Issues and Trends in the Early Childhood Field

Part 1:  Establishing Contacts

In order to establish contact with early childhood professionals outside of the US I reviewed the World Organization For Early Childhood Education (OMEP) website.  From there I visited the different regions and chose several different professionals via email.  In my letter I wrote that I was a student studying the Early Childhood Education field and that I would like to find another early childhood professional that I could communicate with regarding the early childhood field in their country.  I have also contacted several different family members and asked if they have any contacts they could possibly share in the country they live in.  I have also contacted several friends and family that live outside the United States to see if they know of any early childhood professionals who would be willing to allow me to make contact with them.  Another route I took was to search for Early Childhood Education Organizatons on Facebook and posted a message on their walls.  I choose organizations such as Zero to Three, Association for Childhood Education International, and Global Fund for Children.  I am hoping to be able to make contact with several professionals; however, if I am unable to I will be doing the alternative for Part 1.

Part 2:  Expanding Resources

For this portion of the blog assignment this week I chose to review the Global Fund for Children website (www.globalfundforchildren.org).  I signed up for their newsletter which is issued quarterly.  I reviewed their Fall 2010 newsletter in which they discussed four of their grantees and their programs.  The Global Fund for Children organization awards grants to community-based programs that work with some of the world’s most poverty-stricken and vulnerable children and youth combined with a media program that highlights and brings awareness through digital photography, books, and film to issues affecting today’s children.  The organization began awarding grants in 1997 and since then has awarded over 400 grants in 75 countries totaling 18.9 million dollars. 

The Global Fund for Children supports the needs of children in a variety of ways from granting scholarships to children to attend formal schools, providing tutoring and mentoring programs, providing after-school programs, and establishing classrooms in a wide range of environments.

The Core Values of the organization include: Innovation, Excellence, Accountability, Knowledge, Dignity, Empowerment, Results Oriented, Integrity, Flexibility, Collaborative, and Supportive.

This site intrigued me because it assists in such a wide range of ways.  It provides capital to grass-roots organizations and allows them to promote health and education throughout the world.