Questions/Answers

The Kindergarten Ledina is a public Kindergarten founded by the municipality of Ljubljana. There are 430 children included from very different social backgrounds families. We carry out educational work in the field of pre-school education for children aged from 11 months to 6 years. Children spend there up to 9 hours a day, all year; we are open during summer and winter holiday. Kindergarten represents a protective factor for all children, no matter from what social, cultural environment they come from. We must develop sensitivity to diversity, consider the family's social background and allow children to develop potential and optimal development: - We are looking for methodological approaches to promote children's learning (nurturing children's talents, early detection of deviations in speech development, promoting moral development through art, developing ecological responsibility) - Provide parents and children access to all activities; we manage to do this with Fund Ledina Kindergarten. We use our Fund to provide all children to enjoy free excursions, all cultural and artistic events. Children of socially disadvantaged families are also paid several days stay at sea or in nature with the funds of the Fund. By collecting clothes, books, games, funds for the purchase of disability aids, we help families in creating a stimulative environment for the development of children. We also obtain additional funds through calls for proposals in the local and European field. - We provide a variety of locally produced crops, which children can take with them when leaving kindergarten. That way we provide sufficient nutrition for all children, especially children of socially vulnerable families. -The kindergarten employs professionals with high emotional intelligence and a strong social sense for other people. They help hard-to-employ disabled people and people in social distress with training, which helps them to continue employment and get involved in social environment.

The objectives of our work are: - Providing children with a stimulative learning experience and access to all educational activities - Reducing the differences between children - Poverty reduction - Ecological awareness of children, parents and local communities - Involvement of parents and local communities in the planning of the kindergarten all year plan - Ensuring cooperation between societies, voluntary organizations, kindergartens in Slovenia (Kindergarten in Roma community) - Training of hard-to-employ disabled people and people in social distress

Children spend a large part of the day in kindergarten. In the early period, learning and moral development of children are the fastest, so we need to provide children the same social, emotional, moral and educational opportunities. We organize a variety of activities that promote optimal development of all children: - We are looking for methodological approaches to promote children's learning; nurturing children's talents, early detection of deviations in speech development, promoting moral development through art, developing ecological responsibility. - We provide parents and children access to all payable activities; funded by Fund Ledina Kindergarten. - By collecting clothes, books, games, funds for the purchase of disability aids, we help families in creating a stimulative environment for the development of children. We are connected with the Kindergarten in Novo mesto, which has a unit in the Roma community. Every year, children and adults from our kindergarten visit Roma children and donate them toys, clothes and other accessories needed. - Training help hard-to-employ disabled people and people in social distress to continue employment and get involved in social environment.

We achieve goals in social, ecology and economics areas. Equal opportunities for learning and developing of children, regardless of their social environment. Our kindergarten professionals and external experts advise parents about children's education. We use our Fund to help children, who can't afford different payable activities. In the ecological area we are active in separating waste, collecting old paper and plastic.That way we teach children how all of this can be reused. We collect used clothes, toys, books, ... that we offer to socially deprived children and parents. We also donate to children from Roma community. From an economic point of view, a quality kindergarten is vital for the development of the economy.

We organize a variety of activities that promote the optimal development of all children: - We provide parents and children access to all activities; we manage to do this with Fund Ledina Kindergarten. We use our Fund to provide all children to enjoy free excursions, all cultural and artistic events. Children of socially disadvantaged families are also paid several days stay at sea or in nature with the funds of the Fund. We also obtain additional funds through calls for proposals in the local and European field. - By collecting clothes, books, games, funds for the purchase of disability aids, we help families in creating a stimulative environment for the development of children. - We provide a variety of locally produced crops, which children can take with them when leaving kindergarten. That way we provide sufficient nutrition for all children, especially children of socially vulnerable families. - We are trying to reduce food waste. Children become more responsible and develop a sustainable attitude towards the environment and local community.

We present our achievements, work and activities in the framework of fairs, conferences, presentations of examples of good practice, innovation, research projects at the local and national levels. We are doing this in cooperation with the City of Ljubljana, the Ministry of Education and Sport, the Institute for Education, the University of Ljubljana, the Eco-School, Charity societies, Maternity Homes, Safe Houses, Centre for Social Work. Every year, the children and adults of our kindergarten visit Roma children and donate toys, clothes and other accessories needed. Links: http://www.pedenjpednm.si/utrip-v-romskem-vrtcu-enoti-pikapolonica/; http://www.dolenjskilist.si/2016/04/13/153498/reportaze_in_zanimivosti/mladi_dopisnik/V_Pikapolonici_predali_igrace We present our work in public at the international conference Ecology for Better Tomorrow.

