The Generation of Tomorrow - Early Childhood Campaign in Jaffa

A strategic initiative to enhance services and investment in early childhood for the Arab community in Jaffa. As part of this effort, the availability and accessibility of municipal services for toddlers and their parents were expanded, along with a public awareness campaign to educate parents about the critical developmental window at these ages.

A municipal study on the state of early childhood revealed disparities in the Arabic-speaking neighborhoods in Jaffa compared to other communities throughout the city. Upon entering municipal kindergarten, toddlers were found to have language gaps relative to their Hebrew-speaking peers, and there was a relatively low level of parental awareness regarding the importance of investing in early childhood development.

In collaboration with the Mishlama Jaffa team, we set out to dispel the notion that toddlers develop solely through spontaneous growth, reinforcing the understanding that developmental opportunities can and should be actively shaped, starting in early childhood.

We formulated a plan to reduce gaps among toddlers (birth to age 3) in the Arab community in Jaffa, defining two main goals: raising awareness of the importance of the early childhood years and increasing the use of municipal services for toddlers and their parents.

The plan included two main courses of action:

  • Information Dissemination: Introducing and familiarizing each population group with available community services, explaining to parents the importance of encouraging toddlers and young children to explore new experiences and the developmental and social benefits these bring. Additionally, offering parents ideas for strengthening the parent-child bond and highlighting the value of investing in early childhood as a key factor impacting their child’s future.

To achieve this, we launched a dedicated Instagram page, #borninjaffa, organized a public event in a local park showcasing community services with Q&A sessions with municipal representatives, produced Arabic-language videos featuring Jaffa parents and children, and promoted municipal activities through sponsored Facebook ads and billboards in neighborhoods across Jaffa and Tel Aviv.

  • Actions taken in community services: We developed a rich and diverse summer activity program divided into three tracks based on age groups: birth to one year, one to two years, and two to three years, with each track featuring its own unique design and marketing language. Beyond age-appropriate activities, we focused on increasing the frequency and accessibility of events across different areas, offering a variety of activities for residents to choose from.

Indeed, during the period of the campaign, many mothers reported an increase in their use of early childhood community services, and the high level of resident participation encouraged others to join.

 

We embedded a comprehensive evaluation process throughout the entire program: surveys about the campaign and activities at community centers, qualitative assessments through observations, interviews, and focus groups, along with data collection through mapping posts and user discussions on social media.

 

Partnering municipal units: Mishlama Jaffa

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Impact

  • About 2,200 participants attended the campaign launch event, with an additional 650 participants at two subsequent major events.
  • Over 140 activities in the summer months
  • High campaign exposure yielding significant results (95% of evaluation survey respondents reported awareness of the campaign):
  • 24% of respondents were introduced to community and municipal services for the first time.
  • 73% reported an increase in the frequency of their visits to the community center in the weeks following the campaign launch.
  • An increase in service consumption among the local population, including residents who had previously made little or no use of municipal services.
  • A positive feeling regarding the individualized attention to the Arab population - relevant and tailored content that provides a quality alternative to screens, encouraging activity and getting out of the house. Participants reported a sense of wellbeing and high satisfaction.
  • The campaign’s content was experienced as enriching and educational, beyond just making early childhood community services accessible and informing the public about them.
  • Increasing trust between the municipality and residents.

What we learned along the way

  • Direct communication and personal acquaintance of residents with the teams in community centers encourage participation.
  • The inclusion of Arabic-speaking staff members led to feelings of belonging and recognition among residents, strengthened their connection to the centers, and increased their willingness to participate.
  • “A friend brings a friend” - involved female residents hold significant power in spreading information and mobilizing the community.
  • WhatsApp groups proved to be the most effective communication channel between the municipality and the target audience.
  • The timing of the campaign during the summer months addressed a significant need among residents, as it coincided with the end of activities in formal educational frameworks and the start of the summer vacation.
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The project was created and operated in partnership with