HISTORY AND NATURE OF CELEBRATING CHILDREN

COURSEDr Josephine-Joy Wright

CCCF 5th Annual Forum13th April ‘05

HISTORY

In 1998: International Children’s Charitable Organizations/Agencies working with children at risk came together at the first Viva Network (UK) Cutting Edge Conference.

Result: Recognition of need for training. Formation of Working Group to address the

issue.

RESEARCH

Many agencies/organizations had underskilled workers working with some of the most “in need”/ “at risk” children with little more than faith/calling/passion/their own needs and histories to equip them.

Other agencies/organizations had good in-house training courses designed to address specific areas of training skills and knowledge (e.g., evangelism, faith-building, physical health, literacy, pastoral care) - but this training could not be accessed to workers outside their organisations.

RESEARCH cont’d

Training was not always related clearly to identified training needs of organizations or workers.

Many workers at practice and management levels had the skills and knowledge that others needed - but were not equipped to pass on these skills to others.

There was a dearth of evaluation of practice - so many examples of God’s miracles and good practice went unrecognised and others could not learn from them.

RESEARCH cont’d

There was a lack of accredited training. Workers often attended in-house/other courses with no clear record of learning outcomes and knowledge and skills gained which were thus non-transferrable and meaningless when they went to work in other organizations.

Much of the Christian literature available to workers with children and young people was not research evidence-based or linked to good practice initiatives - often fantastic stories and testimonies but not how to learn from them in a way that a worker could clearly access either cross-culturally or within their own culture.

THE NEED

For a holistic foundational course to equip workers cross-culturally in good Biblically- rooted, evidence-based good practice in working with children, particularly those living in “especially difficult circumstances” (UNICEF)/ “at risk” (Viva Network).

THE NEED cont’d

The aim was that this course could be used as a foundation training to equip people working in the community with children and young people.

It could also be used as an intensive Higher Education course module and inform the framework of Degrees/Masters in this area.

HOW WAS IT DEVELOPED?

By an international working group of 15+ Christian organizations (including Tearfund, Compassion, World Vision, YWAM, Oasis Trust etc) working with Children and Young People across the continents - group facilitated by Dr J-J Wright working initially with Emily MacDonald from Viva Network (UK).

HOW WAS IT DEVELOPED? cont’d

1st draft developed (1998). Pilotted fully/in part in India, Colombia,

USA, Philippines, UK. Redrafted to focus more on lifespan and

normal development to emphasise the common themes in children’s needs across “at risk” situations, not just categories of children/topics. Also focussed on the overall developmental needs of the worker.

HOW WAS IT DEVELOPED? cont’d

Present foundational course for working with children and young people living in difficult circumstances.

NATURE OF COURSE

50 hours: 40 hours contact teaching time, 10 hours

study time.

NATURE OF THE COURSE cont’d7 modules:

1) Understanding the Child in Context.

2) Key Issues in Listening to Children.

3) Risk and Resilience.

4) Holistic Mission To Children.5) Working With Children: Practical Issues.6) Development, Evaluation and Monitoring of Programmes.7) Development of Self and Staff.

NATURE OF THE COURSE cont’d

To be accredited as the Celebrating Children Course, all 7 modules have to be covered and

75-80% of the syllabus content must be covered. The course can thus be adapted to meet local training needs whilst being transferrable across organisations/situations.

WHAT WILL THE STUDENT ACHIEVE?

By the end of the course the studentwill have attained the Learning Outcomesdescribed in the handout.

HOW IS LEARNING ASSESSED?

This has varied slightly to date depending on the assessment criteria of the training institution hosting the course but the following key areas have been assessed each time (verbal or written format to promote inclusivity):-

Observation and Assessment Skills –

Child observation-based case study.

HOW IS LEARNING ASSESSED? cont’d Child development in context - factors and

dynamics that promote/inhibit healthy resilient development/risk.

Project Implementation and Evaluation - a piece of Action Research to enhance children’s and young peoples’ lives in context.

Personal Reflective Log and Action Plan for future developments to promote personal growth (holistic) and best practice.

HOW CAN THE COURSE BE TAUGHT?

The course has been taught; for example in:

Cambodia: 2-day blocks over several months (due to translation and cultural requirements ofteaching style).Colombia: Mornings only over a 3-week period.USA and UK: An intensive week, Monday - Friday.India: 2-day blocks.Croatia: Evening courses over several weeks.

HOW CAN THE COURSE BE TAUGHT?

In the UK it is proposed that the course can be taught as for example:

• One-week block (Intensive Foundational Course or as a Masters module)

• Two 3-day blocks or Three 2-day blocks.

• 6 Saturdays.

WHO HAS TAUGHT THE COURSE IN THE UK?

Intensive weeks at:-All Nations College.International Theological Seminary, Glasgow.Moorlands College.

It has been integrated into Degree/Masters courses at I.T.S and Moorlands

Proposals to run another intensive week at Moorlands are being explored.

RESOURCES TO ASSIST TRAINERS

“Celebrating Children” textbook by Miles & Wright (Paternoster Press, 2003) (Biblically-founded, research evidence-based practice)

Website of resources for trainers is being produced.

“Training of Trainers” manual has been produced and publication is being sought.

IS THE COURSE ACCREDITED?

Internationally recognised by Viva Network - associated childcare organizations/agencies. Standards of teaching practice enforced in-house across the world.

Accredited by UK colleges who have run it to date (and others are interested in doing so).

Facility for working through Dr J-J Wright and Moorlands to run it locally with their accreditation.

Awarding Board Consortium (A.B.C) accreditation (NVQ Level 3) being sought this summer. The aim is to achieve this by Autumn 2005.

IS THE COURSE ACCREDITED?

Links with other courses (theology, pastoral, ministry, counselling, evangelism) as a Foundational Course within Lifelong Learning programmes are being explored/have been established (e.g., Barnabus Training Consortium who teach accredited Adult Christian Counselling Courses).

HOW CAN I ACCESS THE COURSE?

List of interested delegates has been compiled over last two years. (See Elizabeth Jackson to be added to list).

List of interested franchising organisations is being developed (see Elizabeth Jackson).

DEMAND LED - so let us know, or help us run it with you.