Parents of Hopefield, Koperfontein and Green Village are being trained to help address the lack of access to Early Childhood Development (ECD) services in the region.
The Playgroup Site Learning Programme has been launched by Umoya Energy.
According to the wind farm, the aim is to build capacity among parents to help ensure the children will have increased opportunities for quality learning and caring programmes. This, in turn, helps prepare the little ones for Grade 1.
“Following the philosophy that parents are a child’s first teacher, this programme aims to empower parents by exposing them to the National Curriculum Framework Guidelines, so that they can better understand the key areas of their children’s development,” explained Veronique Isaacs, Regional Community Operations Manager for Umoya Energy.
The programme includes training to build capacity as well as funds to cover a stipend for parents who are selected as Playgroup Leaders. Thanks to the programme up to 100 children in these formalised playgroups receive a daily meal. Once the Parent Training workshops are completed, parents will be identified for further training on the Playgroup Site Learning Programme, so that they can fulfil the role of Playgroup Leaders.
“This programme will allow for a hundred community children to be part of this Playgroup intervention, and to receive a nutritious daily meal,” added Isaacs.
The Playgroup programme will address the effects of lack of access to ECD provision by providing a quality ECD service to those who otherwise cannot access these services.