The mission of preschool education is to provide a safe environment for children, which at the same time offers the opportunity to develop all children's potentials. In addition, we follow the innovations from the area of development and learning in the early childhood period. The Kindergarten enables the child to develop social competence, which is a key segment for integrating the child into the wider social environment. By implementing guidelines, priorities and project activities, we follow the goals of pre-school education, which are defined in the basic provisions of the Preschools Act and the Curriculum for Kindergartens. Basis for planning in the kindergarten is a Curriculum for Kindergartens, which contains goals, activities and tasks that we have set up in individual departments. What makes us good is that we have set priorities, tasks, topics, together with children and parents and we jointly formulate a derived Curriculum. Our activities range from equal opportunities for all, care for another, financial and educational assistance to parents in help with raising and caring for their children. What makes us unique is promoting responsible ecological behavior, linking with institutions at local and national levels.

Practices carried out by our kindergarten are also performed in other educational institutions. To link the activities of the kindergarten and external institutions on the level of local community in the area of education, health and social services; "no body left behind", values our efforts.

Funds are obtained by collecting donations (bazaar, performances of kindergarten staff) and by applying to public tenders in the local community; Erasmus projects, three international projects on the eTwinning portal (certificates), involvement of parents, volunteers of the local community, experts in the area of social care, health care and education.

Yes

The initiative appears in various forms in various institutions in Slovenia. In the Ledina Kindergarten, however, we offer something more with activities related to the overall care for the preschool child. Those activities, from the aspect of education, social and educational support to parents and children, are providing a moral, ethical and environmentally conscious environment.

The initiative and approach are sustainable. They covers economic, social and environmental aspects of the child and environment at the local and national levels and globally. Our kindergarten education is based on the care for others, environment and understanding of oneself and others. This education is healthy, caring and moral and also help to economically sustainable and economically successful society.

We have been implementing individual activities for many years. In 2004, we established Fund Ledina Kindergarten, which covers the payment of excursions and additional kindergarten activities. Since 2009, we collect toys, games, clothes, which parents and employees no longer need. For the last five years, we work intensively with various institutions and associations in the comprehensive care of children. Last few years our professionals help hard-to-employ disabled people and people in social distress with training, which helps them to continue employment and get involved in social environment.

Yes

The effects are monitored by parents questionnaires based on their satisfaction about work in the kindergarten. For the last five years, performance of the kindergarten is rated with the highest rating. We also present the activities of the kindergarten to general public, local public, at the state level and internationally. Responses to our work are very good. We received a state award in the area of ecology, artistic creation, recognition of the Institute for Ethics and Values, for successful work in education, innovation of work and social care for preschool children.

The initiative enables spreading of knowledge and good practices at the wider, local, national and international levels. The paths of cooperation between local community institutions and kindergarten become a constant, regular practice, thereby increasing the importance and recognition of the role of pre-school education. Not only with care for the education of preschool children, but also with concern for social, moral, ecological development of children. Children with their beliefs, actions and ecological awareness become active citizens.

Indicators: - Number of registered children aged from 11 months to 3 years is increasing; kindergarten is a protective factor - Parents are satisfied with the activities in the kindergarten (annual assessment of the kindergarten of parents is 4.6, out of 5) - Many of local community institutions are involved in cooperation with kindergarten (Centre for Social Work, Eco-School, elementary schools, Centers for lifelong education, Retirement homes) - Knowledge and good practice are shared more widely by ambassadors of ecology at the state level, achievement of three eTwinning certificates, recognition of the Institute of Ethics and Values at the state level.

- The initiative was attended by Kindergarten Novo mesto, a unit in the Roma community. We have regular annual meetings with them, on which children can learn about cultural difference and provide help. - The Intergenerational Center and the Retirement homes provide monthly cultural and educational meetings, where children can help and care for the elderly people. - Ecological activities are carried out daily in the kindergarten. At the end of the school year we prepare a report of Eco-School project. Our results are rated as very good. For our successful work we got Eco-School award. - We collaborate with Centre for Social Work by drawing up plans for help children from socially vulnerable families.

For the last five years, we have been working intensively with various institutions and associations in the comprehensive care of children. A common concern for children in their early years is crucial. The method of cooperation should become more approachable and constant in each country. The resources devoted to the development of pre-school education are too low, that is why we would propose to increase the funds from the state. Concern for the social weaker should be closely linked through the social and education system. We would suggest improvements to state policies.