Children Are the Future (1366 × 768 px)

ALL TOGETHER FOR A BETTER FUTURE

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ALL TOGETHER FOR A BETTER FUTURE

Family

Communication

Student

Teacher

Vision

Policy

Trust

Cooperation

Partnership

Inclusive Culture

Family

Child and Youth Participation

Inclusive Education

Student

Lidership

Democracy

Children's and Youth Rights

Interactive Teaching

Diversity

Community

Teacher

Partners

Stakeholders

Respect

Parent

School

Trust

“Fëmijët Janë e Ardhmja” (FJA) or “Children Are the Future” (CAF) is a non-profit Development Organization, established in 2008, with no religious, political or governmental affiliations that works to create better lives for children and youth and equal opportunities for their education, overall growth and development.

Our operations have no limitations in terms of geographical location. However, they are much more focused on remote, rural areas and communities, where there is a higher need for support and interventions.

In our efforts toward achieving our goals and objectives, we encourage and value participation of and cooperation with students, parents, teachers and school administrators, inner school structures , community leaders, Education and Local Government authorities and many other important stakeholders and also partnership with national and international NGOs and Agencies that share common interests and values.

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About us

The vision of “Children Are the Future” is of a world in which all the children are respected and valued and where they realize their full potential.

“Children Are the Future” works to:

• Create better and equal opportunities for the development of children and improvement of their life, that of their families and of the communities where they live.

• Empower children through an active and meaningful participation in the whole development process.

• We respect children’s and human rights regardless of age, gender, race, religion and nationality.

• We deeply believe in children’s inner capacity and high potential to make a difference in their life.

• We are accountable to all the stakeholders and ensure high transparency and honesty throughout our communication, cooperation, decision-making, financial resource management and program implementation.

• We encourage, respect and value any kind of contribution to the achievement of our mission and vision.

·Effective communication based on mutual trust and respect,

·Working with the whole school community through a whole school approach,

·Deeply believing in the potential of each and every child to succeed,

·Valuing the capacity, contribution and cooperation of all stakeholders,

·Project and program designing and implementation through a participatory approach,

·Providing need-based capacity-building opportunities followed by continuous mentoring and support,

·Supporting development of an inclusive school culture, inclusive policies and practices,

·Building inclusive learning communities.

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About us

Awareness-raising campaigns on Child Rights with the participation of children, teachers, school administrators, parents, community members, local government officials and other stakeholders.
Publication of posters, leaflets, booklets and magazines on Child Rights.
Various other projects/activities.

CAF main programs are focused on Child Rights, Education, Child and Youth Participation/Engagement,

Gender Equality, Child and Youth-Centered Community Development.

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Quality and Inclusive Education
Collaborative School- Leadership
Democratic School Governance
Supporting Teachers' Professional Development on: Inclusion, Interactive

teaching and learning methods/strategies, Competence-based learning

and Student-centered approach,

Improving teachers'and school leaders' knowledge and skills to develop inclusive

policies and practices

Strengthening of inner school structure such as: Student Governments,

Parent Council, School Boards, School Development/Improvement Team,

Increasing parent Involvement and cooperation with families and communities
Designing and implementation of School-Family-Community

Partnership Programs

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Child and Youth Participation Engagement

Awareness raising,
Trainings, workshops, exchange and peer

learning events, Winter Schools

Strengthening of Student Government and Youth Parliament,
Strengthening of Public Achievement Program/Groups
Income generation activities.
Other related activities.

Awareness-raising projects/activities

in schools and communities.

Training of students, parents, teachers

, community members.

Different Publications

About us

UNESCO, GEM Report , Albania Profile: Inclusion and Education: All Means All, 2020;
National Report for Albania, ARISE Action for Reducing Inequalities in Education,
Study on Online Teaching and Learning during the COVID-19 pandemic period,
Exploring Approaches of Education System Response TO COVID-19 crisis,
Who Rules the Schools (Mapping of the Current School Governance Policies in 10 countries (CAF - Albanian partner), NEPC, 2015

ARISE Policy brief
Policy Advise On School Leadership Development for Inclusive Schools NSO/CNA-FJA/CAF,
Guiding booklet for Parents as Important Actors and Partners to School,
Manual for Partnership Action Teams (School-Family-Community Partnerships),
Various leaflets, booklet, flyers, posters and other guiding and support materials.

