On February 19th, 2020, the event will present the project’s success stories of inclusion. There are no children hard to reach, rather there are tailor-made services for children and families.

TOY for Inclusion supports children and families at the margins in eight European countries. To date, 14 Play Hubs have been opened, 6400 children, 3800 adults and 600 practitioners have participated in the Play Hub activities (in 2018 and 2019). Approximately 30% of the children, adults and practitioners come from vulnerable groups: migrants, refugees, Roma, low income or special needs.

The event titled, “A European project to boost community-based early childhood development”, will be hosted by MEP Mrs Tanja Fajon. EU policy makers, local authorities, civil society representatives, the TOY for inclusion partners, volunteers and practitioners will gather to discuss the project’s approach to non-formal community-based services for young children.

Pop up museum

The event will also feature a Pop up museum which has been created for the occasion. Take a peek into the children’s world. Learn about their lives, dreams and potential. Meet ten-year-old Lan from a Roma-settlement in Slovenia who prepares breakfast for his little brother every morning; get to know three-year-old Marta (Italy), who despite her disability wants to do everything by herself; and learn how Ivano from Croatia made friends at the Play Hub.

TOY for Inclusion moves away from the perspective that some children and families are harder to reach than others. Instead, we bring services where they are needed. We promote inter-sectoral work, flexible solutions and contextualized responses to the specific needs of young children and their families.

For more information contact Francesca Colombo, Senior Program Officer at ISSA. Download the event agenda here.