Nowadays there is no doubt that social and emotional skills (SES) are the key elements of human development. Research findings and official reports provide enough evidence that if children are not attaining minimal SES at around six years of age, they are likely to be at risk in the next stages of their development. Well-developed SES in children contribute to academic success, improve learning conditions, are a powerful tool for empowering children for a better future, for a happier and more productive life, but also they are an irreplaceable tool for prevention of social exclusion, aggression and bulling, school dropout, different types of risk behaviours, psychopathology, unemployment, etc. Deficits in SES lead to poor academic results, may lead to problems with social adaptation or serious psychopathology, substance abuse problems, challenges finding employment, etc. Supporting SES development in early years not only increases children’s chances of success in school, work, and life but it has a great indirect impact on their families, teachers, and the society as whole.The EU-SELF project team is committed to contribute to the key EU priorities: (prevention of ESL (Europe2020), Recommendation 23/4/2008 (European Parliament and Council, C(2008)/C111/01); Communication COM (EC, COM(2011- 66def) ECEC: Providing All Children with the Best Start); EC Communication on Europe 2020 Strategy (COM(2010) 2020); EC’s Proposal for key principles of a Quality Framework for ECEC (EU ECEC QF) (COM(2018) 271 final); EC Recommendation for Quality in ECEC (2018); ERF on Key Competences (2018/C 189/01), Health 2020, etc.), by creating an innovative approach that integrates the academic knowledge in the field of SES with the early childhood educational practises.The team will suggest and plan the new approach by relying on the knowledge alliance between HEIs and ECEC providers and will produce the following results: -an innovative and Europe-wide digital platform, containing reliable, professional and up-to-date, interactive content regarding the state of SES assessment, development and interventions of early and preschool children. It will serve simultaneously as SES information and resource hub, and as well as a tool for communication and exchange of information between ECEC providers, educators, researchers, stakeholders, experts from different countries supporting the achievement of key priorities in the EU. This tool will have sustainable long-term impact. It will boost the field of development of key competences for early and preschool children, children’s social inclusion, redaction of early school dropout, which is in line with the new challenges of the today’s Europe. The platform will be open assess and it will be available after the project ends.-a thorough, sophisticated, scientific literature analysis of the state of SES assessment, development and interventions of early and preschool children for most of the European countries (47) and oversees. The information will be uploaded in the platform and published in 2-volume book.-qualitative study findings regarding teachers and parents’ understanding and attitudes on children’s SES in each partner country. General and national reports will be published.-publications of good practices in European countries and oversees,-analysis of the educational context in the partner countries,-case studies of the practices in the partner countries,-a glossary of main concepts regarding SES.-overviews of key topics regarding SES.The project will reach out various target groups, whose feedback will contribute to its impact and sustainability. Those will be: researchers, teachers, educators, ECEC providers, kindergarten principals, parents, professionals, experts, stakeholders, decision-making bodies, local authorities, EU bodies, etc.EU-SELF project outputs will have enormous long-term impact and sustainability through the following:-digital platform-it will last after the project life cycle and will be assessable worldwide-research study–the findings will contribute to other research and applied projects in other countries, it’s a strong continuation to the findings of OECD studies (2015, 2018), its methodology can be applied in other countries-publications -collection of key findings, topics and analysis, free use-publications of lessons learned by linking knowledge and real practice.The team expects that the above contributions will boost the field of development of key competences for early and preschool children, their social inclusion, reduce the children’s dropout from school, increase the quality of ECEC providers, etc., which respond to the new challenges of the today’s European Union. We view EU-SELF project as a solid foundation and our first step towards a more ambitious aim-development of a programme for SES development in early and preschool children in Europe.EU-SELF project is financed by Erasmus+ programme (KA201), 2019.

The overall objective of the FINE! project was to contribute to achieve the goals of EU food safety policy, Health 2020 Framework, European Food and Nutrition Action Plan 2015–WHO, Childhood Obesity Action Plan 2014, referring also to the UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Good nutrition is a focal point for the growth of children, especially in the 0/3 age range, is a key to sustainable development (Goal 2/2015 SDGs) and to an active and healthy life. Food and nutrition are important from many points of view: -Health and prevention of diseases and obesity, connected with the costs reduction of medical expenses and reducing health inequities, -Proper physical and mental development, -Reducing Food Waste and Recycling: million tons of food are wasted annually in EU, in school canteens, 20 to 50% of the prepared food is waste: preschools could rethink their canteen and recycle the leftovers models, -Lunch time is a social, relational activity and an intercultural vehicle, showing the diversity as an enriching value, with a positive impact on children. FINE! Project provided training on nutrition and food to preschools staff, who has a great responsibility in ensuring that children understand the importance of good nutrition; providing healthy food choices and correct portion sizes; in nutrition and healthy lifestyle education of parents and families, including related issues with specific focus on lower socio-economic groups.The direct beneficiaries are preschools (for children aged 0/6) and their staff including managers, coordinators, educators, teachers, kitchen staff, support staff, involved in create a healthy school environment that promotes healthy eating and physical activity. The indirect beneficiaries are children, parents and families.The FINE! project: - stimulated awareness, knowledge, skills of participants on the main issues of nutrition and health of children, social-relational aspects of food in childhood, role of preschools in children's development and their successful life; - motivated to the respect for the environment; - motivated preschools managers to implement strategies for the modernization and improvement of canteen system, food education, food waste prevention and recycling; - builded up a dialogue on healthy nutrition in early childhood education among organizations, decision-making bodies, beneficiaries including families; - increased the European dimension of partners and participants, including foreign language learning.The project methodology focused on mutual