Successful early learning program to start in new communities

A pioneering early learning program, which prepares four and five-year-old children for school, will start delivering in 25 new communities across Australia in early 2016 – and will focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

The Brotherhood of St Laurence, which developed HIPPY – the Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters – in Australia, today welcomed the announcement of the local organisations in each community that will run the two-year program. HIPPY supports parents and carers to be their child's first teacher.

Due to funds committed by the Australian Government through the Department of Social Services, HIPPY will now be expanded to 100 communities across the country.

HIPPY also creates at least five jobs in each of the 25 new communities for coordinators and for the home tutors who help parents and children at home with fun educational program. The positions are filled by those who are involved in the program with their children.

The Brotherhood's Executive Director, Tony Nicholson, said the organisations announced today were chosen for their experience and capacity to work in their communities, along with their proven ability to run early learning programs and support families.

‘HIPPY is an outstanding program working in communities with local organisations to make a difference to the life chances of children. Importantly, over 70 per cent of families complete the two-year program and over 95 per cent report an educational improvement for their child, which is a remarkable success,’ Mr Nicholson said.

HIPPY Australia National Manager Marian Pettit said, ‘HIPPY assists children to be more confident and competent at school, which lays the foundations for greater achievement in life.

Our new HIPPY organisations will join a network that understands their community. We aim to get families learning together.

’HIPPY has been subject to rigorous independent research evaluation, which has shown that children who took part in HIPPY generally begin the program with numeracy and literacy skills well behind the Australian average. After two years they had caught up, and their cognitive skills equalled those of other children.

The Brotherhood started HIPPY – an international program that originated in Israel in the 1960s – in Australia 15 years ago and is responsible for supporting the community organisations that operate it across the nation.The recruitment of coordinators and tutors will commence shortly in each community, with the program starting for families in early 2016.

For more information about HIPPY, see the website at hippyaustralia.org.au

For more information or to arrange interviews phone Mairéad Doolan, HIPPY Australia, 0409 821 968.