Korea Childcare Promotion Institute Holds Orientation for 'Samsung Diversity Respect Program'

- Sponsored by Samsung Welfare Foundation for 100 Nationwide Daycare Centers
- Pilot Operation of 'Samsung Diversity Respect Program' 추진

The Korea Childcare Promotion Institute (Director Na Seong-ung) successfully held the orientation for the "Samsung Diversity Respect Program" directors and teachers on May 31 at the auditorium of the Samsung Child Education and Culture Center in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. This program is set to be piloted at 100 daycare centers nationwide with the support of the Samsung Welfare Foundation (CEO Kim Seong-won).

Established in 1989, the Samsung Welfare Foundation has provided childcare services for low-income families through over 70 Samsung daycare centers over the past 30 years, and has promoted various childcare projects including the development of childcare programs and the operation of in-service training for childcare staff.

The Korea Childcare Promotion Institute signed an MOU with the Samsung Welfare Foundation in January this year and decided to expand the "Diversity Respect Program," which was successfully operated at Samsung daycare centers, to childcare sites nationwide. The teacher training program was quickly filled due to high interest, with about 200 directors and teachers from over 100 daycare centers voluntarily participating.

The orientation began with a welcome speech by Director Na Seong-ung of the Korea Childcare Promotion Institute and congratulatory remarks by CEO Kim Seong-won of the Samsung Welfare Foundation, followed by a lecture from Professor Shin Hye-won of the Department of Child and Adolescent Studies at Seokyeong University, who is part of the program research team. The lecture introduced the importance of diversity respect education and the program to be applied in the future, as well as detailed operational schedules. After the lecture, participants were given the opportunity to heal through artistic experience by viewing the Philip Parreno solo exhibition "Voices" along with an exhibition explanation at the Leeum Museum of Art.

Childcare staff participating in the program stated, "This is a great opportunity to learn a program that is essential in childcare settings recently," and added, "We expect it will help change awareness about diversity respect and develop necessary competencies."

Director Na Seong-ung of the Korea Childcare Promotion Institute said, "It is meaningful to spread an excellent program nationwide through cooperation with the Samsung Welfare Foundation, which has played an important role in the growth of the domestic childcare sector," and added, "We will continue to strive to diversify and improve the quality of childcare sites through various programs and content."

CEO Kim Seong-won of the Samsung Welfare Foundation stated, "We are pleased to participate in spreading excellent childcare programs promoted by the Korea Childcare Promotion Institute, and we will cooperate to share various Samsung childcare programs to provide practical support to childcare sites."

This program is operated over six sessions focusing on the core concepts of diversity respect, and its effectiveness in changing the awareness and enhancing the capabilities of participating childcare staff will be analyzed and the results of field application will be shared in the future.