Around the Grounds September

Let’s start at the beginning: What was it like to join HIPPY as a parent?

My HIPPY journey started way back in 2016, when I was a parent in the program.

Briony shares with her trademark laugh.

It is a path that has come full circle. When I first joined the program as a parent, I was also coordinating another community program that supported playgroups and parent education. Our two programs worked so closely together, often referring families and sharing many of the same clients. When the opportunity to become a HIPPY Coordinator presented itself in early 2023, I knew I had to go for it.

It had always been a role I was interested in as it encompassed all the things I am passionate about: early childhood education, learning through play, supporting and mentoring, families, and community.

It felt like the perfect fit for me.

You've described your work as a blend of fun and purpose. If you were explaining your job to someone, how would you describe what you do each week?

A typical week as a HIPPY Coordinator, is a vibrant mix of activities! We have gatherings, training sessions, and plenty of singing, dancing, and playing. So, my main focus is on having fun jokes Briony.

My weeks are filled with supervising and mentoring my team, problem-solving, and, of course, some admin. Most importantly, it’s about just having fun and not taking yourself too seriously!

Every day is different, but the core of the work is always about supporting our families and tutors, ensuring we create a joyful and connected environment.

Can you share a story about a family or tutor that has stayed with you, something that touched your heart or reminded you why this work matters?

One of the most rewarding parts of my job is seeing the profound impact being a HIPPY tutor can have on someone's future. There’s a former tutor named Karla, who's journey truly stands out for me.

She started out as a parent in one of my playgroups, joined HIPPY as a parent in 2021, and then successfully became a tutor in 2022. Karla had been out of the workforce for several years, and during her time as a tutor, I saw her confidence and self-esteem grow immensely.

She once shared that she felt a real sense of purpose and it felt good to contribute and give back to the community. I couldn’t be any prouder of Karla, and what she has achieved.

You see, Karla went on to study for her Cert IV in Youth Work and began working casual hours as a School Support Officer.

After graduating from her HIPPY journey, she landed a brand-new role as an Attendance Officer and is now in a leadership position as a Wellbeing Leader at another school. Our Karla who started out as a playgroup mum and now looks after everyone child's well-being at a local school, her story will always stay with me.

You mentioned your site has a strong cultural representation. How do you build strong and trusting relationships with families from diverse backgrounds?

Our site has a strong representation of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) families, so it’s crucial for us to be culturally inclusive. We build strong, trusting, and lasting relationships by being sensitive to our families’ cultural backgrounds, beliefs, and traditions.

Of course, we celebrate special occasions like Eid and Diwali with our families through gatherings and our Facebook group. But we've noticed is greatly appreciated is that we also adapt our resources by providing materials in their home language and ensuring our toys and equipment reflect different cultures.

Not only do our amazing CALD families provide so much enrichment and diversity, it also means we get to hire the most amazing tutors that represent the different cultures and quite often speak multiple languages.

Taking cultural and dietary requirements into consideration, such as offering Halal food options at gatherings, is another way we show our genuine care and respect.

Talk to me a bit more about the inherent strengths of your team and your Site. How do you identify opportunities at your site?

At the cost of sounding exceptionally biased, I will put it out there that HIPPY Salisbury has so many incredible strengths! From our well-attended gatherings to seeing our families so connected to the community, it’s clear we’re doing something right.

I believe our greatest strength is our cultural diversity and inclusion, which is why we have such a strong word-of-mouth referral process.

So, what's your vision for your HIPPY site this year? Are there goals or ideas you're excited about bringing to life?

This year, my team and I have a fun goal:

We would love to write a HIPPY storybook with a graduation theme!

There! I've said it! It’s an idea we’re all excited and very enthusiastic about bringing to life. That is our big, audacious goal for this year.

What part of being a HIPPY Coordinator brings you the most joy or satisfaction? What keeps you passionate and inspired?

The most joy and satisfaction in my role comes from my tutors. They inspire me every single day, and I learn so much from them.

We often get sidetracked during tutor training because I'm always asking them about their culture. These conversations often lead to very deep and interesting discussions.

They also love to bring me food to try.

As we often notice even in our Gatherings, food at the centre of it all. They enjoy bringing me food and love how much I enjoy their traditional recipes.

It's these moments, both personal and professional, that fill my heart with most joy and keep me motivated!