DAISY (Diversity And Inclusion: Start Young) Early Steps Forward
Stranmillis University College, Belfast has been delighted to offer all early years settings in both
Lisburn and Castlereagh geographical areas an opportunity to be involved in DAISY (Diversity
And Inclusion: Start Young), a new diversity programme of professional development. The
project was delighted to have received funding from the Lisburn-Castlereagh Peace lll
Partnership to enable the initiation of this early intervention programme.
The programme aims to better equip staff in early years settings to deal with issues of diversity
and inclusion and to reflect upon the challenges of working with young people around such
issues. At an introductory session at the end of June, 11 early years practitioners came together to meet
key lecturing staff from the Early Childhood Studies degree programme within Stranmillis University
College. The DAISY Project Director, Dr Patricia Eaton, welcomed everyone to the event and stated that
she was delighted that the programme was able to offer practitioners the opportunity to have time and
space to take the next step forward on their diversity and inclusion journey. A series of interactive
learning activities ensued, led by early years specialists from Stranmillis University College, Dr Barbara
McConnell and Dr Louise Quinn. These provided practitioners with the opportunity to explore issues
surrounding prejudices and the impact upon young people, to consider the cultures and diversity of
their individual settings and to reinforce the importance of this work in the early years of a child’s
development.
Participants engaging in interactive learning activities at the introductory session
To facilitate the overall success of the project and help practitioners consider their next step forward on
their diversity and inclusion journey, practitioners completed an audit of their own individual setting in
relation to provision and practice in this area. During a follow up session on 22 October 2013, the
practitioners were given the opportunity to experience induction training to a range of programmes and
resources available and appropriate approaches to explore and deal these issues in the early years
settings. Specific resources explored were the Toolkit for Diversity created by the Inclusion and Diversity
Inter-board Service and the Media Initiative created by the Early Years Organisation. Practitioners were
introduced to the complexity of working with parents and are currently working towards implementing
diversity activities, and with support from the University, are tasked with hosting a workshop exploring
these issues with parents and children in their individual settings. The DAISY team welcomed the
opportunity to work alongside the practitioners to deliver these activities in their settings and reflect
together on the challenges and opportunities of engaging with this project.
Dr Barbara McConnell, a lead team member commented that “The DAISY team was delighted to have
had the opportunity to work alongside early years practitioners in the Lisburn and Castlereagh areas. It
is encouraging to work with practitioners who are motivated and enthused to take this forward in their
settings.”
At a further follow up session on 12 December 2013 in Stranmillis University College, practitioners were
welcomed back. They had the opportunity to hear from Catherine Creed from Community Relations in
Schools (CRIS) who provided a valuable insight into Diversity and Practice in the Early Years.
Practitioners were given time to work individually with a member of the DAISY team within the
University College to help plan the parental workshop in their individual settings.