The nation’s largest, for purpose, early learning provider has revealed the 2020 winners of the national Goodies Awards.
Goodstart CEO Julia Davison said that the competition was fierce across the 671 Goodstart centres and the standard of nominations was extraordinarily high in every category.
“The Goodies are about recognising the brilliance, compassion, determination and innovation our people bring to their centres and roles every day.”
“At a time when COVID-19 turned our world upside down, our centres and our teams of Goodstarters exceeded all expectations and stepped up when the nation needed them most,” she said.
Among the many winners was Goodstart Riverside Gardens in WA who won the Above and Beyond Award. The centre team was recognized for the support they provided to those who did not have family in Australia during the COVID crisis.
“In the words of families, the team at Riverside Gardens are like family, always putting children first and giving hope during difficult times. They are community spirit is action.”
Goodstart Tuggerah received the Community Support Award following their efforts during the bushfires and floods earlier this year.
Children at the NSW Central Coast centre raised money for koalas injured in the bushfires while educators and families banded together to support other early learning services and a local school with essential supplies.
During the floods the team provided support to families cut off from their homes without food and water and offered the use of the centre washing machine to those who needed it.
“The team at Goodstart Tuggerah are committed to children being active community citizens and learning that their actions, no matter how small, can have a big and meaningful community impact.”
The Reconciliation Award which recognises the steps centres have taken to embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in every day practice went to Goodstart Broadmeadows in NSW.
The team was recognized for their determined and unwavering commitment to reconciliation which was inclusive of children, families and the local Aboriginal community.
“The centre’s reconciliation initiatives embrace the whole community and provide opportunities for two-way learning. The centre has created a workplace which is culturally aware and is a place where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have a sense of belonging and connection and want to work there.”
The CEO’s Goodstarter of the Year Centre Award went to Parminder Kaur Devgan, from Goodstart Clayton in Victoria.
Ms Davison said Parminder was a much loved and highly regarded by families.
She brings professionalism and warmth to her role and educators tell of the exceptional role model she is and how grateful they are that she is such a generous mentor to them.”
“The award also recognises Parminder’s commitment to early learning and for her strong support to the Key Educator role since its introduction.”
National SafeWork and Wellbeing manager Kylie Warren Wright won the CEO’s Goodstarter of the Year Award for leading the organisation’s health and safety response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Kylie was an unflagging source of timely and helpful information to ensure we all had the advice and guidance we needed,” Ms Davison said. “She made sure Goodstart was the safest possible place for children, families and our people.”
The Goodstart@Home Team received the CEO’s Goodstarter of the Year Team Award for delivering an online learning platform that families could access from home during the pandemic.
Ms Davison said the team achieved in weeks what was thought would take years and delivered a high-quality resource that allowed Goodstart to wrap around children and families when they needed it most.
To date, more than 27,000 families have engaged with the Goodstart@Home learning platform.
Goodstart CEO Julia Davison said that the competition was fierce across the 671 Goodstart centres and the standard of nominations was extraordinarily high in every category.
“The Goodies are about recognising the brilliance, compassion, determination and innovation our people bring to their centres and roles every day.”
“At a time when COVID-19 turned our world upside down, our centres and our teams of Goodstarters exceeded all expectations and stepped up when the nation needed them most,” she said.
Among the many winners was Goodstart Riverside Gardens in WA who won the Above and Beyond Award. The centre team was recognized for the support they provided to those who did not have family in Australia during the COVID crisis.
“In the words of families, the team at Riverside Gardens are like family, always putting children first and giving hope during difficult times. They are community spirit is action.”
Goodstart Tuggerah received the Community Support Award following their efforts during the bushfires and floods earlier this year.
Children at the NSW Central Coast centre raised money for koalas injured in the bushfires while educators and families banded together to support other early learning services and a local school with essential supplies.
During the floods the team provided support to families cut off from their homes without food and water and offered the use of the centre washing machine to those who needed it.
“The team at Goodstart Tuggerah are committed to children being active community citizens and learning that their actions, no matter how small, can have a big and meaningful community impact.”
The Reconciliation Award which recognises the steps centres have taken to embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in every day practice went to Goodstart Broadmeadows in NSW.
The team was recognized for their determined and unwavering commitment to reconciliation which was inclusive of children, families and the local Aboriginal community.
“The centre’s reconciliation initiatives embrace the whole community and provide opportunities for two-way learning. The centre has created a workplace which is culturally aware and is a place where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have a sense of belonging and connection and want to work there.”
The CEO’s Goodstarter of the Year Centre Award went to Parminder Kaur Devgan, from Goodstart Clayton in Victoria.
Ms Davison said Parminder was a much loved and highly regarded by families.
She brings professionalism and warmth to her role and educators tell of the exceptional role model she is and how grateful they are that she is such a generous mentor to them.”
“The award also recognises Parminder’s commitment to early learning and for her strong support to the Key Educator role since its introduction.”
National SafeWork and Wellbeing manager Kylie Warren Wright won the CEO’s Goodstarter of the Year Award for leading the organisation’s health and safety response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Kylie was an unflagging source of timely and helpful information to ensure we all had the advice and guidance we needed,” Ms Davison said. “She made sure Goodstart was the safest possible place for children, families and our people.”
The Goodstart@Home Team received the CEO’s Goodstarter of the Year Team Award for delivering an online learning platform that families could access from home during the pandemic.
Ms Davison said the team achieved in weeks what was thought would take years and delivered a high-quality resource that allowed Goodstart to wrap around children and families when they needed it most.
To date, more than 27,000 families have engaged with the Goodstart@Home learning platform.
|
Award Name |
State |
Name |
|---|---|---|
| Above & Beyond Award |
WA |
Goodstart Riverside Gardens |
| Amplifying our Impact 1 |
NSW |
Goodstart Lavington |
| Amplifying our Impact 2 |
VIC |
Goodstart Cheltenham |
| Community Support |
NSW |
Goodstart Tuggerah |
| Innovation Centre |
VIC |
Goodstart Narre Warren Pount Rd North |
| Innovation CSO |
VIC/ TAS |
VIC/TAS Professional Practice Team |
| Leadership in Adversary |
SA |
Melissa Griffiths - Goodstart Blakeview |
| Making a Difference |
NSW |
Goodstart Corowa |
| Reconciliation |
NSW |
Goodstart Broadmeadow |
| Safety & Wellbeing |
NSW/ ACT |
NSW/ACT Safety Committee |
| CEO Goodstarter of the Year - Centre |
VIC |
Parminder Kaur Devgan, Goodstart Clatyon |
| CEO Goodstarter of the Year - CSO Team |
National |
Goodstart@home team |
| CEO Goodstarter of the Year - CSO Individual |
National |
Kylie Warren-Wright |