|
|
| |
| Strengthening Caregivers and Counselors' Skills in Advocacy for Community Ownership and Replication of ECD Deliverables
Download PDF
|
OLAOGUN, Ganiyu Olakunle (PhD), OLAGUNJU, M.K.O (PhD), BUSARI, M. A (PhD), ERUOBODO, Modupe Olubukola, ADELEKE, Sunday Joseph
|
Abstract:
Caregivers and counselors have vital roles to play in encouraging community ownership and sustainability of Early Childhood Development (ECD) deliverables particularly through skills they had received while working with development partners and donor agencies on interventions targeting improved welfare for children. Available data on the relationship between reception, replication and ownership of ECD deliverables by beneficiaries appear skewed. While beneficiaries of ECD programs often display high level enthusiasm and reception for programs at inception, replication and assuming ownership of programs often suffer after the program drivers have exited and withdrawn sponsorships and supports. The reality is that, the life span of most ECD intervention is tied to the exit of the intervening agency, donors, individuals and corporate sponsors, in spite of the numerous benefits that program targets (children particularly) have derived during the life span of the program. From a program development analysis and evaluation, the essence of such program is defeated and a near total loss of human and material resources is assumed. A plethora of factors have been identified as necessitating this development. These include but not limited to poor program planning, implementation and monitoring deficit, poverty, absence of adequate advocacy, sensitization and follow up skills by caregivers and counselors who participate program delivery. The paper presents data, on ECD deliverables' successes and failures and concludes that, strengthening the skills of ECD program drivers in advocacy, sensitization and follow up will reduce the losses associated with ECD program reception, replication and community ownership for optional benefits to succeeding generations of the target population, THE CHILD.
|
|
|
| | |