This has been a non-traditional year for more than sixteen thousand caregivers in more than four thousand after-school centres and school clubs in the Czech Republic. School and school facilities were largely closed during the school year, and educational activities were carried out mainly through distance learning. Therefore, as part of the prevention of at-risk behaviour in the online environment, we focused more on the issues related to leisure time spent on the Internet, and launched a webinar titled Protect Yourself in the Cyberworld, intended for hobby and non-formal education staff members. The main topic was cyber threats such as Cyberbullying, Cybergrooming, Cyberstalking and Sexting, a brief description of individual threats and related legislation, forms and motives, basic communication rules, ten rules of defence, and especially what to do when a child becomes a victim. The webinar is freely available to all interested parties on the YouTube channel of the National Pedagogical Institute of the Czech Republic (NPI ČR). Other useful (but often more complicated) topics include legislation, often an issue for caregivers. That is why we have prepared, together with an expert on school legislation, a series of videos to respond individual queries in a clear and concise manner, and we have made these videos available at any time for them online.
As soon as practically possible, we launched a full-time multi-day face-to-face educational programme titled Games Full of Unusual Tips and Ideas, especially for the practical use by personnel working in children and youth centres, including tips for camp activities. We also did not forget about children of younger school age and launched educational programmes titled Small Games for Children of Younger School Age and Movement Games for Children of Younger School Age. Small Games for Children of Younger School Age are based on a set of games and activities that we can offer to children in after-school centres as part of preparation for classes, during leisure or recreational activities, with selected activities taking into account the age specifics of children. The Movement Games for Children of Younger School Age educational programme includes mainly games that develop psychomotor and movement abilities and skills of children. We can play these games in after-school centres and clubs, but also in children’s hobby groups, clubs and even at summer camps. Both programmes and games use methods of interpretation, practice, discussion, brainstorming and also include a final summary.
The above-mentioned educational programmes have been very popular and we are already looking forward to a get together at two planned autumn events in Prague and Olomouc. We will offer tastings of our educational programmes, examples of good practice and other inspirational instructions and ideas for activities with children and young people. There will also be contributions on legislation and on the creation of a school educational programme. But most importantly, there will be caregivers from after-school centres and school clubs from all over the Czech Republic, as well as mutual learning opportunities, inspiration and good mood.
We wish you a beautiful summer and a lot of joy during activities with children and youth.
Monika Doubková and Nikola Slánská
