Nineteenth International Conference on Diversity in Organizations, Communities & Nations

Abstract

Early Childhood Education on Greek Islands was a program that took place on four Aegean islands (Leros, Samos, Chios, Lesvos ) during summer 2018. Students from the Department of Educational Sciences and Early Childhood Education (University of Patras, Greece) were employed and worked during summer holidays in the kindergartens inside hotspots. The Program was funded by the Open Society Foundation, through ELKE of the University of Patras (FK 80550). Its main purpose was to offer to refugee children, who reside in the Reception and Identification Centres, various creative activities in order to enhance socialisation, creativity, and learning through play and expression. Moreover, the program aimed to help children get familiar with the Greek language and be ready for primary school. In this study, we focus on this experience and the kindergarten, which is in the school area in Chios RIC.