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Harlem, a vibrant neighbourhood of New York City, has been the focus of artistic, cultural, and socio-economic evolution for decades. But behind the bustling streets and historical landmarks, community-driven organizations have tirelessly worked to uplift and empower its residents. Among them stands ECDO, Forever Harlem, an exemplary organization dedicated to making a difference for over 40 years.
ECDO (short for *Ecumenical Community Development Organization*) has carved a unique identity for itself. Their not-for-profit initiatives have been deeply embedded within Harlem, ranging from the development of affordable housing to influential youth mentoring programs. The crown jewel among their contributions is undoubtedly the ECDO’s Early Childhood Educational Center. This center aims to provide quality educational services to the younger residents of Harlem, ensuring a brighter future and foundation for them.
Playocity has had the privilege of partnering with ECDO for several years. During our recent visit to NYC, we had a heart-to-heart chat with Weenia and Martha, who are the driving forces behind ECDO, making it possible for our team to deliver fantastic enrichment programs for young learners.
Weenia, an Administrative Director at ECDO, has been with the organization for over 17 years. “I started as a parent, and later I transitioned to the Family Service. That shift was both exciting and fulfilling because it allowed me to interact closely with the families. The wellness of a family directly translates to the well-being of the child, and this interconnection is something I cherish,” she mentioned.
The core philosophy of ECDO revolves around holistic development. Their primary goal, as Weenia points out, is to ensure that when children transition to kindergarten, they are fully prepared, both academically and emotionally. This philosophy is strongly reinforced by the enrichment programs introduced in their curriculum. Such programs, according to Weenia, amplify the daily learning activities and teach children vital life skills like self-regulation, while also ensuring they have fun in the process.
Enrichment programs are more than just supplementary activities. For young learners, they provide an avenue to explore beyond the conventional, to develop and discover their unique talents and inclinations. Such programs play a crucial role in moulding a child’s overall character and approach toward life.
When quizzed about what she looks for in third-party service providers, Weenia emphasized the significance of clear communication. It’s a testament to ECDO’s commitment to ensuring that every program, initiative, or collaboration aligns with its overarching vision for the children they serve.
The after-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have been profound and have left a mark on young minds. The challenges of dealing with emotional and behavioural residue post-COVID are manifold. In response to this, Weenia voiced the need to introduce activities like Yoga and Mindfulness in their curriculum.
Weenia’s observations resonate deeply with Playocity’s evolving approach to enrichment programs. We, at Playocity, are also proactively channelling our resources to integrate Yoga and mindfulness activities, guided meditation, and positive affirmations practice into all our classes. Such practices, both at ECDO and within our offerings, are geared towards helping children navigate their emotions, providing them with tools to find a center of calm amidst the residual turbulence of these times.
ECDO is a shining example of what community-driven initiatives can achieve. With dedicated personnel like Weenia and Martha, the organization is all set to continue its remarkable mission to uplift and empower the residents of Harlem. Playocity is honoured to be a part of this journey and looks forward to fostering this relationship in the years to come.
We are proud to present Highview Wilson Daycare Centre, our Client Spotlight! Highview Wilson is a non-profit organization in Toronto, located inside Highview Wilson Public School. They provide high-quality care and an inclusive learning environment for all children. The childcare centre is licensed by the ministry of education and inspected by the city.
Highview Wilson Childcare follows a play-based emergent curriculum, allowing children to grow and develop by cultivating their interests and talents. One of the main goals is to create an environment where learners can reach their full potential by learning through trial and error and creative exploration.
Playocity has been partnering with Highview Wilson as one of their extracurricular programming facilitators, and It’s been an absolute pleasure. As an organization, we feel that we have a lot in common with our client spotlight, especially when it comes to the overall educational approach and philosophy.
We believe that children learn best when they have opportunities to explore and express themselves through play, and that’s exactly the kind of environment that Highview Wilson has created for their learners.
Highview’s experienced teachers understand that learning and development are not just about teaching children facts and figures, but rather helping them reach their full potential while enjoying the process. To do this, they create individualized activities that allow chilcren to explore topics they are passionate about while still developing essential skills.
Highview Wilson Daycare Centre is truly a fantastic facility where kids can learn and grow in an enjoyable environment and we look forward to continuing this amazing collaboration!
We are thrilled to introduce Keelmount Day Care Centre – our amazing Featured Client. Established in 1983, Keelmount Day Care Centre is a licensed daycare located in Keele Street Public School (Toronto, Ontario). They are a non-profit, community-based daycare that caters to children from 18 months to 12 years of age. Playocity has been partnering with Keelmount Day Care for several years by facilitating extracurricular programs for its learners. It’s been such a pleasure watching their students grow and flourish year after year.
At Keelmount, the children learn through play-based activities and hands-on experiences. They also benefit from daily physical exercise, which helps them develop healthy habits and social skills that will serve them well in life. Keelmount’s management and staff are truly dedicated to creating a fun, nurturing, and stimulating learning environment and we feel incredibly proud to have been part of that journey!
Keelmount Day Care believes that active play encourages exploration and inquiry and helps maximize a child’s success. This allows children to meet their needs for acceptance, affection, and approval. Children gain a strong sense of self-esteem and social competence through hands-on experience in a safe and supportive environment that respects individual needs, cultures, diversity, and preferences.
“Our goals are to encourage positive self-concepts in each child as well as to build resilience through co-operation and self-regulation. Each child naturally learns and flourishes when they belong, when they are engaged, when they are free to express themselves, and when their wellbeing is addressed.”
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