A Geelong program has celebrated a quarter of a century of helping children make the leap from pre-school to grade prep.
The Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters (HIPPY) is a free, two-year program for children around the age of three delivered by community support organisation Meli.
The program, which has been running in Geelong since 2000, builds children’s social and emotional skills, concentration, literacy, language and listening.
Mother of three Sarah Poole and her son Oscar joined the program in 2020.
She found the program challenged her thinking and provided ideas on how to engage Oscar with his preferred style of learning.
“It’s had a lasting effect because I can see the value in play-based learning,” she said.
“That’s the approach I have with my kids now. It affects my relationship with them in a positive way.”
Ms Poole subsequently joined HIPPY as a mentor before studying early childhood education and becoming a facilitator with the City of Greater Geelong’s Best Start program.
Chief executive Robyn Hayles said Meli was proud to celebrate the important milestone.
“HIPPY is an incredible program that has supported hundreds of parents over the past 25 years in Geelong, and we are pleased to celebrate this milestone with some of the many mums, dads and carers who have been a part of it all,” she said.
“We are proud to have been able to deliver such an important program to Geelong, Colac and the Surf Coast, and hope to do so for many years to come.”
Visit meli.org.au to learn more about HIPPY Geelong, Surf Coast or Colac.
