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April 2026
EDITION 25
Vale Sharon Corvinus-Jones
HIPPY Australia would like to take this opportunity to honour Sharon Corvinus‑Jones.
Sharon was CEO of Kentish Regional Clinic in Sheffield, Tasmania, which delivers the HIPPY Kentish program. Through this role, Sharon provided strong leadership and was deeply committed to supporting families and the local community.
A passionate advocate for social inclusion and rural wellbeing, Sharon strongly believed in the role of education, connection, and belonging in building safe and thriving communities. Sharon championed HIPPY as a meaningful way to support parents as their children’s first teachers.
Sharon will be remembered for her integrity, authenticity, and commitment. Sharon’s contribution to HIPPY Kentish lives on through the families and communities she supported.
Key Program Dates
Ensure all reporting and financial requirements are submitted on time to ensure contract compliance and accurate financial reconciliation.
For assistance contact the Finance team directly via HIPPYAustralia@bsl.org.au
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National Office Updates
Department of Social Services (DSS) has completed its evaluation of HIPPY. We have received the final report and are awaiting formal permission from DSS to share the results.
We thank all HIPPY staff and families who contributed to the evaluation. This evaluation adds to the evidence of HIPPY's impact and supports our advocacy work.
The First Nations Governance Network held its inaugural meeting at the end of March. It was facilitated by Mark Yettica-Paulson from Collaboration for Impact.
This milestone session brought together First Nations providers and Aboriginal Controlled Community Organisations (ACCOs) delivering HIPPY.
The HIPPY Support Portal is now live.
The portal is designed to be a central hub that streamlines how we support the network. This platform enables you to lodge support requests for ETO, Finance, Communication collateral or general program queries directly, ensuring each ticket is automatically routed to the most appropriate team member for faster resolution.
Beyond troubleshooting, the portal features an ever-expanding knowledge base with essential resources, including ETO task guides, marketing and branding content, and answers to your frequently asked questions. We are currently linking all manuals, ETO dashboards, and the HIPPY Online Library to the portal to ensure it remains a seamless part of your daily workflow.
Please bookmark the BSL HIPPY Support Portal as your primary point of contact for all technical and administrative assistance moving forward.
First Nations Network: Reimagining Onboarding
In 2025, HIPPY Australia proudly supported the transition of 19 sites and 18 Providers from mainstream service delivery to Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) or ACCO-led partnerships. This significant milestone created an opportunity to reimagine our onboarding approach, including the delivery of Preservice Coordinator Training (PSCT).
With the onboarding of 18 new Providers across Australia, alongside new and existing Coordinators and Line Managers, HIPPY Australia took the opportunity to consult with ACCOs in the HIPPY Network on what a deeper culturally responsive training would look like. We followed the advice that training should be delivered on Country, in genuine partnership with First Nations leaders across the HIPPY Network.
PSCT was delivered in Adelaide, Brisbane, and Perth, with each location inviting a local HIPPY First Nations leader to co-facilitate alongside a HIPPY Australia team member. This approach strengthened cultural leadership and created culturally safe spaces for learning, reflection, and connection.
The first PSCT was held in Adelaide at the Living Kaurna Cultural Centre (Kaurna Centre) at Warriparinga. (Fun fact: Warriparinga translates to "windy place by the river"). The training was co-facilitated by Murray Bridge and Riverland Line Manager, and proud Ngarrindjeri woman, Dorothy Kartinyeri.
Attendees were warmly welcomed with a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony by Bryce Cawte from the Kaurna Centre team, who shared the cultural significance and history of the site. The setting supported grounded conversations, deep reflection on the transition journey, and excitement for the future of HIPPY in 2026.
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More recently, PSCT commenced in Meanjin (Brisbane), co-facilitated by Maryborough Coordinator and Line Manager, Aunty Kym Harrison. Aunty Kym is a highly respected Elder of the Undumbi people of the Kabi Kabi Nation, with Bira Gubba and South Sea Islander heritage. The training was honoured to receive a Welcome to Country from Aunty Sandra King.
Julia, Sharon, and Aunty Kym shared the training,
Lots of information and very entertaining,
Activities that promoted connection and sharing,
And we all know that sharing is caring.
Extract from Laureen Sliwinski’s poem about the training
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We extend our sincere thanks to everyone who attended in person and to the First Nations co-facilitators who generously shared their leadership, knowledge, and care. Their contributions created culturally safe spaces for open, transparent training and meaningful yarning about how HIPPY can be delivered in local contexts across the country. The next PSCT will be held later this month on Noongar Country (Perth), and we look forward to meeting and making connections at the Desert Hub.
Broad-focused Network: Strategic Adaptive Delivery
Similar to our ACCO-led PSCT running as hub-based sessions, HIPPY Australia evolved the latest round of PSCT for our broad-focused sites through a targeted, digital-first model.
