Deadline: 30 April 2020
The Jim Joel Fund is seeking applications for funding to support the early childhood development (ECD) sector in South Africa mainly by funding the work of resource and training organisations (RTOs) who train and support ECD practitioners working in centre-based and non-centre based programmes.
In South Africa, The Childwick Trust operates under the name The Jim Joel Fund. The Jim Joel Fund is the South African conduit for funding from The Childwick Trust in the UK and currently supports a number of RTOs working in the ECD sector.
The Jim Joel fund believes that early childhood development must be a priority area of funding and support as it is a window of opportunity to improve health and equity. A continuum of care – from preconception through the formative early years – is needed to safeguard and maximise children’s developmental outcomes.
Early childhood, specifically the period between birth and two years of age, is the time when the brain develops the most rapidly and has a high capacity for change. It is a critical window of opportunity for establishing the foundation for good health, education and optimal productivity for the future.
Early Childhood Development (ECD) refers to the physical, cognitive, linguistic, and socio-emotional development of a child from the prenatal stage up to age eight. This development happens in a variety of settings (homes, schools, health facilities, community-based centers); and involves a wide range of activities from child care to nutrition to parent education. Providers of services can include public, private, and non-governmental agencies.
The foundation is laid during these early years for health and wellbeing that can last throughout life. Nurturing care – defined as care that is provided in a stable environment, that is sensitive to children’s health and nutritional needs, with protection from threats, opportunities for early learning, and interactions that are responsive, emotionally supportive and developmentally stimulating – is at the heart of children’s potential to develop.
The Trust doesn’t fund:
- Pre-schools. Please note that we do not fund any private, community and/or home based pre-schools
- Capital costs i.e. purchase of a vehicle or building costs of any kind
- Bursaries
- Attendance at international or local conferences
- Research
For more information, visit https://www.jimjoelfund.org/
