Ready, Set, Prep! a Finalist in the Victorian Early Years Awards

Published September 28 2022

Our Ready, Set, Prep! (RSP) program has been named a finalist in three categories in the Department of Education and Training Victorian Early Years Awards 2022.

The awards celebrate the “outstanding work of our early childhood professionals to improve the health, learning, development and wellbeing of Victorian children and their families.”

We're proud to work in partnership with over 40 local schools, kindergartens, early years services as well as community members to support children and their families for a great start to school.

RSP are Finalists for the following categories:

• Creating Collaborative Community Partnerships
• Promoting Children’s Health and Wellbeing
• Continuity of Early Learning. 

RSP is a place-based, collective impact approach to improving school readiness, overall health, and wellbeing for children in the culturally diverse City of Merri-bek.

Through co-design processes, community-led governance and Community Champions, community voice has played an important role in improving outcomes for local families – now, and for future generations.

Alongside community members, other RSP partners include Merri Health, Merri-bek City Council, maternal and child health, libraries, early years and community services, playgroups, kindergartens, and primary schools.

The RSP initiative was developed in response to the 2015 Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) results, demonstrating that 37% of children in Fawkner start school developmentally vulnerable in one or more areas – significantly higher than state averages.

Award winners will be announced Wednesday 9 November at an online awards ceremony. Stay tuned!

Visit the Department of Education and Training website to read more.