BLISKO (formerly The Village Network)

COMBINING INNOVATIVE EDUCATION METHODS: TECH SOLUTIONS TO REVOLUTIONISE CHILDCARE & EARLY EDUCATION

Societal Challenge & Market

Worldwide, 78% of children are missing out on quality pre-primary education. This failure limits their future and deepens inequities. One key reason for the poor pre-school quality is the worsening staff shortages. In Europe, we are short of childminders resulting in pressure on services which leads to perceived lower quality service (issues, safeguarding, misconduct). We are looking at a gap of about 50 000 teachers and caregivers. Massive increase in demand for childcare services puts more pressure on the system. For example, the female employment rate in the EU-27 was 67.7% in 2021, compared to 33.1% in 1970, allowing less mothers to care for their children. These negative trends leave 3.5 M children with no access to childcare, causing childhood mental health decline. Without high quality pre-primary and primary education, children fail to build mental resilience and coping skills; suicide is now the second leading cause of death for EU youth.

Solution

BLISKO (formerly The Village Network) creates schools and builds a robust quality assurance framework, focusing on quality early-stage childhood development & social-emotional skills in children. The Village runs two types of schools: 1, schools owned by the company 2, franchise schools. Franshisees can elect to start a brand-new facility or adopt the brand, technology and curriculum and convert to a ‘The Village’ school. The company follows a Harvard-developed curriculum based on Reggio Emilia curriculum with a holistic education, outdoor education and non-violent communication, focusing on creativity, innovation, and mental resilience.  Blisko combines essential features into one seamless interface in their ‘Blisko app’. Parents stay connected with real-time updates, photos, and chats, ensuring they are part of their child’s day and development.