Early Years Management
Shine Bright EYM is a not for profit community based organisation that operates with the needs of children and families as its highest priority. We currently manage 40 kindergartens in both large and small rural towns across Central Victoria.
Shine Bright EYM had its beginnings in the 1980’s when a group of parents formed the Bendigo and District Kindergarten Parents Association (BDKPA) to provide a central enrolment service to Bendigo Families. The BDKPA was run by volunteers until 2004 when it successfully applied to become a cluster manager and was renamed Loddon Mallee Preschool Association (LMPA).
LMPA then employed paid staff members and expanded it’s services to the kindergartens who joined the cluster while continuing to provide central enrolment services to all kindergartens in Bendigo and Swan Hill. LMPA assumed much of the responsibilities and management previously carried out by voluntary parent committee. LMPA was renamed Shine Bright EYM in 2018 and all the member kindergartens became Shine Bright to better reflect the belonging to one organisation all working together.
The purpose of a Kindergarten Cluster Manager (KCM) was to:
- Remove the administrative and management burden on volunteer parent committees
- Strengthen the delivery of community-based kindergarten programs
- Improve the sustainability of kindergarten services for the community in the long term
- Provide kindergarten staff with professional and consistent employment arrangements
Today the name of the KCM has changed to Early Years Management (EYM) to better reflect the broader role KCM organisations fulfil in delivering additional early years services. The role of an Early Years Manager also includes the support of:
- Key policy directions such as the integration of early childhood education and care
- Strong local service networks that include other early childhood services and schools
- Effective local planning
- Partnerships with families, the community and all levels of government
Shine Bright EYM is overseen by a Board of Management Directors who serve on a volunteer basis. The Board is made up of carefully selected community members who bring key skills to support Shine Bright EYM such as finance, strategic planning, early childhood education and information technology knowledge. Each Board member is required to operate in Shine Bright EYM’s best interests, holding the core values and purpose, vision and mission statements as heartfelt aims.
Click on the image below to learn more about The Shine Bright Way
Shine Bright EYM Strategic Direction
OUR VISION
We are an organisation that champions for children now, for a better tomorrow
OUR MISSION
To make every moment matter
WE VALUE
- Teaching and learning today as an enabler for opportunity
- Advocacy as a way of influencing positive change
- Community engagement and development as a way of supporting children and their families
- Evidence based practice which leads to innovation
OUR STRATEGIC APPROACH
Organisations craft their identity and activities around a range of drivers and desires. At Shine Bright EYM we have identified a range of key goals that we are aiming to achieve during the period of our strategic plan.
Key Goal 1: Shaping education through innovative teaching and learning practices
Key Goal 2: A great place to work, be and grow
Key Goal 3: Excellence in organisational governance and support
Key Goal 4: Our connection and commitment to children, families and communities
Key Goal 5: Strategic Growth and renewal
From humble beginnings we have grown as an organisation and intend to continue to evolve as a strategic player within and outside of the communities we serve. Our philosophy of practice is further strengthened around the philosophy of one team. As such, this places our organisation in the ideal position to continue to grow and evolve.
- A focus on the kindergarten years
- The delivery of bush kindergarten/nature play programs and
- Specialist knowledge of the early years
Our strategic plan is framed around
- Outcomes – what do we hope and dream for?
- Actions/Initiatives – what can we do to achieve these outcomes?
- Success statement for families and children – what will success look and feel like for families and children who access our educational programs?
- Success statement for Shine Bright – what will success look and feel like for our staff and Board?
Shine Bright EYM Key Responsibilities
As the manager of early childhood services, Shine Bright EYM accepts legal responsibility for:
- Service Approvals and regulatory compliance
- Policy development and implementation
- Daily support to all staff
- Financial management
- Human resource management
- Building leases and maintenance
Shine Bright EYM Performance
To ensure Shine Bright EYM is accountable to the early childhood community, measures of performance are undertaken on a regular basis as follows:
Mandatory evaluation
- External annual financial audit report
- External Financial accountability to Department of Education and Training (DET) as primary funding body
- Quality audits via DET of Shine Bright EYM and its services (Assessment and Rating)
- Internal and external user satisfaction surveys conducted annually with families
Voluntary evaluation
- Internal Stakeholders surveys conducted annually with staff
- Internal Organisational Climate surveys conducted with Shine Bright EYM staff
Further Information
For more information about Shine Bright EYM, or to find out how your kindergarten can join Shine Bright EYM, contact Shine Bright
Shine Bright is a Registered Charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission