Petya Zeynelova
Diversity and inclusion are important if we want to make this world a better place for our children. It is important that we do the work now and that we walk the talk. It is especially important that ECD professionals lay the foundation for the new generations.Country: Bulgaria
Job title: Evaluation Officer
Organization: Trust for Social Achievement Foundation
Sector: NGO/Philanthropy
Years of experience in her role: 6 years
In this interview, Petya Zeynelova, Evaluation Officer from Trust for Social Achievement Bulgaria, highlights her experience from the in-person Embracing Diversity training of trainers hosted by the International Step by Step Association (ISSA) under the Early Childhood Workforce Initiative. Aimed at preparing professionals to tackle issues of exclusion and discrimination in early childhood environments, this training empowers her work to assess how this program can impact teachers and ultimately the children they work with.
Petya shares how the training enhances her understanding to better support Trust for Social Achievement's ongoing implementation of the Embracing Diversity programs in Bulgaria and their ambition to adapt it for trainings with health professionals and businesses.
Do you already use this training in your work? How? Can you share an example to illustrate its relevance?
I am responsible for evaluating the impact that the training has on teachers and ultimately the impact on the children they work with. The training has deepened my knowledge and understanding of the desired results of this training and where we might look for them.
Why did you attend this training? What motivated you to join?
We have used the training in Bulgaria for several years now, mainly working with kindergartens and schools but we have the ambition to use it with health professionals and employers. We are already working on adapting the content. It was important for me to have this better understanding of the training so I can be helpful in both the adaptation of the program and later in its evaluation.
What are your next plans for utilizing the knowledge you gained from this training? How do you think it can benefit others in your workplace or fellow practitioners?
Right after the training, I got involved in the adaptation and piloting of the training for employers. Our organization will deliver this training for senior and middle management of businesses looking to improve the environment in their workplace in terms of diversity and inclusion.
If you could send a message to every practitioner in the ECD field about the importance of diversity and inclusion, what would it be?
Diversity and inclusion are important if we want to make this world a better place for our children. It is important that we do the work now and that we walk the talk. It is especially important that ECD professionals lay the foundation for the new generations.
You can learn more about Trust for Social Achievement Foundation's work via their website.