On January 13, 2022 the Kindergarten "Mali istraživač" started implementing the "Step Forward" project. The total value of the project is HRK 2,935,003.01, and the project is funded by the European Union from the European Social Fund.

The funds received from this Project will enable:

• THE ORGANIZATION OF THE WORK OF THE KINDERGARTEN WHICH MEETS THE NEEDS OF EMPLOYED PARENTS (extended work of the kindergarten) and enables the harmonization of family and business life. The new service of extended work enables complete consumption of all educational content for all children, regardless of the time of arrival at the kindergarten, and enrichment with additional contents in the extended work of the kindergarten.
• RAISING THE PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCES OF ALL EDUCATORS AND PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATES in the part of education for the implementation of a series of development programs that will be introduced into regular educational work with children.
• The STEM PROGRAM IN KINDERGARTEN was designed as a series of fun and educational activities in the STEM CENTER that will encourage children's innovation and creativity, logical-mathematical thinking and the acquisition of the basics of digital literacy. The program will be implemented over 20 months and will cover different scientific fields: robotics, programming and coding, game design, innovation and scientific experiments. The supervisor of the education of educators and professional associates is Mr. Nenad Bakić (https://www.ey.com/hr_hr/eoy/neovisni-ziri/nenad-bakic). The procurement of all equipment as well as education will be carried out through the company INOVALAB (https://inovalab.eu/en/who/we-are/), whose founder is the Institute for Youth Development and Innovation (https://croatianmakers.hr/hr/naslovnica /) which implements the largest STEM teaching program in Europe.
• LITTLE NATURALISTS - A sustainable development and environmental protection program that will include daily activities that raise children's awareness of nature and our role in its preservation. In this context, various environmental projects are organized in which children participate. This development project will especially deal with raising awareness among children and adults about the preservation of planet Earth. Such activities enable the dissemination of information from children to parents (adults in their environment) so that they understand the importance of personal action. The teacher educator in the aforementioned program is a biologist, Ph.D. Igor Stankovic.
• PARENTAL WORK - The development program of cooperation with parents will be implemented through workshops. The ultimate purpose of the program is to improve well-being and facilitate the full development of the child's potential, which is achieved by improving the quality of the family environment in which the child lives. As the parent's behavior, thoughts and feelings are the main determinant of the quality of the family environment, the immediate purpose of the program is to promote the well-being and developmental potential of parents, that is, to support the existing and the development of new parental knowledge, skills, abilities and responsibilities (parental competences). Supporting and expanding positive parenting experiences is the focus of the program. The purpose of the "Parental Work" workshop program for parents is to enable the flow of information, knowledge, skills and support that help parents fulfill their parental responsibilities and promote the growth and development of both parents and their children. Ana Mužak, kindergarten psychologist, supervises the implementation of these workshops.
• THE SENSORY WORLD OF CHILDREN AND US – A development project through which, through various activities, we will achieve our goal - learning based on our own experience. The development project will use all resources because the child's sensory integration is stimulated by everything that happens around him. In all of this, it is important to find the "right measure" of stimulation. We will always look for an assessment of success in the child's reactions, which clearly let us know what pleases him and what does not. By carrying out these activities, we will provide the child with an immediate connection with the world, an opportunity for research and acquaintance everything that surrounds him. In this way, his senses will be maximally trained and integrated. In the program, we will use a series of new didactic aids and specialized equipment (https://bit.ly/3H86shO; https://ar-sandbox.eu/ ) which we will acquire from the funds of this project.
• A SAFE CHILD IN A SAFE KINDERGARTEN - A development program based on the cooperation of educators and professional associates with the aim of assessing the existing safety of the child in the kindergarten and creating additional protocols for dealing with risky situations. During the implementation of the agreed activities of this development program, we will strengthen the child in responsible and self-protective behavior (developing a positive self-image, acquiring social skills in terms of self-protection, resisting violent behavior, education for and about children's rights, education for healthy lifestyles, etc.), but and provide support to parents in strengthening parental competence in the field of upbringing and encouraging children's development with the aim of a safe and happy upbringing of the child in kindergarten. Primarily through informing them about the safety and protection programs in the kindergarten and establishing the rights, obligations and responsibilities of all participants in the child's safe stay in the kindergarten.

Our goal is to verify the mementioned programs with the competent Ministry of Science and Education in order to enrich educational work with new educational programs.

The funds received under the "Step forward" project will enable us to have a series of professional training and the acquisition of basic equipment, didactics, specialization of didactics and equipment, and information and communication technology for work. Professional training refers to:

• Professional associate of a psychologist in the part of providing high-quality counseling support to parents, especially parents of children with special needs (children with developmental disabilities and gifted children) through advanced education in transactional analysis (TA 202) with the aim of providing advanced and professional support to families, parents and children in dealing with difficulties in social, emotional, cognitive and/or physical areas of life.
• Professional associate of a speech therapist and a part of educators at ERF with the aim of better support for children with language and speech difficulties (as well as their parents) as well as work with children with developmental difficulties and their inclusion.
• Professional associate of pedagogues and all educators with the aim of acquiring new and modern knowledge and approaches in working with children of early and preschool age. The aforementioned knowledge will be applied to all enrolled children during the implementation of the project in daily work with children (including children with difficulties) and will continue to be implemented even after the project ends.