Having fun is a great way to learn.

And if laughter is an indicator of fun, then amongst some serious learning at the May Professional Development Day, everyone was certainly having a good time.

Held for our Outside School Hours Care teams, seven services attended the Day in Ballarat.

Reported to be the best one yet, Renee, our Newington OSHC Service Coordinator elaborated, “It was a great place to connect and share with other educators in a fun way, while learning at the same time!”

Over 20 OSHC staff members took part in activities ranging from safe operation of a fire extinguisher, through to a panel session on Supervisory practices. Other topics included Safeguarding Children and Young People, Healthy Eating and a Writing for Readers Workshop.

Tips to mix up nutritious menus in the OSHC environment were provided by Ballarat Community Health as part of the Vic Kids Eat Well (VKEW) program.

Imaginations ran riot and creativity filled the room as teams focused on developing compelling written content for different audiences.

Practising using a fire extinguisher was a new activity for most and one that Sam from Our Lady Help of Christians OSHC found very rewarding. Danni, our OSHC Inclusion Support Officer said, “What an amazing opportunity we had, we learnt how to operate a fire extinguisher, that’s something you don’t get to do too often!” 

The outcomes and recommendations from the Supervision session gave many team members ideas for their own venues. Erin from our Ararat service shared, “I learnt new supervision strategies to try at our service.” While for Danni, the time also allowed an important focus for evaluation, “Our PD days provide lots of opportunities to reflect on our current practices.”

Michelle, OSHC Pedagogical Coach summed up the day, “It was an informative day that will help us improve our practice and programs; from practical hands-on experience to working on our communication with community.”

At the Y, we pride ourselves on our professional development, and listen to feedback to continuously improve these vital opportunities.
We create safe, inclusive spaces where staff can connect and take part in a variety of activities, aimed at personal and professional growth.

From philosophy to practice, our sessions are designed to be engaging, give practical experiences, and provide tools and techniques to better equip our staff to enhance program delivery.