Victoria’s funded three year old kindergarten program underway.

Victoria has started its funded three-year-old kindergarten program in six local council areas, including South Gippsland, Buloke, Hinmarsh, Northern Grampians, Strathbogie, and Yarriambiack.

These services will deliver up to 15 hours of programs every week to over 550 three-year-old children who were the first to enrol in the $5 billion program.

Victoria is the first state or territory in Australia to introduce funded three-year-old kindergarten for all children.

“This is an incredibly exciting time for families across the first roll-out areas, whose children are among the first in Australia to benefit from funded universal three-year-old Kinder,” Victoria Education Minister James Merlino said.

“Universal access to three-year-old kinder is one of the most significant reforms we can make to education – giving children academic, social and emotional benefits that last into their school years and beyond.”

Our Poowong Kindergarten is the first Uniting service to be included in this program.

The three-year-old kindergarten program will expand to 15 more regional areas in 2021, including Alpine, Ararat, Campaspe, Central Goldfields, Colac-Otway, Corangamite, East Gippsland, Glenelg, Hepburn, Indigo, Loddon, Murrindindi, Southern Grampians, Towong and West Wimmera.

In the lead-up to the 2018 Victorian and Tasmanian elections, Uniting Vic.Tas successfully advocated for political parties to commit to 15-hours a week of fully funded, high-quality early learning for every three-year-old.

Learn more about our three-year-old kindergarten programs.

Children display artistic flair.

Children from our Early Learning Centre in Kaniva have come up with a unique design for the town’s much-loved Sheep Art Project.

After many wonderful ideas were put forward by the children, including a tiger, pirate, superman and ballerina, it was decided to combine them all.

With help from families and local community members, the ideas were incorporated into one design and their sheep now has a prime position in the main street of Kaniva – to the pride of everyone from the Centre.

The Kaniva Sheep Art project started in 2010, when local artist Sharon Merrett had an idea that her hometown of Kaniva in Wimmera could embark on a community arts project to celebrate the town’s sheep history.

Model sheep were turned into forms of art and scattered around the country town.

In 2019, it was decided to expand the flock to create a ‘Sheep Art Trail.’

A further 18 sheep were added to the flock, with some existing sheep given a makeover.

To find out more, click here.

Run For A Cause raises funds for Cardigan Village Kindergarten.

Fundraising from Ballarat’s Run For A Cause event will provide additional equipment and resources to meet the demand for our Cardigan Village Kindergarten.

The Kindergarten, which opened last year, has had an increased number of enrolments for this year.

Early Learning Area Manager South West Victoria, Paula Clarke said the service was established to cater for growth in the area and young families on rural properties.

“If we can reduce the stresses on families and create easily accessible education and care services for the community, we know there are better outcomes for children,” Paula said.

“We have aimed to support that community with their own early learning service and create an opportunity for easily accessible kindergarten programs for three-year-olds and four-year-olds.”

“It is important all communities have access to early childhood services.”

Our team in Ballarat received over $2,500 as a charity partner for Run For A Cause.

The event raised over $40,000 for seven organisations that support early childhood services in Ballarat.

Spellbinding stories at Scots Early Learning Centre.

Armed with his trusty box of props, Scots-Memorial Uniting Church Minister Graham Sturdy brings stories to life at Scots Early Learning Centre in Hobart.

With a view to engage the participants of Scots Early Learning Centre through story time, Rev Sturdy has become a favourite guest with the staff and children since moving from the UK to Hobart just three years ago.

Service co-ordinator Meegan Hodgson said story time is a highlight for the children. “Even the most restless children are engaged and enjoy the story. Graham sparks the children’s imagination and stimulates their curiosity.”

“The children start to learn the value of books and stories while developing early literacy skills, language, words and sounds.” said Meegan.

The fondness goes both ways, with Rev Sturdy – a former teacher – delighting in the joy his puppets, figurines and images bring to the children. “I look forward to story time as much as the children do,” he said.

“When I arrive with the story box, there’s always a sense of excitement from the children as they guess what is in the box.

“It’s wonderful to see how engaged the children are during story time.” Rev Sturdy said.