Scope of projects programs and interventions

CAF has implemented comprehensive development projects in disadvantaged rural and urban communities of Albania in the framework of local, national and regional programs, aiming at the promotion of child rights and anti-discrimination, enhancement of active child and yout participation in the school, family and community life; improvement of school leadership and teaching quality, creation of inclusive classrooms, and of a friendly and enabling school environment; encouragement of parent and community involvement in the school improvement process and strengthening of School-Family-Community Partnerships; development of more democratic and inclusive schools and a better quality, more equitable and inclusive education system, hence a more democratic and inclusive society.

Our Projects:

"Strengthening Democratic Citizenship Education in Albania” is an ongoing CoE project funded by SIDA, where CAF has been selected as a consultant organization, providing its expertise and contribution through development of various trainings and workshops with School Development Action Teams, TeacherNet members, Student Governments and Parent Councils, inclusive school activities, school mentoring, as well as exchange and peer learning activities.

Strengthening Democratic Citizenship Education in Albania:

“ARISE (Action for Reducing Inequlities in Education” is an ongoing regional partnership project of 8 organizations from seven countries, funded by EC/EU. The project aims to strengthen the capacity of CSOs for policy development and advocacy in the area of educational equity through regional cooperation and building national coalitions and reducing the negative effects of poverty through direct school interventions.

ARISE:

“School Leadership Development Training for Inclusive Schools in Albania” was a tailor made training project financially supported by Nuffic Global Development that was implemented by a consortium of the Dutch training provider NSO-CNA Leiderschapsacademie, Children Are the Future (CAF)/Fëmijet Janë e Ardhmja(FJA) and Elbasan Education Office. The Embassy of the Netherlands in Albania provided its support, as well.

The project aimed to contribute to a more democratic and inclusive school community through strengthening of collaborative school leadership and enhancement of active involvement and cooperation of all stakeholders in the school improvement and democratization process.

School Leadership Development Training for Inclusive Schools in Albania”:

All Together for a Better and More Inclusive Education” is a two-year project (the second phase of another comprehensive project described below) implemented in 6 primary and secondary schools of Albania with the support of Citizens for Engaged Communities - USA. It aimed to contribute to a better quality and more inclusive education in Albania, through 1) increasing awareness at school, community and national level on inclusive education and importance of involvement and cooperation of all stakeholders in the whole process; 2) creation of an inclusive school culture and a warm and friendly school climate in all the target schools; 3) development of inclusive school policies including School Development Programs and Annual Plans and 4) development of inclusive school practices in all the target schools and exchange with other schools of Albania.

All Together for a Better and More Inclusive Education:

“Promoting Active Student Participation in a Friendly and Enabling School Environment” is a two-year project that aimed to promote active student participation in a friendly and enabling school environment. The project was implemented in four primary and secondary schools of Elbasan district through a cooperation with MTO – Poland and with the financial support of Citizens for Engaged Communities (CEC-USA).

The main objectives of the project were: 1.To raise awareness among all the stakeholders on the project (its goal and objectives) and the importance of their active involvement in the whole process, 2.To improve school administrators’ (school principals and vice-principals) communication, cooperation, leadership and management skills, 3.To improve teachers’ communication and cooperation with students and among them, and the teaching methods that encourage students’ active participation, motivation and cooperation, 4.To encourage active student participation through development of Public Achievement initiatives and enhancement of Student Government’s role and capacity.

Promoting Active Student Participation in a Friendly and Enabling School Environment:

Important partners that can make a difference in the school life” is a project supported by Open Society Foundation for Albania implemented in six primary and secondary schools of Elbasan and Librazhd districts. The project aimed to strengthen the role of parents as important partners in the improvement and democratization of the school life.

