In January 2016, World OMEP launched the Play and Resilience World Project with the aim of promoting young children’s resilience and potential to foster a peaceful and sustainable future through play, conducted in a safe,... [ view full abstract ]
In January 2016, World OMEP launched the Play and Resilience World Project with the aim of promoting young children’s resilience and potential to foster a peaceful and sustainable future through play, conducted in a safe, child friendly, and stimulating environment. The first phase of the project consisted of the identification and dissemination of good practices. From 36 project entries submitted from 18 countries, seven projects were selected for their outstanding qualities and potential, and the representatives of these projects presented their experiences at the first Play and Resilience Symposium during the 2016 OMEP World Conference.
In January 2017, the second phase was launched, with a view to operationalising the play and resilience concept by developing and piloting play materials in rural China and Africa. Resilience research points to the importance of building both the child’s inner strengths (e.g. self-control, thinking skills, confidence, positive outlook, responsibility and participation) and outside support (e.g. caring relationships, positive role models in families and communities, family and community resources). Therefore, the project will encompass three levels (the child, microsystem and macrosystem) and focus not only on children but also on the agents in their immediate and broader environment.
This year’s Play and Resilience Symposium will elaborate on the conceptual framework and performance indicators for this second phase of the Play and Resilience World Project and introduce the contexts, demands, existing resources and good practices in rural China and Africa as identified through community consultations and needs assessment. The symposium will then invite the audience to provide comments and exchange ideas and experiences.
