Mutual Learning believes in connecting care practitioners worldwide to inspire each other and mutually transform towards high quality family and community based care. We facilitate collaboration, dialogue and the exchange of experiences with an international community, via a digital platform and 6-month Mutual Learning Program.

We invite you to join the program!

Let's have conversations that create possibilities together

🚨 ANNOUNCEMENT! 🚨

At this moment we are running a special program with Family For Every Child (FFEC) about Mental Health, a new pilot program that uses the same methodology as our Family and Community Based Care program, that has been running since early 2022. You can find more information about both (different) programs on the dedicated pages.

The mutual learning program for Family and Community Based Care is planned to start in September 2024 again.

THE POWER OF FAMILY AND COMMUNITY

The International Convention on the Rights of the Child states that for the full and harmonious development of personality, children should grow up in a family environment, in an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding.

Unfortunately, many children grow up in less favorable circumstances. Worldwide, more than 5,4 million children live in institutions such as orphanages and many more are at risk of losing their family.

Of 80-90% children in institutions, one or both parents are still alive. The institutional care offered represents a violation of children’s rights, as it does not allow children to live within family and community. We believe there are good alternatives to institutional care; however, change is not easy.

With Mutual Learning,  while respecting everyone’s different situation and pace, we hope to take steps together towards an ideal situation of children growing up in a loving family . Together we review different aspects of care provision and overcome day-to-day challenges. 

OUR PROGRAM CREATES POSSIBILITIES

Mutual Learning facilitates an international community of organizations that offer family strengthening and/or alternative care for vulnerable children worldwide. Within the program, we focus on the question ‘HOW do we mutually grow during everyone’s journey towards high quality family and community based care?’

Our aim is to inspire change through sharing of know-how, practical experiences and challenges. Instead of a top-down approach, telling people what to do and how to do, we invite you to think together to shape ideas. The program works according to the philosophy of collaboration and dialogue. An important element of the program is the joint analysis of submitted cases by all participants.

“I have learned not to try to convince anyone. Efforts to convince embody a lack of respect; an attempt to colonise the other.” José Saramago (n/d)

• Bottom-up    • Practical    • Relationships

Family and community based care
Mental Health program
6 month program
12 zoom sessions a 2 hours
preparation time of 1 hour per week
access to platform via personal account
voluntary fee

FOR WHOM?

The program is for CHANGEMAKERS – and/or care practitioners – what you identify most with – who are willing to exchange practical experience, listen to other practitioners and come to (new) insights through dialogue with the purpose of developing yourself and your organisation to provide the best care for vulnerable children and families.

More specifically, our participants include organisations (NGOs/public sector) from Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Latin America that currently offer family strengthening and/or alternative care programmes and are interested in a process of transformation. Organization representatives include directors, coordinators, professionals in psychology, social work and other related areas, and caretakers and volunteers that work with children and families. The program is in English and Spanish*.

*Please let us know when you would like to participate but language is a barrier. We are currently identifying which other languages might be of relevance for this programme as well. 

Our organization

We are a consortium of highly motivated NGOs interested in hearing your story and sharing ours. The consortium consists of Wilde Ganzen, Transform Alliance Africa, Daniëlle Children’s Fund, COLT, Kidscare, Hope and Homes for Children and Instituto Kanankil. All members consider sharing know-how and experiences as a core-activity of their organisation. Within the team, there is a vast experience in developing and facilitating training courses related to family and community based child care and dialogical and collaborative practices. 

Besides, the consortium counts with great support from Family for Every Child and the other Family Power participants.

Read more about our organization

REVIEWS

Hover over the images to read the reviews from Raymond, Poema, William and Piseth

William – KidsCare, Kenya

The platform provided us with the opportunity to share and learn on the different experiences of how different organizations worldwide use different approaches in supporting families and community based care for vulnerable children. We want to thank all organizations for openly sharing their experiences and the good consultancy and training sessions we shared together. It was really great.

Poema - Danielle Children's Fund, Ecuador

It is a privilege to come into contact with colleagues around the world, who share a common dream: that children live with their families and communities.

It has been wonderful to learn how in each country, people and organizations have found very humane and creative ways to make this dream a reality.

Piseth - COLT, Cambodia

The program is good, helpful and inclusive. I always feel supportive from organizers, facilitators and  all members. I like the way that facilitators are so helpful and supportive. The participants share their experience and everyone respects each other. Other organizations should join this program because it is good for every member that really wants to develop program for their agency. 

Raymond - Acodeta, Tanzania

It’s an effective platform where various organizations around the world share knowledge and experience and give a variety of possibilities for vulnerable children to have the right to grow up in a family. l learned that by using different resources we can together become a strong voice of the voiceless children, either bringing them in the family or prevent them from isolating their families.

CONVERSATIONS ABOUT MUTUAL LEARNING

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