How to Build a Network of SEL Supportive Parents and Caregivers in Rwanda

• In Event: Social Emotional Learning: Building Community and National Networks and Policies

Proposal

Long before children start school, they experience SEL within their families which supports them to further develop these competencies in the classroom setting. Young children form attachments with parents, siblings, and caregiving adults that develop wellbeing, security, and establish a basis for social interaction and healthy emotions. Since emotional skills development begins at this early stage, investing in positive programming for families and early childcare is important for long-term development (Shivshanker et al, 2021).

As children age, the school setting becomes an ideal place to foster academic, social, and emotional wellbeing. Global adoption of SEL programs in school settings is becoming increasingly widespread and more contextualized. Though it can take more time, close involvement with local communities renders highly contextualized insights that may favorably impact project outcomes (Bailey et al, 2021). Indeed, USAID case studies in Uganda, Honduras and Bangladesh indicate that educators were more likely to be champions of new SEL approaches if they received support from parents, caregivers and other community members (Jeong et al, 2021).

Much groundwork has been laid in Rwanda toward a contextualized SEL approach that equips learners and their caregivers in two main ways. First, Rwanda has designed and adopted a national SEL framework. Second, effective projects engage a local partner that has carried out successful parental engagement sessions for some time, easing the integration of SEL support for learners in the project’s outreach to parents and caregivers.

With the goal of ensuring all Rwandan children have literacy-supportive, stimulating, and safe home and community environments to foster reading in young children and develop the foundation for future learning, this project involves a keen emphasis on parents and ECD caregivers’ engagement. The project’s approach toward the household level is characterized by activities that promote literacy, increase the role of members of the wider community in promoting a culture of reading among children, and improving literacy opportunities for children with disabilities.

Parents and ECD caregivers are equipped with tools to support children’s learning and social emotional development, particularly in ECD centers and home environments and are reached in three main ways. First, parents/caregivers are reached through media messaging on how they can support their children’s learning and social emotional development. Second, the project reaches parents/caregivers through a series of caregiver sessions that build understanding of early childhood development approaches, integrated services, positive parenting, the learning process, and how to assess progress, among others. Third, project volunteers conduct support visits to parents/caregivers in their homes and ECD centers to reinforce session lessons and practically demonstrate and practice ways in which they foster SEL support to their children.

This presentation delves into the challenges faced and lessons learned in contextualizing SEL approaches to help Rwandan parents and caregivers support their children’s learning and wellbeing. Discussion will include consideration of social norms, adaptation of mass messaging, and parent/caregiver practices. Since home visits are a less common method of reaching this target group in SEL programs, particular discussion will involve recommendations for engaging parents/caregivers through that method.

Authors

• Michael Greer, World Vision

• Angelique Tusiime, World Vision International Rwanda