Learning and wellbeing in emergencies: Findings from pilot studies in South Sudan and Egypt

• In Event: Lessons Learned from Education in Emergencies Knowledge Transfer Strategies

Proposal

This paper presents findings from the piloting of Save the Children’s Learning and Wellbeing in Emergencies (LWIE) approach. An adaptation of Save the Children’s signature Literacy Boost program, LWIE is designed to support immediate and longer term well-being and learning outcomes of children in crisis environments. LWiE was in part developed as a response to the need for continuity between the development and emergency context, an attempt to limit disruption to children’s learning in the event of a crisis. In terms of education programming, by building humanitarian elements into an existing Save the Children approach used in development contexts, development education staff are better equipped to “pivot” in the event of a crisis. It is an education in emergencies program that focuses not only on literacy but also acknowledges and addresses the issue of a child’s wellbeing and the impact of crises on a child’s ability to learn. By focusing on the well-being of both teachers and students and assessing their related social and emotional needs, LWiE is an effective innovation to garner community support for education and to ensure teachers and children are equipped with the tools to learn and thrive, even in the face of uncertainty. The approach was piloted in South Sudan and Egypt, specifically supporting refugee populations in both countries, in 2016-2017. Specific findings will be available by end of calendar year 2017 and will be the subject of this presentation.

LWiE is based on Save the Children’s flagship Literacy Boost model. Literacy Boost is an innovative, evidence-based approach to improving literacy learning outcomes, originally designed for development contexts in response to growing evidence of gaps in basic literacy learning. Launched in 2009, it has been implemented in 34 countries with the support of partners. Literacy Boost aims to ensure that children are supported in school and in their communities to strengthen the core skills of reading, based on the three pillars of: Learning Assessment, Teacher Training and Community Action. LWiE adheres to the same three pillars but with a stronger focus on well-being – measuring children’s well-being as it relates to their learning outcomes, ensuring teachers have the skills and knowledge to promote social and emotional learning in the classroom and engaging the local community in activities that promote literacy and well-being outside of the school.

Author

• Rachel McKinney, Save the Children - USA