Προάγοντας το δικαίωμα της συμμετοχής σε πλαίσια προσχολικής αγωγής και εκπαίδευσης: Το παράδειγμα του Ευρωπαϊκού Προγράμματος PARTICIPA για τη δημοκρατική εκπαίδευση των μικρών παιδιών

Abstract

Children's participation, a key element of human rights-based societies, has now gained due recognition in society and research. However, promoting participation, especially for young children, remains a challenge. Participation depends on the children's action and abilities, as well as on the characteristics of the family, community and educational context. As preschool education and care constitute a privileged context for promoting participation and with the aim of supporting the educational and pedagogical staff of daycare centers and kindergartens in recognizing and promoting the right of young children to actively participate in matters that concern them, the European project PARTICIPA: Professional Development Tools Supporting Participation Rights in Early Childhood Education, was developed. Using excerpts from the interviews with kindergarten teachers, pedagogues, assistant pedagogues and coordinators from the 4 countries participating in the project (Belgium, Greece, Poland, Portugal), key parameters concerning the concept, importance and pedagogical context of participation are analyzed based on the Laura Lundy participation model, which was the basic approach for the development of the PARTICIPA intellectual outputs. The research and educational activities of the project are briefly described. The development of a culture of participation of young children in all matters that concern them is discussed, starting from the preschool education and care and spreading the ideas and the pedagogical framework of participation to families and the wider community, in the context of the socio-pedagogical mission of the school.