ESC: EVS in Madrid-La Casa del Baobab Kindergarten

ASOCIACIÓN BAOBAB, is an association that is dedicated to early childhood Education. It receives daily children form one to four years old at “La Casa del Baobab” (www.lacasadelbaobab.org), educating according to Rudolf Steiner´s Waldorf pedagogy. The pedagogy we use pretends to be open and free, so we do not limit only to one pedagogy but we nourish ourselves with many other sources, from different free and active pedagogies. We also give preschool education courses to educators and inmigrant persons within the frame of our project “El Mundo como Escuela”, initially promoted by the program Youth in Action; Action 1.2 Youth initiatives. This courses do not exclude people with spanish nationality but they try to give priority to the people with less opportunities. We also mantain a Family School, where usually participate the parents of the children that come daily to “La Casa del Baobab”, where we deal and discuss pedagogical topics as well as child care issues in order to help and support parents in the education of their children. In this way respect, inclusion and diversity and respect nature are the base of our pegagogy. “Baobab is defined as an educative, social and cultural association for the care, respect and rights of children, considering their needs in each stage of their development. We are oriented by the pedagogy developed by Rudolf Steiner, although we are also nurished by other pedagogies as Rebecca Wild, Jean Piaget or Emmi Pikler. In the religious aspect it is free, and has the statute of nonprofit organization. Our organization pursues the following aims: - Promote a high-quality education for children, in which the respect to freedom is regarded over any other action, respecting his or her individuality and their evolutionary process, either physical, psychological or emotional. - Educate through art (music, dressmaking, work with different materials: paper, wood, wool, etc.) and through the relation with nature as the fundamental elements in free development. - Give a high-quality answer to present social and familiar issues regarding child education. - Promote an education in which parents and educators create a close cooperation of dialogue and understanding, working for inner development, with the aim of contributing the education of children. - Support and asses the families during their children´s development. - Promote and develop alternative children education offers, promoting permanent education of educators and pedagogues. - Promote inclusion and work for diversity as a source of wealth. - Contribute to create a social conscience about the importance of education for society and for people´s welfare, through our education training courses and other activities. - Respect Nature in every activity carried out by the Association. - Create meeting points of debate and development for adults treating different topics as diversity, inclusion, gender, selfsufficiency, education, ecology, communication, etc. In order to acomplish these aims, we will be engage in the following activities: - Create, organize and develope pedagogically small educative groups (0-6 years old) based on the pedagogy described in our “aims”. - Meetings with parents. - Excursions and tours. - Activities for parents, educators and friends of the association directed towards inner development. - Educational training courses for parents and educators directed towards permanent education. - Accomplish natural and self-sufficiency activities, as orchard tasks, compost, etc. - Educational workshops for children and their families. - Artistic workshops for children and their families. - Develop and/or participate in different social and educative projects. - Collaborate with other organizations that pursue the same aims. We have already receive many volunteers since 2012. It is been always a very good experience for both parts, the organization and volunteers.This is why we want to apply again for the quality label. Our experience in EVS is direct and personal, some of the members who conform the board of directors have been European volunteers themselves in other European countries. This represented a unique experience for us, and now we believe we may offer an adequate and enriching environment for other volunteers who would be able to enjoy this experience and grow from it. Therefore, we believe we may understand and be able to face the needs the volunteer may have. For Volunteers Baobab is a learning platform in al aspects; personal, profesional, social, civic and emocional developement. For the organisation, volunteers enrich the practice with diversity and help Baobab to offer some places for children with difficulties.