learning and exchange of good practices between partners, thanks to 5 Short-term Training Activities, one in each partner country (Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Bulgaria and Croatia) and 2 Transnational project meetings, beyond research and self-learning.Each training included study visits in nurseries and kindergarten; observation; presentation and comparison of national canteen models, diets, national and local policies for food education and nutrition, obesity prevention; nutritional support strategies for vulnerable children; prevention of food waste and recycling rules and strategies; exchange of best practices; professional meetings and seminars; workshops; professional discussion between professionals. More than 110 people participated directly in the Training Activities, in their countries or abroad. Project outcomes are relevant:- the Publication FINE! Food and Nutrition in the Early Childhood Education and Care, including articles revealing various aspects of food on the topics: health, prevention of obesity and diseases; nutritional principles and biology elements; the importance of nutrition in childhood development; eating and feeding difficulties in children; food allergies and intolerance to food; food as a tool for inclusion and intercultural integration;nutrition and social inclusion of children in ECEC; regulations regarding food and food for ECEC; environmental impact of food, recycle and return of food leftover, prevention of food waste and leftovers.- the RECIPE BOOK, a collection of the best healthy, balanced, tasty and appetizing recipes for children from the partner countries.The project outcomes are available online for free in English, Bulgarian, Croatian, Hungarian, Italian, and Portuguese.Here the link for the English version: https://galileoprogetti.hu/language/en/category/our-publications/Fine! project impact: - on participants, the growth of knowledge on children's nutrition, increased EU dimension, motivation, open mind; - on participant organizations, the improvement of companies' strategies for the management of their canteens, improvement of quality of early childhood services;- on the target group (children and families): a healthier and quality preschool, knowledge of families on children's nutritional needs, healthy recipes that they can cook at home;- at territorial level: increased knowledge on the topic, strengthened network among partner organizations, stakeholders and public decision-making bodies.

European Pillar of Social Rights (COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION on key competences for lifelong learning 2018/C 189/01): everyone has the right to quality and inclusive education, training and life-long learning that develops key competences and basic skills, to maintain and acquire skills that allow full participation in society, personal fulfilment and development, employability, social inclusion and active citizenship.EC supports the development of key competences from early age (https://ec.europa.eu/education/node_en, European Commission Education and Training Monitor 2016) Fostering of literacy competences plays a key role in promoting social cohesion and reducing economic and social disparities.Quality ECE lays the foundations for later success in life in terms of education, well-being, employability, and social integration, and is especially important for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. In 5 of the 7 partner countries the average % of early leavers is higher than the EU one. Only Belgium and the enlargement country Bosnia and Herzegovina has better scores.At least 4 of 7 partner countries (no data from BiH) have scores below the OECD average in Pisa 2019 Reading test.READ project fully meets the needs of the EU relating to modernizing and improving the quality of early education, increasing key competences, and professional development of teachers and educators, also thanks to international cooperation and exchange of good practices.READ project contributes to the achievement of the EU goals by aiming to the followings:- spreading models, best practices, methodologies, tools and experiences in fostering of literacy competences in children in pre-school age- strengthening strategies for continuity between pre-school and school literacy preparation- increasing the EU networking and cooperation between ECE providers in 7 countries- reinforcing public and private partnership strategies at European level- encouraging the dialogue between educational and institutional decision-makers in the partner countries- delivering to local and EU level managers a recommendation on priorities related to the development of key reading.Partnership organizations: 7 EU countries (6 members and 1 enlargement country): Galileo Progetti Nonprofit Kft. (H),Mesezene Egyesület (H), Erasmushogeschool (B), Kindergaten 37 Valshebstvo (Bg), ARCA Cooperativa Sociale (I), Centro Social de Soutelo (P), Montessori IQ Kutak (BiH).Direct beneficiaries: pre-schools/primary schools (for children aged 5/6), managers, coordinators, educators, teachers. Trainings: approx. 150 participants involved, in their countries or abroad.Methodology based on mutual learning between partners and exchange of good practices through short-term joint staff training activites, 1 each partner country with 2 participants per partner, observation by job shadowing of the development activities of literacy competences for pre-school age children, and of the reading activities in primary school first year, 2 transnational project meeting, self-learning.Trainings will be a useful occasion to collect several data about:-local/regional/national level research: legal and financial framework, social, cultural and educational contexts, strategies, policies, involved sectors (public and/or private);-literacy competence survey: questionnaires (5 educators, 5 teachers, 5 parents);-methodology tools: impact evaluation;-observation reports (based on observational criteria).A Final Publication (and Recommendations) will be edited, accessible free of charge in pdf version, in English and a summary in partner countries’ languages. They will be will be disseminated more times in public events in each partner country at different level, and in dissemination actions at EU level.Impacts:-participants: prof. development, acquirement and development key competences, skills and attitude, lifelong learning, foreign languages learning, mobility experiences- organizations: improvement company strategies, methodologies, activities, importing models and good practices from others, improvement quality education services provided allows them to respond more adequately to the needs of the target group, cooperation between different kind of organizations , organizational ability to permanently train employees- target group (children, families): a quality preschool, knowledge of families about existing services and of their rights, to stimulate their, less probability of early leaving of education and/or training, active engagement in the development of literacy competences and related policies-territorial level: increased knowledge on the issues, strengthened networking: partners, stakeholders, public decision-making bodies, stimulate pro-activity of public admin..In addition of benefits indicated, partnership is aiming to use project results to develop a more effective method in preforming literacy competence topic provided to educators, in a future project.