Welcome to the WCD NETWORK! An ecosystem for promoting and sustaining whole child development.
This platform brings together the young and the old who are interested in promoting the holistic development of the child, to learn from each other and improve their skills and knowledge.
What is Whole Child Development?
Whole Child Development (WCD) means caring for every aspect of a child – their body, mind, heart, and spirit. It means helping them grow up healthy, happy, and able to do their best. For this to happen, they need love, nurturing, support, opportunities to be creative, and safe places to live, play, and learn.
Whole Child Development is everyone’s business. It needs us all to join hands, breaking down the silos that prevent us from working collaboratively across generations, different sectors and levels.
What is the Intergenerational Whole Child Development Network?
The Intergenerational Whole Child Development (WCD) Network is a community focused on creating positive change by promoting practices and values that support the holistic development of children.
It utilizes an intergenerational approach, known as the Intergen Model, to foster collaboration among different age groups—children, Gen Z, millennials, and older generations—to address social problems in their communities.
What is the “Intergen Model”?
The Intergen Model is a unique approach that fosters collaboration among different generations—children, GEN Z, millennials, and older adults (GEN Wazee)—to address social problems at the community level. It's designed to bring together the wisdom and experience of elders with the energy and innovation of youth.
Several core principles underpin this model. These include active participation, which emphasizes learning, reflection, and the development of essential skills and values. The model also focuses on amplifying the voices of younger generations, ensuring their perspectives are heard by decision-makers. Inclusivity is another key tenet, promoting equality and social justice through respectful collaboration across various social groups.
Furthermore, the Intergen Model advocates for evidence-based actions, prioritizing facts over misinformation. Finally, it utilizes the PDLRA cycle—Prepared, to Discover, to Learn, to Reflect, and to Act—as a framework for its interventions.
Who are Whole Child Development Champions?
A WCD Champion is an individual committed to positive change by promoting practices and values that support the holistic development of children in their community.
Multistakeholder Champions
A WCD Multistakeholder Champion is an individual who is reliable and trustworthy, building trust through active participation and accountability. They are consistent, aligning their actions with their beliefs, and are altruistic and selfless contributors, prioritizing community needs and dedicating time and resources for the community's well-being. They also possess integrity and devotion, embodying community values and effectively advocating for comprehensive child development.
Youth Champions
WCD Youth Champions have specific tasks that include identifying schools and vocational training centers, gathering basic information about schools, and seeking consent from authorities to undertake activities. They also develop plans to engage learners and community members, conduct learning circles, theater for change, and community dialogues, maintain journals of activities, and prepare for planned activities and attend learning circles and intergenerational dialogue forums.
Join the Network
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Join the Network 〰️
Join the Intergenerational Whole Child Development Network and collaborate with passionate individuals to make a difference! Connect with youth, elders, and community members to promote children's well-being. Your skills and dedication can help us build stronger, more supportive communities.