Project’s goal:
to promote social and cognitive development through innovative, educational and engaging activities to the kids from social risk groups within Cesis, Priekuli, Amata and Ligatne’s regions, minimising the risk of social exclusion, providing psychological and informative support to child’s parents and teachers, promoting cooperation between the two groups.

Main activities: research of child’s active needs, including diagnostics, usage of developmental lessons and psychologist help to the parents, which shall include short films on tablets, consultations from psychologist, as well as seminar for parents and teachers about child’s development, sensitivity periods, safe environment, learning and social disabilities, as well as social issues in the current employment market and the use of Montessori’s approaches for such skill development.

Target groups:
1. Children prone to social risks - aged 4 to 8 years:
a. children from low-income families;
b. children from families with one provider;
c. children from adopted families;
d. children with light mental and functional dissabilities;
e. children with learning and/ or functional disabilities
2. Parents of those children
3. Primary and secondary school teachers; especially from regional schools

Place:
Cesis, practical seminar for parents and teachers in Priekuli and Amata.

Expected results:
In total the project should provide help for 55 kids, which shall participate in 565 practical lessons and consultations throughout 9 month period. The informative seminar shall have 70-80 participants, the parents of the children will be able to participate in 3 different disciplines.
Altogether with informative and educational materials, there will be 400 parents and teachers included. The children, after attending the classes, are expected to benefit in following ways: improved ability to concentrate, increased self-belief, independence, increased interest in certain things, decreased level of alert, increased mathematical skills and/or language, increased capability to start social contact with other kids/adults. In longterm, the project will help the children to sic ally interact, increase their interest in information and educational processes, increase positive attitude towards themselves and others.

The project will benefit the parents and teachers by providing information about children developmental needs and Montessori approach and techniques used to advance development, as well as, will increase the parent, specialist, NGO and local government cooperation in improving educational service quality.

Project results: Project was necessary to promote social and cognitive development through innovative, educational and engaging activities to children from social risk groups within Cesis, Amata, Ligatne and Priekuli regions, minimising the risk of social exclusion, providing psychological and informative support to child’s parents and teachers, promoting cooperation between the two groups.
The target groups of the project were Social exclusion and poverty at risk population, including: 26 children from foster families, low income families, single-income families; 31 children with learning and/or behavioral disorders, children with mild functional or mental disabilities; 50 the project involved parents and 49 the project involved children's teachers.
The following results have been achieved:
10 Montessori short films, available for greater audience on Youtube.
Seminar were visited by 80 participants.
2 informative seminars, project opening and closing meetings. To provide comprehensive information on the project, its current developments and planned activities. Project information seminars attended involved in the project and stakeholders.
10 individual classes in which participated 45 children and 10 sand therapy classes, where 12 children participated.
General long-term benefit: increase in social capabilities among children involved in the project, public involvement, increased awareness. Increase in skills among teachers and parents, practical advice provided. Available premises for the target audience and future projects, wide socially diverse group communication and involvement – legislator, schools, parents, NGO and specialists. Brinummaja obtained additional support and donations, has increased cooperation with 4 local district governments, are negotiating future activities. Cooperation with the project partner has increased the specialist knowledge allowing to share skills and best-practices, allowing to increase dialogue among various interest groups, portraying future project goals.