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The Human Safety Net joins forces with ISSA

Focus of the work is to maximize quality and impact of Families and Newborns programs to allow partners to strengthen their standards, capabilities and skills

ISSA has recently joined forces with the Generali Group’s flagship community initiative, The Human Safety Net Foundation (THSN) to work for “Maximizing Quality and Impact of Programs For Supporting Responsive Parenting”. The objective of this collaboration is to strengthen the standards, capacities and skills of organizations to work for the well-being of young children and their families in disadvantaged conditions.

In the coming months, ISSA will cooperate with THSN to review, and further develop the quality standards and practices for implementing ECD-Parenting programs for THSN partner organizations active in the 16 countries where the Families program is active. ISSA will then leverage on its extensive network to disseminate these standards inside and outside ISSA and THSN communities, and will provide learning opportunities to THSN NGO partners for improving and strengthening their work. Some of the most successful programs within THSN network will be identified and shared as case studies across key ECD international networks.

Bringing together experiences from both ISSA and THSN is what, according to ISSA’s Senior Project Manager Dr. Konstantina Rentzou, most strengthens this partnership. “We hope that THSN partners, and in later stages ISSA’s own members, will benefit from this online peer learning community that aspires to foster interaction, sharing, co-creation of knowledge and ultimately to promote cooperation among members. The ultimate goal is to strengthen the implementation of their projects and improve the quality of their interventions”. More specifically, all outputs of this initiative (case studies, quality standards and practices for implementing parenting programs to foster ECD, learning opportunities) “aspire to equip the respective networks of THSN and ISSA with a deeper understanding of the Nurturing Care Framework and the standards that characterize high-quality Parenting Programs, as well as a self-assessment tool, implementation tips and suggestions that will boost the quality of their programs”. A further dissemination of the outputs beyond the ISSA and THSN networks will finally contribute to increasing the societal impact of organizations working in the early years.

Emma Ursich, Director of The Human Safety Net, says ‘I’m delighted to join forces with ISSA, a widely recognized institution focusing on ECD and parenting and be part of their network. ISSA’s long experience in the field and proven organization support will be an important contribution for the community of partners engaged with us in the programs for Families and Newborns.”
 

About ISSA:

Established more than 20 years ago, the International Step by Step Association (ISSA) is the network for early childhood development in Europe and Central Asia, uniting members and partners to deliver quality, equitable and integrated services for all young children and their families. ISSA serves as a platform for members’ learning, cooperation and co-creation of knowledge. With extensive experience in capacity building, development of resources, mapping efforts, convening and advocacy, ISSA is strategically positioned as technical partner and source of expertise on issues related to Quality, Equity, Integrated Services and Workforce.