Vinnytsia regional public organisation “School of Equal Opportunities” (SEO) , a national non-governmental organisation, which was created in 2000 in Kiev, is our Partner of the Week. The organisation actively participates in the prevention and counteraction of all forms of violence against children and provides positive change for the creation of favourable conditions to develop the full potential of every child in Ukraine. To this end, SEO contributes to the strengthening of equal rights and equal opportunities for all community members through a peer education approach that favours discussions among youth. SEO is developing its educational projects with the support of the local educational department which holds Aflatoun classes in schools in the Vinnytsia region.

Highlights of Aflatoun Programme

Since 2012, Aflatoun is being implemented by SEO, starting with the training of its staff on methodologies and educational modules. The participants acquired the skills, tools, competences and knowledge for improving the use of the Aflatoun and Aflateen manuals in schools. Since then, the organisation is committed to train teachers that work in the schools of the region. Aflatoun programme became very successful and well-known among teachers and educators across Vinnytsia.

Following the training of Master Trainers in 2013, Aflatot was introduced in the country as a relevant programme. It was pilotedin every public kindergarten, in collaboration with the local educational department. To build capacity on the ground, the local Aflatoun partner organisation conducted series of Aflatot trainings in the region where teachers earned certificates approved by the local education department.

Thanks to gaining popularity and programme recognition in the region, Aflatoun International established contact with the Ministry of Education of Ukraine in 2014, specifically with Preschool education department: in 2015, both parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding. In 2016, Aflatoun International together with the master trainer of SEO carried out a national coordinators’ training in Kiev that lasted three days in collaboration with the Ministry of Education. In total 20 participants have been trained on Aflatot methodology, representing 16 different regions of Ukraine. After the Master Training, each coordinator was tasked to train kindergarten teachers in Aflatot upon return and support programme pilot there. As a result, the programme was expanded to all these regions with an implementation in 100 kindergartens.

This year, to celebrate this achievement and offer an opportunity to strengthen teachers’ professional practice, the Head of Preschool department with the Ukrainian Ministry of Education, Tamara Viktorovna Panasiuk, organised an Aflatot specific conference with delegates from the 16 different regions. All participants engaged in presentations, discussions and/or activities to develop good practice and promote Aflatot as a core programme for children ages 3 to 6. Aflatot teachers and kindergartens from Vinnytsia together with SEO staff representative have actively contributed to this event.

Today, SEO and the Ministry of Education of Ukraine have jointly achieved the following milestones with technical support from Aflatoun International:

• 18 000 children are engaged in Aflatoun
• 29 000 preschool children participate in Aflatot
• 1000 youth are involved in Aflateen
• Through the Aflatoun Formal curriculum, the average amount saved per child is €3 per month;