Its main objectives were: 1: To increase awareness of parents, teachers, students and other community members on the importance of parent involvement in the school life, 2: To support development of positive practices of a participatory and democratic election process of Parent Councils in each school, 3: To improve teachers’ attitudes and practices of parent involvement and support strengthening of Parent Councils and their active role in mobilizing resources to resolve common problems and improve school life.

Important partners that can make a difference in the school life:

Dutch students support education in Albania” is an ongoing project that has started in 2009. Through a close and ongoing co-operation with MARA Foundation-Netherlands and their frequent visits to our schools and project areas, we have created the opportunity for Albanian students to exchange knowledge and experiences with Dutch students and learn from each other. In addition, through MARA support, we have been supporting a number of schools through provision with school equipment, didactic, sports and play materials, which have contributed to the improvement of the school life, especially the teaching and learning process.

Dutch students support education in Albania:

“Regional Support for Inclusive Education”- Joint EU/CoE Project - Support to Pilot Schools for Implementing Inclusive Education Policies and Practices.

This project was implemented through a strong partnership with Ministry of Education in all the regions, REDs and respective schools. It aimed to enhance social inclusion and social cohesion in the region by promoting inclusive education and training in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia and Kosovo.

NEPC- Network of Education Policy Centers and its partners: Children are the Future / Fëmijët Janë e Ardhmja”- Albania, proMente - Bosnia and Herzegovina, Step by Step - Bosnia and Herzegovina, Forum for freedom in Education – Croatia, Kosova Education Center – Kosovo, Macedonian Civic Education Center – Macedonia, Forum MNE – Montenegro, and Center for Education Policy – Serbia were selected by Council of Europe to be the Platform for supporting schools in implementing inclusive policies and practices within the “Regional Support for Inclusive Education” Project.

As a national partner organization, in cooperation with NEPC and other partner organizations, we helped the pilot schools in developing both, school projects for the CoE grant as well as School Development Plans. The project promoted the concept of inclusive education as a reform principle that respects and caters for diversity among all learners, with a specific focus on those who are at a high risk of marginalization and exclusion.

The main project activities were focused on 49 pilot schools in the region (7 per beneficiary Country). The 7 schools in Albania were located in Bajram Curri, Shkodra, Vlora; Durrës, Korça, Pogradec and Tirana regions.

Regional Support for Inclusive Education:

“Mobilizing Community Joint Action: for Citizenship Against Poverty”- within the “Grassroots Europe for Local Wellbeing” Initiative: This is a comprehensive international partnership project that was implemented with the financial support of EU and OSI/OSF-Budapest through a partnership of 8 national partner organizations from 8 European countries: Hungary, Germany, Italy, Romania, Austria, Albania, Croatia and Latvia. CAF was the Albanian national partner that ensured an active involvement and empowerment of 10 other Albanian education grassroots organizations from Durres, Elbasan, Librazhd and Tirana Districts. This project aimed to support European community-based educational grassroots organizations that were able to mobilize their communities and public opinion around issues of marginalization in education and help the most vulnerable groups of society. By strengthening the mediating role of grassroots organisations in a participatory process, the project aimed to empower citizens to engage in dialogue with the local stakeholders and work towards cross-sectorial, holistic community approaches that can be shared and adapted to various European contexts.

Various local and national stakeholder meetings on marginalization in education with education authorities, school administrators, teachers, students, parents, local government, University, grassroots organizations and Civil Society representatives provided valuable messages, suggestions and recommendations for national and international policy makers. In addition, implementation of mini-partnership projects in 9 primary and secondary schools and communities in Durres, Fier and Elbasan regions had a very positive impact on the increase of awareness and understanding of the importance of inclusive education to the development of a more inclusive and democratic society.

Mobilizing Community Joint Action: for Citizenship Against Poverty:

“Parents and Community, Active Partners in the Improvement of Education Quality”: Based on its mission, main goal and objectives for an inclusive education and a strong school-family-community cooperation as well as on the new law on pre-university education, this project designed by CAF (FJA) in consultation with OSFA aimed at the enhancement of the role of parents in the school life and especially in the decision-making process. This was achieved through: a community based advocacy and awareness-raising campaign; identification and mentoring of the most active persons who are highly committed to the strengthening of parents' and other community members' voice and role in education; provision of support and monitoring of a democratic election process of Parents Councils, as the main source of parent representation in other inner school decision-making structures.

