Educators making a difference: Early Education and Care Awards

There is no doubt that working in the childcare industry provides a rich and rewarding experience, whether employed as a long day care educator, nanny, working as a kindergarten assistant or as a playgroup supervisor. And, as educators making a difference is part of every day.

As an early childhood educator, you work alongside children and spend quality time with them. This provides you with many opportunities to develop your experience and understanding of Early childhood behaviour and development, as well as to assist children to reach their full potential.

A childcare worker can have profound effects on the growth, development and learning potential of children of any age, through support, encouragement and care. Providing children with a feeling of safety and encouraging them to step outside their comfort zones will promote their desire and confidence to try new things which can set them up for a life of active learning.

An early childhood educator doesn’t just provide the fundamentals of academics, such as helping children understand literacy and numeracy. They contribute to the foundation of life skills: to trust, to understand, show compassion and develop self-confidence.

Educators making a difference could be as simple as teaching a child to draw or enabling a child to feel comfortable and secure by giving them a compliment.

These actions also go well beyond the children in your care. The work of early childhood educators often flows through to the families, homes and communities, aiding peace and calm, assisting with the setting routines and the development of new skills.

Initiatives such as The Early Years Awards aim to recognise the early childhood partnerships, thanks to early childhood educators who promote and enhance the health and wellbeing of children and their families.

Award categories include:
• better access to child and family support, health services, schools, early education and care services
• improvements in parents’ capacity, confidence and enjoyment of family life
• communities that are more family and child friendly

If winning awards such as these is something you aspire to, you need to be able to demonstrate an outstanding contribution to early childhood services and a commitment to give children the best start in life.

These awards, and many others in the field of early childhood education, will ask you to show:

• a partnership approach to supporting children and families
• how the initiative has improved outcomes for children
• how the initiative has promoted innovative and/or evidence based practice
• how the initiative is sustainable and transferable, so that it can be maintained or further developed.

Practical experience as an early childhood educator, backed with quality education, will give you the chance to become educators making a difference. And you’ll be recognised for it.

A Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care through Selmar Early Childhood Education Institute is your first step in changing the lives of children, impacting upon the lives of families and communities and gaining a sense of self-satisfaction.

This may be followed up with a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care, which enables you to become into a lead educator in delivery of early childhood education programs for children in centre based and family day care. This qualification will also develop your ability to lead and mentor other staff in their early childhood education and care careers.

An Advanced Diploma of Community Sector Management is for those who are passionate about making a difference to a much broader community sector. It gives you the opportunity to develop teams of people as committed as you, towards helping children develop into confident and competent learners.

Personal fulfilment is lacking in many industries, and ending your day feeling enthused and encouraged is an aspect of work life that is often missing. Starting your career as an early childhood educator is your first step towards enhancing the life of another person. What could be more rewarding than that?