22/08/2011

Community Action Definition

Community Action links together Mainstream Schools and Special
Schools and Residential Institutions as well as towns, villages and
local communities in a clear, coherent and coordinated weekly
programme of educational development and social integration.
Community Action creates a new and real Partnership of Learning
Community Action encourages volunteers from Mainstream Schools and
children from Special Schools and Residential Institutions and those in
towns, villages and local communities to meet 2 or 3 times a week to
participate in educational activities which help to build a Bridge of
Communication between Schools and Institutions, volunteers and
children, and across communities

Romania

Community Action is organised by the ACHLG in partnership with

Ministries of Education and other Ministries

Community Action Aims

Community Action Objectives

To introduce volunteers from Mainstream Schools and children from Special

Schools and Residential Institutions to a Community Action Programme
supporting physical and educational development

Linking together student volunteers from Mainstream Schools and young

people in partner Special Schools and Residential Institutions during and
beyond school hours in a locally targeted programme of educational activities

To encourage volunteers to commit themselves to working with children with

Special Needs (especially) and to sustain and promote the process of social
integration and educational development for all

To improve the life chances and experiences of all young people in schools,
particularly those with Special Needs

Enabling young people with Special Needs to become stimulated mentally,

challenged physically, integrated socially, and to develop more fully their
abilities through creative, imaginative and therapeutic activities (e.g. Art,
Drama, Dance, Sport, I.T., Music, Craft)

To help to overcome barriers to learning and achievement for all young people

To achieve greater integration and inclusion through a programme of activities

designed to promote active learning and social cohesion

Encouraging volunteers to acquire or enhance their qualities of initiative,

commitment and resourcefulness through their participation in a Community
Action Programme
Providing stimulating opportunities for learning and development for all
children especially those with special needs through personal engagement in
Community Action in the local community

Benefits - CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL / SOCIAL NEEDS

Children participating in Community Action Programmes will:
become further involved and more fully integrated into their local
communities and enjoy developing new and personal friendships with
volunteers
gain greater self-esteem, and more fully appreciate their own value and
worth - which, in turn, would be appreciated by others
stimulate their creative, imaginative and expressive abilities though the
organisation of a variety of different activities
develop new physical skills through a diverse programme of sporting and
other physical activities
become more balanced individuals - gaining personal and emotional
security and confidence
develop their individual skills / talents & pursue their own special interest;
feel a part of their community and not apart from it.

22/08/2011

Benefits -

Programmes

MAINSTREAM SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS

Students participating in Community Action will:

advance their knowledge and skills in important aspects of education, in
an enjoyable and exciting way
enhance their understanding and awareness of the individual needs and
challenges faced by others in their community
encourage their resourcefulness, intelligence and creativity to respond to
these community and individual needs
gain the sense of fulfilment in undertaking challenging and useful work
improve their awareness of important social issues
help to break down social prejudices and remove ignorance
develop and enhance their attributes of patience, commitment and
dedication

Participants

Romania

107,500

Moldova

12,200

Georgia

5,200

Armenia

4,300

National Strategy Priorities 2011 - 2012

1. On-going core focus children with special needs

England, UK

100+

Macedonia

200

National Strategy Priorities 2011 - 2012

Increasing the number of children in Special Schools, Boarding
Schools and Residential Institutions
Increasing the number of volunteers taking part week in, week out
Organising regular visits (at least once a week) as part of the CA
programme of activities
Keeping up to date the Annual Schools Record Book as a full
record of all CA activities and events completed
Regular evaluations from Directors, Coordinators, Psychologists,
volunteers
Special CA Events to celebrate the achievements of the regular
weekly CA programme

2. New initiatives in villages in the Regions

3. Reaching out to include disadvantaged, marginalised groups

Children
with Special
Needs

All
Residential
Institutions

Locally
identified
needs in
Villages

Vulnerable
families

Other Target
Groups (Roma,
IDPs)

Community Action Activities

Educational activities
Expressive activities
Creative activities
Imaginative activities
Physically challenging activities

Organising Integrated CA Summer Projects

22/08/2011

Community Action Activities

Community Action Activities

Interaction Integration - Inclusion

Interaction Integration - Inclusion

Close collaboration

Close collaboration

Positive praise and reinforcement

Positive praise and reinforcement

Active learning

Active learning

Caring and supportive learning

environment

Caring and supportive learning

environment
Focus on teaching and learning

COMMUNICATION

What are you

drawing?