The project was implemented in 9 primary and secondary schools of Elbasani, Librazhd, Korca and Mirdita Districts.

Parents and Community, Active Partners in the Improvement of Education Quality:

“School-Family-Community Partnership, a Key Element of Success in Education” – This is a two-year project that was successfully implemented by CAF with the financial support of Open Society Foundation in Albania (OSFA) in two primary and secondary schools of Polis village in the Librazhd District and Rubik in the Mirdita District during July 2011 – June 2013. It aimed at the establishment and strengthening of School-Family-Community Partnership and the establishment of a comprehensive partnership Model and successful practices of parent and community involvement that can be replicated and further developed in other schools at local, district and national level.

School-Family-Community Partnership, a Key Element of Success in Education:

Development of PTAs (Parent Teacher Associations) and Public Achievement” - is a project that was implemented in 10 primary and secondary schools of Tirana, Elbasan and Librazhd district through a close cooperation with the Polish Organization MTO with the financial support of Citizens for Engaged Communities (CEC) and Charles Merril. CAF has been supporting each PTA and school-based Public Achievement Group with the designing and implementation of various projects aiming at a more welcoming, friendly, cooperative and inclusive school environment.

“Strengthening Teacher Leadership in Promoting Change and Development in Education” was a pilot project that had been implemented by OSFA for two years with experts of CAF and an independent one in two primary and secondary schools of Tirana and Librazhd. The third academic year, CAF was invited by OSFA to be actively involved in the whole implementation and management process. Implemented within the framework of decentralization in education, the project aimed to promote teacher leadership in a long and comprehensive process of change and improvement in education through active participation and cooperation of various school and community stakeholders.

Development of PTAs (Parent Teacher Associations) and Public Achievement:

“Promoting Volunteering Among Youth” - This is an international project that was successfully implemented by CAF in 2012 with the financial support of EACEA within the Youth in Action Program. It aimed at raising awareness and deepening understanding among youth from 10 EU and SEE countries of the values and importance of volunteering to the enrichment of their personal, social and professional skills and competencies, as well as to the development of the whole community. It also aimed at the promotion of intercultural learning as well as understanding of and respect for cultural diversity.

Promoting Volunteering Among Youth

“

All together against violence in schools and families” is another project that was implemented with the financial support of Austrian Development Cooperation in three primary and secondary schools of Albania in 2011. The project aimed at fostering respect for children, their rights and dignity among teachers, school administrators, parents and children themselves and improving relationships and co-operation among them

All together against violence in schools and families

“Strengthening of Police officers’ communication and co-operation skills regarding their work with children and community” was a pilot project that was successfully implemented by CAF in 2010 with the support of OSCE presence in Albania. The main goal of this project was to strengthen police officers’ communication and cooperation skills in their work with children and the community.

Learn more:

“Organizing Hotolisht community to improve the outdoor school environment” was an education and environmental project that was implemented in a joint secondary school in Hotolisht community with the financial support of OSCE presence in Albania during 2009-2010. It aimed at organizing parents, students, teachers and local government officials for the purpose of solving what they considered an important problem in their community, the poor outdoor facilities of their school.

Citizens for Engaged Communities (CEC-USA),
Council of Europe (CoE)Tirana Office,
NSO-CNA Leadership Academy-the Netherlands,
Network of Education Policy centers (NEPC)
EU/EC,
Open Society Foundation for Albania,
Peace Corps Albania and Montenegro
Open Society Institute,
OSCE presence in Albania,
MTO-Poland,
MARA Foundation - Netherlands,
Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC),
Onderlinge Gravenhage the Netherlands and many other local, national and international partner organizations, such as: Kosovo Education Center, proMENTE (Bosnia & Herzegovina), Richter (Netherlands), Civil Society Development Center, Institute of Romani Culture and so on.