During the COVID -19 pandemic, 188 countries imposed countrywide school closures affecting more than 1.6 billion children and young people At least a third of the world’s schoolchildren – 463 million children globally – were unable to access remote learning. The actual number of students who could not be reached is likely significantly higher than this estimate.[1]
Space to Grow Learning Spaces are designed to help children and young people to engage with learning which has been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and to equip children to make an easier transition back to schools once they reopen.
The main outcomes for children are:
- Children make progress in self-defined learning goals
- Children improve psychosocial wellbeing and coping skills
- Children have a positive attitude towards lifelong learning
- Children continue to engage with mainstream education where possible and are prevented from dropping out of school
Learning Spaces can take place in COVID-secure community centres, church buildings or other community spaces, and are open out of school hours. Learning mentors work with small groups of children and offer psychosocial and learning support.
This programme draws on the experience and expertise of Viva’s partner networks[2], as well as Viva’s work with children in emergencies and external partnerships[3].
Resources
Use these materials to set up a Space to Grow Learning Space.
[1] Unicef, 2021: https://data.unicef.org/covid-19-and-children/; https://data.unicef.org/resources/remote-learning-reachability-factsheet/
[2] CRANE (Children at Risk Action Network), Uganda; CARNet Nepal,
[3] In particular, Viva’s partnership with Food for the Hungry (FH) on developing a psychosocial support training curriculum for teachers
children in emergencies toolkit 