported by the community seeking only locally available resources. After which the process occurs biannually engaging the community in a discussion, mapping the requirements of the centre and providing an opportunity to reflect & discuss with parents- the organisational aspects of early child care and education both within and outside their respective communities; resources to be locally generated and externally sought in a manner most suited to their needs.
Parental expectation meetings
Every year commences with a process of mapping parental expectations from the centre which could be outlined broadly into categories of expectations on learning; and that of care & safety. The parent expectation meetings is intended to build a framework determining the contents of the classroom sessions in keeping with what the parents want their children to learn. Even more importantly for the parents, it supports in fostering a sense of real involvement in their children's learning while reflecting on the relevance of education. It leads them to think beyond the preschool years to the schooling that they intend for their children; therefore often viewing preschool education on a continuum with school learning.
The teacher's learning framework is then a derivative of the learning outcomes and expectations as outlined by the parents, facilitating them to articulate their expectations beginning from where they are and not imposing externally set standards. The facilitation of this process is directed towards parents being able to articulate the simple commonplace expectations and support we give our children in helping achieve the learning outcomes. It ranges from child learning to eat independently, and to be toilet trained to partaking collaboratively with other children in performing several centre related activities. Most parents are able to easily identify and articulate these outcomes because despite any academic input parents inevitably expect their child to learn the language and speak simple words from their own environment; and be prepared for adjusting to the local government school.
Every cycle of expectation mapping is also linked with engaging -the parents as a significant stakeholder group- enhancing the extent of parent ownership and participation in the centre processes; affecting their quality of knowing which in turn would tangibly change their expectations. This would imply affecting preparedness of parents through re-examining their assumptions about their roles & responsibilities; their views about the experience their children are living and taking a participative approach towards the whole school experience.
Parent's workshops
Attempting to find various means to engage parents in the process of early childcare, MAYA also facilitates parents' workshops that focus on preparation of identified learning aids by the parents or planning on aspects of nutrition and health of the young children. The workshop creates an opportunity for parents to partake in the activities of the school and relate to each other as parents with a common concern. In the making of several resource materials they established and strengthened their links with the ECCE faciltiy, simultaneously building their capacity to sustain the centre and enrich their children's learning environment.
Institutionalising the process of engagement
Central to MAYA's approach to early childcare is the recognition of the essentiality of institutionalising processes of engagement between different stakeholders. Institutionalising this process of engagement is therefore a core process that the organisation facilitates. Efforts in this regard focus on building new egalitarian structures, rather than working within the prescribed limits of existing structures of authority and power.
Centre level structures
Each centre is represented by a committee comprising three parents and the teacher. This committee is supported in identifying and mobilising local resources for their centre. A 6-monthly planning and budgeting exercise is facilitated in each of the centres with the teacher and 3 parents. This process focuses on supporting the committee to build on the organisational aspects of their centre and institutionalise the relationship between the teacher and parents towards its development.
Cluster level structures
Based on its experience of working extensively with communities and early childcare, MAYA has perceived the need to form such a cluster-level structure to institutionalise the engagement of stakeholders at this cluster level (10 centres to a geographical cluster). Through the formation of such a structure, parents and teachers are supported in building on the learning's from their individual facility to view the issue of early childcare at the broader level of their community and environment; sharing experiences and relating to different facilities; collectively planning for addressing early childcare at the cluster level (on aspects of health, learning, expenditure and support); identifying possible resources and accessing these resources both within and outside their immediate community.
With the purpose of building community capacities in institutionalising the approach to care and education and its effective functioning of all centres within the cluster, cluster level processes are facilitated, wherein representatives of ten centres in the cluster – 3 parents and the teacher from each centre- come together as a group that is responsible for developing relevant plans (including financial plans) for each of the constituent centres. This group then selects a three member structure of cluster representatives-2 parents & 1 teacher forming the cluster level structure. The cluster-level structure draws from individual centre experiences and assumes responsibility for formulating plans and implementing these plans through identifying centre requirements, raising necessary resources from within the local community and externally. They are also responsible for maintaining cluster bank accounts and are signatories to its operations. The cluster level committees are strengthened through capacity building processes of skill training provided by facilitators enabling an efficient system based on the above aspects.