Catering to a smaller cohort, the five sessions in March were streamlined to provide essential onboarding while maintaining training viability.
On Thursday 2 April, the HIPPY Australia National Office sent out an email containing formal guidance to the network on service continuity during natural disasters and ongoing fuel supply pressures.
We recognise that local conditions vary, and we fully support sites in implementing flexible, site-led responses where condition don't allow for business as usual. Sites should continue to prioritise organisational direction and local community context to ensure safe and appropriate delivery that supports families and communities.
If you are making adaptations to delivery in response to events, please keep your Site Advisor informed. Staying in touch helps Site Advisors understand what you are dealing with locally and where support may be helpful.
Detailed response to a list of Service Disruption FAQs accompanied this communication and can be accessed on the HIPPY Australia Support Portal .
Please get in touch through the Support Portal if you have any additional questions or local insights.
LMS Updates
The National Office has extended the completion timeframe for mandatory online (LMS) Tutor training. This change acknowledges the increased workload for Tutors and Coordinators during the commencement of the HIPPY year.
Module deadlines are now staggered as follows: Safeguarding (2 weeks), Cultural Awareness (6 weeks), and all others (8 weeks).
Details of the updated timeframe are available here .
ETO Updates
Following the implementation of a new BSL system for processing purchase orders, we are aware that some sites have experienced delays in receiving their Jan-Jun funding and supplementation payments.
While most payments have been successfully processed, a small number of invoices submitted recently have been caught in a system lag. We are working closely with the ICT team to rectify this.
Action Required: If you have yet to receive your scheduled payment, please log a ticket via the new HIPPY Support Portal immediately so we can escalate the follow-up with Finance.
Coordinators must ensure they are using the 2026 Data Collection Guide and the most recent ETO forms available on the LMS.
Additionally, the ETO 101 LMS course is now rolling out to established Coordinators and Line Managers. While the system automatically enrols new staff, current staff can request early enrolment by messaging ETO HIPPY Support .
ETO Reporting Improvements
HIPPY Australia National Office is updating ETO reports to include direct links to the ETO User Guide. These links will take you to the specific page related to each report, ensuring a clearer understanding of the processes required and making it easier to manage data for the 2026 cohort.
Finalising 2024 Families: If you have not yet completed the 'Leave HIPPY' process (Section 7.7.2) for 2024 families, please do so immediately. The ETO Helpdesk will formally graduate these families shortly.
Transitioning Age 3 families to Age 4: Coordinators must collect and enter an End of Age 3 Journey form before a family receives their first Age 4 pack.
Active Status Reminder: Remember that exiting families (who have not received any delivery) that leave before March do not count as an 'Early Exit'. Please ensure that all new enrolments are entered into ETO to support accurate Priority of Access (PoA) calculation and planning with your Site Advisor.
For support, contact ETO support through the HIPPY Support Portal .
HIPPY Training Opportunities
The first group of MoneyMinded Coach training participants completed their online training sessions last week, and these participants are now moving into the accreditation phase.
A second group of participants will begin the live online component of their training later this month. These session details are as follows:
Dates: Monday 27 April and Wednesday 29 April 2026
Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM (AEST)
Please note that the live online sessions will be delivered on ZOOM.
We have emailed all registered participants to confirm their bookings in April. Participants are required to complete three hours of online pre-work and attend both scheduled sessions in order to achieve formal accreditation and access to the full suite of physical and digital MoneyMinded resources. Everyone in this training group will receive their pre-work instructions and calendar invitations next week.
If you previously accepted a calendar invitation but have not yet completed the formal registration, please check your email for the required registration link to secure your place.
Days of Recognition
At HIPPY, we recognise and celebrate a variety of important dates, including some cultural and religious observances that reflect our commitment to inclusivity, family, and cultural diversity.
Keep an eye on our Facebook page for posts to like, share, and tag!
This April marks 29 years since the Bringing Them Home report was tabled in Federal Parliament on 5 April 1997.
The report was the result of the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from Their Families. It documented the systemic experiences of the Stolen Generations and the resulting longitudinal impacts on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Its 54 recommendations continue to provide a foundational framework for child safety and healing across the sector today.
On Saturday 25 April 2026, the Australian War Memorial will mark the 111th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings and commemorate all Australians who have served in times of peace and war.
The Mother’s Day date in Australia is the second Sunday of May each year. Australia is credited with having started the tradition of giving gifts on Mother's Day: in 1924, Sydney resident Janet Heyden launched a campaign to collect gifts for lonely, aged mothers.
Theme: Every Family, Everywhere | 11–17 May 2026
Led by Families Australia, National Families Week recognises the vital role families play in our lives and the broader community. This annual celebration encourages families to connect with friends, extended kin, and the wider community through shared activities.
Sites are encouraged to share their stories and photos with the National Office for the June newsletter.
