Out of School Hours Care
Out of School
Hours Care
In 2019 we opened even more out of school hours care services.
This year, we opened up an additional
places in our OSHC programs per week through
centres in Drummoyne and St Mark’s, and O’Connell.
This represents a
%
growth in our licenced places in the OSHC space.
We have also opened up a further
places in our Vacation Program per week through the
centres in North Sydney Community, North Sydney Grandstand and North Sydney Forsyth Park.
This represents a
%
growth to our vacation care licenced places.
More school communities and more families trust Gowrie’s expertise.
We provided vacation, morning or afterschool care for
children from
different families.
We have a strong team of educators at our sites.
Including
full time (permanent) and
part time (casual) educators.
Our reach extends beyond our shores.
In conjunction with the nursing staff of The Sydney Adventist Hospital, Gowrie Ryde OSHC, managed by Maree, are supporting an initiative in South Africa that uses the proceeds from recycled bread tags, to purchase wheelchairs for those without the resources to afford their own. It takes 50 kgs of tags to purchase two chairs. Children and families were invited to collect bread tags to help people living in the poorest parts of the world.
We have been overwhelmed by the response from families with our “bread tag” collection. The children have beamed with pride as they hand over their contribution. Our Ryde Gowrie total is now well above 800 individual bread tags.
One person’s trash is another person’s wheelchair!
We have been overwhelmed by the response from families with our “bread tag” collection. The children have beamed with pride as they hand over their contribution. Our Ryde Gowrie total is now well above 800 individual bread tags.
One person’s trash is another person’s wheelchair!
We have been overwhelmed by the response from families with our “bread tag” collection. The children have beamed with pride as they hand over their contribution. Our Ryde Gowrie total is now well above 800 individual bread tags.
And people like Amy from Camden Haven OSHC.
Amy the Program Manager at Camden Haven is very proud of, and grateful to have had the opportunity to build and grow with the team a leisure based OSHC service for the centre’s children, families, and wider community in regional NSW, recently receiving an exceeding rating. In my time at the centre I have been able to deeply reflect on and gain a learned approach to indigenous and regional cultures, values and needs, which has created rich and long-lasting partnerships for all. Above all the opportunity to work with a provider that holds children, families and the community we reside in, at the front and centre, has been an exhilarating experience and one that aligns with my own philosophy. Gathay nyiirun ‘Let us go together’ (Gathang the language of the Birrbay, Warrimay and Guringay people). Let us continue this journey as we go together, learning, changing and working to create an environment and safe space that is ours to respect, share and enjoy in a holistic way.
And people like Amy from Camden Haven OSHC.
And people like Amy from Camden Haven OSHC.
Our OSHC centres continued to connect with their local communities and build community within.
Children in our OSHC centres were immersed in local community, participating in a range of excursions for fun and relaxation, whilst learning about environmental sustainability, recycling, upcycling and repurposing of loose parts. These experiences contribute to building community within, with the establishment of community gardens on school grounds, where the children are empowered to plant, nourish and harvest their own vegetables and produce, which are then used in fun and educational nutritious cooking activities.
And made some unique partnerships.
Across all Gowrie OSHC programs children have been afforded opportunities for civic participation and contributed to a range of initiatives with partnering organisations, to contribute to building strong inclusive communities. These experiences have engaged children in discussion and enriched learning of refugees’ rights, mental health and wellbeing, physical health and social justice.