Young Children Are Everybody’s Business
Mission : To Improve opportunities for children up to age 8 who are growing up in socially and economically disadvantaged circumstances
Strategic Goals 2010 - 2020
• Reduce violence in the lives of young children • Take quality early learning to scale
• Improving young children's health by changing the conditions in which they live
Early experiences are built into our bodies
Early experiences affect the architecture of the brain
Adverse Childhood Experiences and Adult Cardiovascular Disease 3.5
Odds Ratio
3 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0
1
2
3
ACEs
4
5,6
7,8 Source: Dong et al, 2004
Changes in the Experts’ Approach Before the Science Revolution
• • • • •
Learning begins at school Health or education Care vs education Child focus vs parent focus Transition from preschool to school
After the Science Revolution
• • • • •
Learning begins at birth Health and education Care and education Two generations Continuity 0 to 8
BvLF fulfills the promise, somewhat. Our Toolbox
Fund the world of ideas Build a field Tackle long term problems
Philanthropic Tools for Greater Impact 1. Knowledge Development o
research, documentation, evaluation
2. Service product development and delivery o
investments, grants
3. Capacity Enhancement and Skills Development o
training, technical assistance
4. Behaviour Change Programmes o
campaigns, awareness
5. Policy Development & Implementation o
community organising, legal empowerment, lobby
6. Enabling Systems & Infrastructure o
networks, markets, finance
ISRAEL Universal access to quality pre-school among 3 to 6 year old children.
Reduced incidence of depression, anxiety and aggression among young Jewish and Arab children exposed to political violence.
Reduced rates of malnutrition among young Bedouin children growing up in unhealthy physical environments in the Negev.
The National Ministry of Education, local municipalities and members of the business sector have increased their financial investments in preschools for children
Parents and children experience reduced levels of stress from exposure to political violence
Improved knowledge about dietary and infrastructure causes of child illness and malnutrition
The ratio of pre-school to supervisor has decreased
The Israeli government has an appropriate public system for prevention and treatment of depression, anxiety and aggression among young children
Increased access to clean water, improved waste management and electricity
supervisors are better equipped to improve pre-school quality The quality of teaching and learning in pre-schools has improved The curriculum and reflects the cultural backgrounds of the children
Improved access to transport among Bedouin communities, especially women and children
Pilot health education programmes Reduced rates of malnutrition among young Bedouin children growing up in unhealthy physical environments in the Negev Improved child health (esp. reduction in digestive tract illness)
Better access to clean water Regional and municipal advocacy (water, sanitation, electricity)
Improved housing conditions (hygienic, ability to regulate temperature) Government provision of infrastructure in Bedouin towns and villages
Joint municipal and community planning
Research and communications about PE and child health link
Improved waste management
Government planners and Bedouins agree on a child-friendly plan
Lobby for nurses
Improved access to mother-child wellbeing clinics Healthy dietary practices to combat vitamin deficiencies
Electricity
Bedouin families invest in own infrastructure
Legal recognition of villages
Increased awareness among parents about dietary and infrastructure causes of child malnutrition Increased incomes among Bedouin families
More Bedouin women join the workforce
Increased mobility (e.g. transport) among Bedouin communities (esp. women)
Bedouin communities are well organized, have more positive public image and are supported by professional planners Organizing for transport Private sector transport options
What are the most costeffective interventions to improve Bedouin children’s health and nutrition?
Individual evaluations combined with meta-analysis
Review and recommendations by advisory team with knowledge of broader political context
Health and nutrition outcomes for children
How are our strategies working to influence investment and service delivery in the Negev region for Bedouin children? Budgets Evaluation of cluster of grants from advocacy perspective
How are our efforts to empower Bedouin communities in the planning process working to influence investment and service delivery?
Case study of selected municipalities
Effective coalitions (Arab, Jewish, government, private sector, parents) Access to basic services Health and nutrition outcomes
Overview: evaluation task Evaluation works between Strategic Planning and Management, providing the whole structure of the foundation with guidance and lessons learned from philanthropic activities.
