Author: Ronni Rowland, Writer
ELG is excited to be working with its sister NGO, Xiersen Children Service Center, on its new Careers in Care (CIC) project. A series of professional videos are being developed to train classroom assistants and other support staff to effectively work with children with special needs. “The videos will share basic background knowledge and key skills such as calming children down, child safety, and data collection,” says Nikki Lindgren, general manager of Xiersen. “This video platform will give us the ability to reach hundreds of thousands of caregivers across China in five years, which will have a huge positive impact on children and their families.”
Meeting Essential Needs
While special education is slowly growing in China, the need for professionally trained educators and support staff remains overwhelming. Millions of children have autism spectrum disorder or other special needs. In order to thrive, these children must have access to qualified staff who understand their academic, emotional, physical, and social needs.
Expertise in Action
The CIC project merges expertise and social action. The videos will be created on location at ELG and the Pudong Special Education School, and will show professional therapists and children in live classroom situations. Trainees viewing the videos will get to see best practices in action, in a variety of settings with children ranging in age and need.
The demand for ELG’s special education services has grown rapidly in and around Shanghai. By sharing its resources and participating in CIC, ELG will have the opportunity to more significantly impact special needs education in China, from big cities to remote rural areas. “The project will increase the number of people qualified to work within special education care,” explains Nikki. “At a minimum, we are aiming for a 1:3 adult to child ratio in the classroom. We know children thrive with more individualized attention from trained workers.”
First Day Filming
Each themed video will last between 15 to 30 minutes and will finish with a quiz to assess learned knowledge. The video series includes three levels of training and a practicum, and trainees will receive a certificate upon successful completion. The first module was recently filmed at the Pudong Special Education School in Lujiazui with ELG specialists and program staff after much excitement and anticipation. “After months of preparation and planning, ELG professionals and staff helped bring a dream to reality. We are on track.”
ELG attracts the best and brightest talent in special needs education and therapies, and always has the wider community at the forefront of its priorities. By working together with Xiersen on CIC, the program gets the expert advice and support it needs to be properly aligned for success. ELG is an integral part of the program, ensuring China’s future Xiersen-certified special education caregivers will have a chance to shine a little brighter.