COMMUNICATION

He says

Who is on the
bus?

Where do the
people on the
bus come from?

Where is the
bus going?

Why did you

choose to draw
that?

What will they

do when they
get there?
RE-TELLING THE STORY

POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT

Bravo!

What makes a good Activity

session?
Engaging with the children
Purposeful, fun activities
Positive reinforcement with praise
Improving skills and confidence levels
Measurable difference achieved
Real sense of achievement
Celebration of progress made

CELEBRATING ACHIEVEMENT

22/08/2011

What makes a good Activity

session?
Engaging with the children
Purposeful, fun activities

Planning Activity sessions

Aims clearly identified in advance

Activities accessible to all children

Positive reinforcement with praise

Improving skills and confidence levels
Measurable difference achieved
Real sense of achievement
Celebration of progress made

Planning Activity sessions

Progression planned from one weekly

session to the next

Community Action New Evaluation Model

In addition to the usual ways of evaluating the SNAC (surveys and
questionnaires), we are working on a new child-centred Evaluation
Model for measuring the educational development of children
regularly involved in CA activities:
What is this new Evaluation Model?
Based on observations of individual children during regular CA
activity sessions with volunteers
Initial observations record the childrens levels of communication,
action and response
Further observations of the same children in the same CA activity
are made several weeks later to measure any changes
The Model is simple to use and may help shape future planning
for these activity sessions

Community Action Evaluating educational progress

Community Action Evaluation Model

Effective child-centred support for children with special needs will allow
those children to:
Access and enjoy the whole curriculum
Develop their full potential alongside their peers (including
volunteers)

ACTIVITY

COMMUNICATION

PERSONAL
DEVELOPMENT

Benefit from greater self-esteem and confidence

Community Action aims to promote these
changes and help all children make educational
progress.
A new Evaluation Model has been developed
which aims to provide evidence of such change
taking place in integrated CA activities.

22/08/2011

Community Action Evaluation Model

Community Action Evaluation Model

What are the Evaluation scores used for?

What next?

INDIVIDUAL CHILD

ACTIVITY

1 2 3

LEVEL

New Evaluation Model Trial based on observations of a range of

activities in the weekly SNAC programme in 3 Judets in Romania from
January 2012
Training in the Evaluation Model to be given to the 3 selected
Coordinators in these areas for their new role as observers and
evaluators
New Evaluation Model Trial results will be reported in June 2012

GENDER

Community Action County Coordinators Priority

To organise a Meeting for all LOCAL/SCHOOL Coordinators
Agenda (Outline of Action Points for Coordinators, 2011-2012):

Community Action County Coordinators Priority

To organise a Meeting for all LOCAL/SCHOOL Coordinators
Agenda (Outline of Action Points for Coordinators, 2011-2012):

1. Weekly activities (e.g. art, dance, drama, music, sport)

throughout the school year as an established part of every CA
link programme
2. Planning for these weekly activity sessions

1. Weekly activities (e.g. art, dance, drama, music, sport)

throughout the school year as an established part of every CA
link programme
2. Planning for these weekly activity sessions

3. Schools CA Record Book to be completed by local/School

Coordinators
4. Evaluations (i.e. feedback, not the new Evaluation Model)
from Coordinators, Directors, Psychologists, Volunteers ,
Parents etc as usual during the school year

3. Schools CA Record Book to be completed by local/School

Coordinators
4. Evaluations (i.e. feedback, not the new Evaluation Model)
from Coordinators, Directors, Psychologists, Volunteers ,
Parents etc as usual during the school year

Schools Community Action Record Book 2011 - 2012

Schools Community Action Record Book 2011 - 2012

Definition of Community Action

Definition of Community Action

Aims and Objectives

Aims and Objectives

Benefits

Benefits

National Evaluation Form (December submission to the Ministry)

National Evaluation Form (December submission to the Ministry)

History/Background of linked schools/institutions (+ CA map)

History/Background of linked schools/institutions (+ CA map)

History of Community Action at linked schools/institutions since 2007

Record Book
includes:
History of Community Action at Schools
linked schools/institutions
since 2007

Action Plans

10

Action Plans

Special Events / Competitions

15

Photo Record of Community Action regular weekly activities & special events

19

Posters Recruitment of volunteers, special events; Newsletters/School website

25

Activity Session Plans (examples of good practice)

