Since September 2006 EJE is supporting 4 Play and Animation centres in the West Bank and Gaza Strip

Introduction
Based upon a national analysis of Palestinian children psychosocial and educational needs and in the frame of EJE national program (Psychosocial and educational support to children), EJE cooperates in partnership with Community Based NGOs to setup Play and Animation Centres.

The Play and Animation Centres’ general goals are to:
- Facilitate children psychological wellbeing and educational progress
- Provide children with psychosocial and educational support
- Setup and develop a safe place for children were they can play, express, learn and develop as children first.  
- Contribute to the development of the non formal education sector

Play and Animation Centre specific objectives
- Enable children to play in a free and constructive approach.
- Enable children to participate and share expressional, educational and creative animation activities
- Enable children practice and live new pedagogy and education principals and methods based on children central role in learning.
- Enable children to regain self-confidence, autonomy and initiative.
- Enable children to develop their personal and life skills and capacities.
- Enable children to participate as actors in developing their local culture and exchange with others
- Enable other actors and centres to participate and act on cooperation and network basis in favour of children

Play and Animation Centre work strategies

1. Working with children
1. Children in the centre

Welcoming children from the centre area to participate at centres activities
Welcoming children accompanied by other actors (teachers, counsellors, animators…)

2. Children outside the centre 

• In other centres

 Cooperation with them to organize activities for children

2. Working with children communities
1. Working with parents, teachers and other childhood actors in and outside the centres
2. Working with the community in general through information, awareness and lobbying

Activities and Play Centre activities

• Play Library and playing activities
• Artistic graphical and manual activities
• Artistic drama, theatre, music and folkloric activities
• Library, lecture and writing activities
• Design, media and multimedia activities
• Counselling sessions, thematic workshops and exchange meetings with parents teachers and other actors
• Children issues related documents gathering, production and diffusion
• Mobile animation activities unit