Now in its third year, the City of Whittlesea’s Family Services Training Calendar is helping local families and Council’s childcare workers to improve their skills. The A4 publication lists training sessions available across the northern Melbourne municipality for the upcoming year. It outlines the nature of the training, who can access it, the provider and when and where the predominantly free sessions are held.
Examples of training held this year include managing behaviour at playgroup, raising children from bilingual families, core training sessions for family day care providers and creative art experiences. Whittlesea Mayor, Councillor John Fry, said prior to the calendar’s development, Whittlesea’s training was offered only to family day care providers and childcare centre workers.
“The Family Services Training Calendar reflects an integrated approach to training for the early years system by including parents and maternal and child health nurses; as well as youth services workers and childcare workers,” he said.
As well as City of Whittlesea provided training, the calendar also lists training provided by the State Government and non government organisations operating in the municipality.
“This calendar makes it easier for professionals and parents to find out about locally available training, and plan their year accordingly,” Mayor Fry said. “The whole system is easier to coordinate. It has also helped Council build partnerships with other training providers.”
Surveys are conducted at every training session to gauge demand, assess the success of the current year’s sessions and assist in planning the next year’s calendar. The 2007 calendar is currently in development. For the first time, it may include extended parenting education programs, such as positive parenting courses.
For further information contact Pauline McDonald, Whittlesea’s Communications Officer, on (03) 9217 2447.
