History

Nedjelja, 20 Lipanj 2010 16:21

Parents' Association “Step by Step” was established in 1996 with the aim of applying the international Step by Step Project. With this Project the Association has initiated the introduction of the Step by Step Program into the Croatian kindergartens and schools aimed at teaching thousands of teachers and tutors about the educational methods for children. It started publishing two magazines (“Child, kindergarten and family” and “Child, school and family”) and founded a specialist library for teachers and tutors where the translated curricula for the children in childcare, kindergarten, the first grade and from the second to the fourth grade of elementary school are kept. These curricula were developed within the framework of the international Step by Step Project.

In 2003 the Association established a public educational centre called “Step by Step”, a non-profit institution for training of tutors in relation to the Step by Step Program, thus allowing Association to focus on the projects and programs aimed at parents and children.

The “Brochures and CDs for parents and teachers” Project financed by the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports (2004), elaborates on ten topics related to development and raising of children. The corresponding CDs and power point presentations have been distributed to primary schools for information and self-education of teachers and parents.

“A Mom is a Mom” Project designated for pregnant teenage girls and mothers has been in place since 2005. It provides a group and one-to-one extension service, educational groups and the info line to help and support this extremely vulnerable group of young people, so that they keep step with their generation. The Project also helps them make sensible decisions and take over parenting responsibilities. The Project is financed by the Ministry of Family, War Veterans and Intergenerational Solidarity, the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports, the Social Security and Disability Office of the City of Zagreb and the Office of Education, Culture and Sports of City of Zagreb, UNICEF - Office for Croatia, as well as from the donations of the business sector.

The “School Open to Parents” Project (2005-2007) included a research carried out amongst parents and teachers from the Croatian schools. The aim was to determine crucial elements of parents’ participation in the educational system. The recommendations have been made to encourage school-parent partnership. The Project was financed by the National Foundation for Development of Civil Society and the Institute Open Society Croatia. In partnership with the associations “Roda” and “Idem” we made a brochure “School Open to Parents”, which was distributed to primary schools.
Under the  “Parents – Children Advocates” Project parents of the children in elementary schools were taught in advocacy skills in relation to children’s needs and interests, and in developing cooperation with schools and local communities. In 2006 the Project was financed by the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports. From 2007 it has been carried out under the name “The School Open to Parents” still supported by the same Ministry. In 2009 the Project received financial support from the National Foundation for Development of Civil Society and has been applied in 10 schools from 6 Croatian districts.

CAP program (Child Assault Prevention Program) is the biggest project of the PA “Step by Step”, which implementation started in Croatia 10 years ago. The Program was launched in 2000 in 13 schools from different parts of Croatia. Independent evaluation was conducted by Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb. The Association “Step by Step” has developed a wide Croatian network of the CAP facilitators who are mainly teachers and other professionals in kindergartens and elementary schools. In the period from 2000 to 2009 in CAP program participated: 41.794 children, 28.915 parents and 11.247 kindergarten and elementary school staff.

Program is financed by Ministry of Science, Education and Sports, Ministry of Family, Veterans’ Affairs and Intergenerational Solidarity, Ministry of Health and Social Affairs and local (regional) self-governments.

The Association is an associate member of the European Parents’ Association (EPA).

It is a member and one of the funding associations of the Coordination of Associations for Children in Croatia (CAC).