A specially commisioned article written by Early Years.
Early Years – the organisation for young children – is the largest organisation in Northern Ireland working with and for young children, and is core funded by the Community Relations Council.
The organisation is continuing to support practitioners to implement the Media Initiative for Children Respecting Difference programme within settings in South Belfast, East Belfast, Newry Mourne & Down, as well as previous participants from Lisburn & Castlereagh and North Down & Ards Council areas.
The Media Initiative for Children (MIFC) Respecting Difference Programme is an intervention programme aimed at improving long term outcomes so that children, practitioners/teachers, parents and communities become more aware of diversity and difference issues and positively change attitudes and behaviours to those who are different.
Follow-up support sessions
As part of the programme implementation, Quality Mentors Eileen McClean and Aoife Lacey from Early Years, facilitate MIFC follow-up support sessions. Early Years practitioners from settings in the funded areas were invited to participate and engage for this 2-hour online session.
Follow-up training brings staff from early years settings together for support and to share experiences of good practice.
The main objectives of the MIFC follow-up session are for practitioners to:
- Reflect on strategies to support implementation of MIFC Respecting difference programme
- Share ideas on overcoming barriers to implementation of MIFC Respecting difference programme.
At this session participants were given opportunity to discuss their Good Relations Plans and what is meant by Good Relations.
Although there is no agreed definition of Good Relations, as it is defined in Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, the following gives some idea of what is meant by the phrase Good Relations:
- Breaking down barriers between communities
- Challenging our preconceptions of how we think of “others”
- Building equality, reconciliation and an appreciation of diversity
- Commitment to developing relationships with and between communities
- Commitment to developing relationships with new migrant and ethnic communities.
Good Relations used to be called Community Relations, but now has added emphasis on racial issues as well as political and religious issues.
The settings were also invited to discuss the work they were already doing to support Good Relations in their own settings and communities, how they could further support this and what challenges they face around this.
The practitioners shared some of the following comments reflecting the impact of the MIFC Programme implementation in their setting:
As adults it has shown us the importance of teaching children from a very young age about differences, being accepting of others and how unique we all are, and teaches us and reminds us as an adult that we need to be inclusive and accepting of others. The children now talk openly about feelings & emotions.”
Setting participating on the programme
The Media Initiative for Children Programme has enhanced our curriculum by introducing a visual and interactive teaching aid which engages the children and helps them begin to think about others as well as themselves and how other children can be different to them but that is ok and introduces them to inclusion and diversity. Evidence-children including another child who has glasses to join them in their play.”
Setting participating on the programme
The Community Relations Council funding has ensured programme implementation continues for settings in South Belfast, East Belfast, Newry Mourne & Down as well as previous participants from Lisburn & Castlereagh and North Down & Ards Council areas at this time.
Another follow-up session will be facilitated by Quality Mentors Aoife Lacey and Eileen McClean on 25 March 2022.