HESTA award winners announced

Winners of this year’s HESTA awards, which recognise outstanding dedication to delivering the highest levels of practice improvements and development in the early childhood sector, have been announced.

IEU member Lynn Farrell won the Excellence in Building Inclusion Award.

Lynn is Integrate Services Manager at the Infants Home in Sydney.

Lynn researched and developed a Children’s Charter, which acknowledges the rights of children. The Charter informs and influences a range of practices, which were implemented across the organisation to embed and promote inclusion.

The Outstanding Young Graduate Award Winner was Rachael Sydir from Explore and Develop Penrith for strengthening children and teachers’ understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and practices by facilitating the creation and implementation of a Reconciliation Action Plan.

The Advancing Pedagogy and Practice Winner was Balnarring Preschool in Victoria.

HESTA CEO Debby Blakey said: “These finalists have proven themselves leaders in building inclusion and creating learning outcomes for the children in their care”.

“The inspiring levels of excellence achieved by all our finalists provides significant broader economic and social benefits to the communities in which they operate.”

Find out more about the HESTA Awards program at hestaawards.com.au.