Strategic Planning
25/05/2011
Evaluation
Strategic Unit for Philanthropy Evaluation Office
Management
13
Main purposes of evaluation Test and validate innovative policies Reward best practices Support worthy institutions
Accountability
25/05/2011
Critical analysis/ Learning
Strategic Unit for Philanthropy Evaluation Office
Knowledge sharing
14
Outcomes for children
Outcomes for children
Philanthropic Tools for Greater Impact 1. Knowledge Development o
research, documentation, evaluation
2. Service product development and delivery o
investments, grants
3. Capacity Enhancement and Skills Development o
training, technical assistance
4. Behaviour Change Programmes o
campaigns, awareness
5. Policy Development & Implementation o
community organising, legal empowerment, lobby
6. Enabling Systems & Infrastructure o
networks, markets, finance
Kenya
“Today there is no country in Africa like Kenya in terms of the reach of ECD. That system exists today because of the work of the Bernard van Leer Foundation.” Marito Garcia, the World Bank
1971 – 2010 € 30,450,047
Kenya
1971 – 2010 € 30,450,047
• BvLF created a nationwide infrastructure for early learning, in essence taking on the role of the state, and then handing it back to the Government of Kenya. • When BvLF arrived, no formal training in ECD in Kenya. Now every postsecondary institution provides an ECD Certificate and Kenyatta University awards a PhD in Early Childhood Education.
• It helped design early childhood education for nomadic pastoralist families and served children facing HIV/AIDS. • Its work convinced the World Bank to make their first loan for early childhood education in Africa (almost $30 million) resulting in 60% coverage for young children.
Philanthropic Tools for Greater Impact 1. Knowledge Development o
research, documentation, evaluation
2. Service product development and delivery o
investments, grants
3. Capacity Enhancement and Skills Development o
training, technical assistance
4. Behaviour Change Programmes o
campaigns, awareness
5. Policy Development & Implementation o
community organising, legal empowerment, lobby
6. Enabling Systems & Infrastructure o
networks, markets, finance
Poland
1990 – 2010 € 5,197,747 “Bernard van Leer Foundation support was like a golden seed which allowed [the] Comenius Foundation to grow, develop and become maybe not a big, but stable, tree with many strong branches which disseminates their knowledge and practice broadly among parents, teachers, educators, NGOs, local and national government leaders, academic and politicians, helping to create [a] better developmental environment for children.” Teresa Ogrodzinska, Comenius Foundation
Poland
1990 – 2010 € 5,197,747
• Now 90% of 3-5 year olds in Poland attend pre-school • BvLF helped rural communities obtain early childhood education.
• BvLF introduced Polish educators and families to early childhood development and ‘developmentally appropriate’ education for young children. • Key NGO partner leveraged almost $ 30 million in EU funds and lobbied successfully & conducted a media campaign for the Education Act to cover “other forms of pre-school provision.”
Elements of Success: Time - Flexibility - Trust - Choosing effective partners -Commitment to marginalised communities - Empirical data collection Willingness to take risks - Experimentation Contextualising methods - Local empowerment - Learning from local and international experience - Development of locally-rooted literature - Energetic dissemination of publications - Training trainers - Advocacy Attention to national ECD policies - Longevity of programme officers with adequate oversight and learning
Innovations
New appreciation for the integrated nature of early childhood development Early Learning
Health, Nutrition and Mental Health
Family Support and Child Protection
Changes in the Experts’ Approach Before the Science Revolution
• • • • •
Learning begins at school Health or education Care vs education Child focus vs parent focus Transition from preschool to school
After the Science Revolution
• • • • •
Learning begins at birth Health and education Care and education Two generations Continuity 0 to 8
700 new neural connections per second
Testosterone ↓
Homicides reduced 56% Non-fatal shootings reduced 34%
BvLF fulfills the promise, somewhat. Any questions? Fund the world of ideas Build a field Tackle long term problems