"I don't know where we would be today without HIPPY"

HIPPY has had a huge impact on my life and my family. Without HIPPY I do not know where we would be today.

Our son was born in 2012 and our daughter was born in 2015. One month before her birth, I was made redundant from the furniture shop I had been working at as a permanent part-time employee for 10 years. At the same time, I had been employed in commercial and domestic cleaning with my wife.

After being made redundant from the furniture shop, I had been working on developing my cleaning business, but in September of 2015, when our daughter was 6 months old, I had a major accident that shattered my left elbow, fractured my right shoulder and my back. After 12 months of recovery, it was clear that I was going to have to change my career; I could no longer do the kinds of work I used to do, and my wife hadn’t worked since the birth of our son.

I engaged in training and unsuccessfully applied for hundreds of jobs and as a result I had been unemployed since my accident.

As my wife and I were both not working, we felt that we wanted to make the most of this time with our children. We were not interested in formal preschool or childcare options because of this and instead attended library programs and community playgroups with them.

We still wanted to do something else positive to prepare our children for school but were not too sure where to start. Then we found out about HIPPY.

HIPPY parent and tutor

We first heard of the HIPPY program when our son was around three, through a friend who was a HIPPY Tutor. In 2017, we enrolled our son in the program. My wife was primarily the one who did the program with him, but I would attend the fortnightly playgroups as a family. We all loved the playgroups and made many lasting connections with other families in the community.

During the course of my son’s first year at HIPPY, my wife had major surgery and I took over with the program for a number of months.

Whilst doing HIPPY with my son, I could see the impact the program was having on him and the progress he was making was tangible. I really loved seeing his joy and his smile when we were doing the activities.

HIPPY parent and tutor

The value of the program was made even more clear when he attended his preschool orientation. One of the teachers asked us if our son had done HIPPY. We were surprised as we had not mentioned it, so we asked her how she knew. She replied that she could tell which students had done the program as ‘they came to school ready to learn’.

Knowing the huge impact that the program had on my son and appreciating how the program had empowered myself and my wife in his education, I immediately applied when an opportunity to become a Tutor came up. I was fortunate enough to be successful in my application and in 2018 was employed as a Tutor for the program.

The training we received to deliver the packs was excellent. I really benefitted from the Tutor enrichment and other training that we received through HIPPY and learnt valuable skills that I use in my work today.

I loved getting to meet the families and having meaningful engagement with them. I felt I could really connect with them as I was approaching them from the perspective of someone who had themselves benefitted from the program. I also enjoyed when parents would recount the progress that their children were making, and I could see them becoming empowered and engaged in their children’s education.

HIPPY helped me to be more involved in the community and, in particular, at my son’s school.

HIPPY parent and tutor

Pre-COVID, my wife and I would visit the school weekly and assist with student reading in kindergarten and year one classes. We also joined the school’s garden group and helped to re-establish the neglected school vegetable garden. We had the privilege of working with small groups of students in the garden and prepared meals with them using some of the fresh produce they had grown.

In 2019, we were able to enrol our daughter in the program and my wife again took the lead in sharing the program with her through both age 4 and 5 packs. After completing the program with our daughter, my wife also applied to become a Tutor and is currently employed at the local site.

About half-way through my second year in the program, I was approached by the manager responsible for our local HIPPY site. She informed me that a full-time position was being advertised in another program that she felt I would be the ideal candidate for.

I was strongly encouraged to apply and was supported in making my application for the role by the HIPPY Coordinator and her Line Manager. I was successful in my application and since the middle of 2019 have been employed full time.

HIPPY parent and tutor

This was slightly bittersweet as I had to hand over the families that I had been working with to my fellow Age 5 Tutor for the final few months. Gladly I was able to attend the graduation and reconnect with the families at the end of their HIPPY journey.

My family owes so much to our involvement with HIPPY. Through it we were able to get both of our children off to the best possible start with their schooling; we were able to connect in a meaningful way with our community; we are still engaged closely with our children’s school and have a great relationship with their teachers; and both my wife and I have been able to gain ongoing employment.

Personally, I was able to break free of long-term unemployment, regain the confidence that was lost after so many rejected applications, and for the first time in my life find stability in full time work.

HIPPY parent and tutor

I credit these things directly to my involvement in the HIPPY program. Without it I don’t know where we would be, but I feel sure that we would not be where we are today!

Thank you, HIPPY!!!

*Stock photo used to protect the identity of this family