30

Short Case Studies

10
maximum of 3 children
Special Events / Competitions
15

1
or
2
pages
long
Photo Record of Community Action regular weekly activities & special events
19
Examples
ofNewsletters/School
CA successwebsite
sent to25NC
Posters Recruitment of volunteers,
special events;
uploaded
to Ministry website30
Activity Session Plans (examples of good
practice)

Evaluations (Directors, Coordinators, Volunteers, Parents)

35

Evaluations (Directors, Coordinators, Volunteers, Parents)

35

Year Plan (2010 2011)

45

Year Plan (2010 2011)

45

Year Plan (2011 2012)

46

Year Plan (2011 2012)

46

TO BE SHOWN WHEN NATIONAL COORDINATOR VISITS SCHOOLS

TO BE SHOWN WHEN NATIONAL COORDINATOR VISITS SCHOOLS

22/08/2011

Schools Community Action Record Book 2011 - 2012

A

Definition of Community Action

Aims and Objectives

Benefits

National Evaluation Form (December submission to the Ministry)

Examples
of CA
website features
History/Background
of linked
schools/institutions
(+ CA map)

Interviews
with
volunteers,since
parents,
History of Community
Action at linked
schools/institutions
2007

Directors.
8
Coordinators, partners in the community 10
Action Plans
New aspects of schools CA programme 15
Special Events/ Competitions
Community
Report on
specific
CAactivities
Events
Photo Record of
Action
regular weekly
& special events
19
Media
reports
on events;
the schools
CA programme
Posters Recruitment
of volunteers,
special
Newsletters/School
website
25
Plans
Focus
on ofthe
schools
Activity Session
(examples
good
practice) work with particular 30
disadvantaged
groups
Evaluations (Directors,
Coordinators, Volunteers,
Parents)
35

Year Plan (2010 2011)

45

Year Plan (2011 2012)

46

G
H
I
J
K

Recording Community Action

Photographic record of weekly sessions & events

Photos showing collaboration, inclusion, achievement
Celebrate CA in the annual Schools CA Record Book
Sharing success on CA website

COMPETITION FOR THE BEST SCHOOLS CA RECORD BOOK

TO BE SHOWN WHEN NATIONAL COORDINATOR VISITS SCHOOLS

Community Action Annual National Evaluation Stages

Recording Community Action

There are 4 strands to the CA Evaluations of the NSCA each year:

December

Photographic record of weekly sessions & events

Photos showing collaboration, inclusion, achievement
Celebrate CA in the annual Schools CA Record Book
Sharing success on CA website

Initial National Evaluation of numbers involved

February
Evaluation feedback from Directors, Coordinators and volunteers

SPECIAL EVENTS:

May/June
Update of National Evaluation of numbers involved

Christmas/New Year
Easter/Spring
National Days
Local Festivals
Integrated Summer Projects

Full evaluation questionnaire, giving details of frequency and

types of activity undertaken

Community Action Annual National Evaluation Stages

Day

Mon

Tue

Activity

Special
School /
Institution

Time

Details

September
December
February
May/June

Wed

Community Action Calendar 2011 - 2012

MONTH

KEY CA DATE / CA EVENT

September

CA programmes in schools re-start, CA Training Conference(s)

October

Programme of regular, weekly CA activities established

November

1st Evaluation starts link details & numbers of participants

December

Evaluation deadline Christmas/New Year CA Events

January

CA weekly visits and activities re-start

February

CA sample Questionnaires sent out

March

Easter/Spring CA Events

April

National Evaluation starts

May

Evaluations due, End of school year Celebration Event

June

Schools CA Record Books received by National Coordinator

July

Integrated CA Summer Project(s)

22/08/2011

Support for local Directors and Coordinators

What happens next

Coordinators Handbooks
Volunteers Guidebooks
Activities Books
Record Books
Brochures

Weekly programme of CA activities

Regularly update the Schools Record Book

Sharing success with the National Coordinator for inclusion on the CA website

Regular Ministry and ACHLG visits to local CA link schools/institutions

CA Special Events to celebrate achievements

Training for the new Evaluation Model (2012)

Sharing your successes and

contributions will help develop these
publications for future generations
of volunteers we look forward to
seeing the results!