Early Childhood Development Communities of Practice

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ECD is central to a child’s development: it lays the groundwork for successful learning, which in turn helps children progress confidently into formal schooling. By facilitating interaction between government, training providers and implementers, BRIDGE supports coordination and collaboration to increase quality and impact in this vital sector.

Early Childhood Development Community of Practice (National)

Purpose

The National ECD Community of Practice (CoP) began in 2013 as a result of the need for a strong co-ordinating mechanism to facilitate integration and to provide platforms for diverse ECD stakeholders to harness their collective power for systemic improvements. It has grown to include approximately 850 stakeholders across all nine provinces as represented on its database. As a result of the widespread sharing of knowledge at all levels, the community has reached the position where it is making a significant contribution to the development of a strong and effective ECD system in South Africa.

The national ECD CoP links closely to its provincial ECD CoPs, as well as other local ECD forums to promote the sharing of knowledge and coordination at all levels of the system and between the public and private sectors involved in ECD.

Key Activities

The CoP meets quarterly, and addresses areas of interest as identified by CoP participants. The CoP has also produced resources and products in response to specific needs. Some examples are described below:

– An ongoing debate on the meaning of ‘quality’ in ECD in different delivery contexts led to the development of a Quality Tool, which is a self-reflection tool for ECD practitioners to engage with dimensions of quality. Link to the Quality Tool Brochure to find out more.

– The CoP links policy and practice by submitting collective inputs on key ECD policy documents. The CoP also represents civil society along with five other umbrella ECD organisations on the government’s Inter-Sectoral Steering Committee and Forum. The Forum is a united platform upon which Government and the Non-Government Sector engages on how to enhance the integrated delivery of ECD in South Africa.

– Mapping provides a systems view of activity in ECD. For example, the mapping of provincial ECD forums and networks in South Africa (in partnership with Ilifa Labantwana) will promote better engagement, communication and collaboration by all stakeholders for a stronger ECD sector. In addition, BRIDGE has mapped the size, scope, capacity and distribution of ECD RTOs across South Africa.

Link to the BRIDGE Knowledge Hub for meeting highlights, presentations, tools and documented working practice from this community.

Contact: Thandeka@bridge.org.za

KwaZulu-Natal Early Childhood Development Community of Practice

Purpose

The provincial ECD Community of Practice in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) is a BRIDGE convening that aims to promote improved co-ordination and knowledge exchange between national and provincial levels. The KZN ECD CoP was launched in April 2017 and provides a platform for ECD stakeholders based in the province to connect, share, collaborate and innovate to advance the ECD sector.

Launch of KZN ECD Community of Practice

Key Activities

The KZN ECD CoP keeps its members informed about national debates and KZN-specific provincial initiatives. The meetings take place on a quarterly basis following the National ECD CoP, so that the knowledge shared in the national CoP can feed into the provincial CoP and vice versa. Topics range from policy updates and educator qualifications to more practice-focused discussions and sharing on areas such as centre registration, the role of play, and training methodologies.

For an overview of the purpose, values and process of the KZN ECD CoP, read the Meeting Highlights of the KZN CoP launch.

Link to the BRIDGE Knowledge Hub for meeting highlights, presentations, tools and documented working practice from this community.
Contact: Thandeka@bridge.org.za

Western Cape Early Childhood Development Community of Practice

Purpose

BRIDGE has built on the significant gains it has made in the Western Cape by catalysing a Western Cape ECD Community of Practice (CoP) that links to its national focus area in ECD. The Western Cape ECD CoP offers a space for collaboration as well as sharing and developing area-specific working practice.

Key Activities

This CoP focuses on sharing working practice and discussing pertinent national and Western Cape-specific developments. This CoP has looked at issues such as centre registrations and professionalization and career pathways for practitioners.

Link to the BRIDGE Knowledge Hub for meeting highlights, presentations, tools and documented working practice from this community.

Contact: Thandeka@bridge.org.za

THE COP HAS CONNECTED ME WITH ORGANISATIONS WHOSE WORK COMPLEMENTS OUR CORE WORK, BUT ADDS A DIFFERENT DIMENSION (SUCH AS A FOCUS ON EARLY LEARNING BARRIERS) WHICH WE NEED IN OUR PROGRAMMES.

Early Childhood Development Community of Practice (National)

KwaZulu-Natal Early Childhood Development Community of Practice

Western Cape Early Childhood Development Community of Practice

ECD COP PARTICIPANT,