A Partnership with West Belfast Partnership Board, Author Liz Gough, Department for Education NI, Future Screens NI, and Yellow Design
The ongoing Covid-19 crisis and the uncertainty of lockdown has made the transition from Primary 1 to Preschool more challenging for families. The West Belfast Partnership Board, Yellow Design, Future Screens NI and others are supporting 23,576 Pre-school children and their families and across NI in their transition from Pre-School to Primary One ensuring they are supported safely at home.
Research was undertaken with 25 Nursery Schools, 19 Primary Schools and 12 Sure Start Areas which identified the following:
• The Covid-19 Crisis had shifted learning from School to Home and from physical to digital creating the necessity to deliver age appropriate key health and education messages to early years, Nursery and Foundation Stage children and parents
• Harper the Wonder Dog Could be employed digitally to deliver key messages through a virtual and digital space to the greatest possible number of young children who are currently learning at home.
• The Digital Harper the Wonder Dog Project reduced the anxiety of both children and parents regarding return to school and transition to Nursery and from Nursery to Year 1
This research has informed the development of digitally creative educational content in response to the Covid-19 crisis which is assisting children, families and communities across NI to respond to a new way of learning and teaching outside the classroom while staying at home. Harper the Wonder Dog and partners are assisting children to better understand the crisis in a safe way and by distributing accessible and age appropriate public health message. The series was developed at home by local West Belfast author Liz Gough, Award Winning Educationalist Angela Mervyn from the West Belfast Partnership Board and Future Screens NI Future Fellow and Creative Industry Trailblazer Michael McGlade of Yellow Design.
Come along and meet Harper and find out more from Liz, Angie and Michael about their ongoing work!
A selection of Episodes can be accessed via the link below:
You can meet Harper the Wonder Dog at 12pm pm on Tuesday the 23rd of June. Tickets are available here: https://tinyurl.com/y97ycef6