(PDECCE-T) Working with the Community
About This Course
Young children’s lives are shaped by home and family, by schools and education programmes, by the neighbourhood and community and beyond. The community can serve as a great resource to the child, family and school. Parents and teachers can tap on the community to support and benefit them and the children they care for.
This module focuses on engaging community stakeholders in collaborative projects by identifying and tapping on community initiatives and resources, encouraging participation of community stakeholders and developing effective long-term partnerships. Centre initiatives can be an effective way to engage the community in various projects that will involve staff, parents, children and the community.
Discussion includes assisting with public awareness activities, collaborating to generate ideas, communicating effectively with stakeholders, maintaining confidentiality and professionalism in communications and encouraging feedback from families on collaborative projects to benefit children and families.
What You'll Learn
1. The ability to understand:
a. The importance and benefits of leveraging community stakeholders and resources
b. Available community stakeholders who can provide assistance to children and families
c. Available community initiatives and resources that can benefit children and families
d. A range of communication techniques and strategies for establishing home-centre-community partnerships
e. The objectives of the centre’s initiatives and programmes
f. The importance of engaging in the centre’s initiatives and programmes
g. The centre’s vision, mission and values in relation to its initiatives and programmes
2. The ability to:
a. Work collaboratively with community stakeholders to provide services to children and families
b. Identify and tap on community initiatives and resources to benefit children and families
c. Encourage and invite participation of community stakeholders towards the centres’ programmes for the benefit of children and families
d. Engage in the process of developing effective long-term partnerships and collaborations with community stakeholders
e. Encourage feedback from families on the collaborative projects with community stakeholders
f. Discuss and provide input on the centre’s initiatives and programmes
g. Contribute to the centre’s initiatives and programmes
h. Engage with the different stakeholders involved in the centre’s initiatives and programmes
3. The ability to:
a. Assist with public awareness activities to inform the community about early care and education services
b. Work with colleagues to generate ideas for collaboration with community partners
Entry Requirements
Applicants should have:
* 5 GCE ‘O’ level credits including a grade C6 in GCE ‘O’ level English Language OR Any English Language Acceptable Alternatives
OR
* 10 years of formal education in English as a medium of instruction and passed state exam with credits in 5 different subjects OR required to pass English Language
OR
* Degree with English as medium of instruction from state recognised university OR required to pass English Language Acceptable Alternatives