Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters in

Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters in Australia The Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters is funded by the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. The Brotherhood of St Laurence is licensed to operate HIPPY in Australia. The Brotherhood of St Laurence (BSL) is licensed to operate HIPPY in Australia. BSL is dedicated to an early-years strategy that encourages, supports and acknowledges the importance of positive parent/child interaction in enhancing children’s learning.

What is HIPPY? • HIPPY in Australia is a two year home based parenting and early-childhood enrichment program • The program was developed and is licenced by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel • HIPPY aims to support children and their families during the crucial early years • Parents are empowered and supported to be involved in and guide their preschool aged children’s learning experiences before they commence school

HIPPY in Australia • HIPPY in Australia commenced in Fitzroy, Victoria in 1998 • The Brotherhood of St Laurence, through HIPPY Australia, has exclusive licensing rights from HIPPY International to run the program in Australia and is responsible for managing the implementation of the national roll-out • The Brotherhood of St Laurence has sub-licence arrangements with other not-for-profit organisations to deliver the program to selected communities across Australia • HIPPY has grown from strength to strength in Australia with the invaluable support of the Brotherhood of St Laurence

HIPPY in Australia The Australian Government has committed $55. 7 million from the 2012 -13 budget to expand the Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters (HIPPY) to 100 communities across Australia, supporting an additional 3, 000 children. The program will be extended to an additional 50 new sites with an emphasis on Indigenous communities. This builds on the Government’s original commitment of $32. 5 million over six years (2008 -2013) to rollout the program to 50 communities nationally supporting around 3, 500 families. The program supports positive parental influences by developing foundations for learning and providing parents with confidence and skills to contribute to their child’s learning environment. These aims are consistent with key policy initiatives across Australia and reflect the Australian Government’s commitment to achieve better early childhood outcomes for all Australians.

Has the program been evaluated? In November 2011, the Minister for Employment Participation and Early Childhood and Child Care, Kate Ellis launched the Australian Government commissioned evaluation of the national rollout of HIPPY- Investing in Our Future. The evaluation has been undertaken by Monash University and the Research and Policy Centre at the Brotherhood of St Laurence. To view the evaluation report, visit the mychild website at www. mychild. gov. au or the HIPPY Australia website at www. hippyaustralia. org. au.

HIPPY in Australia The national rollout, managed by the Brotherhood of St Laurence through HIPPY Australia, has 3 main objectives: • Strengthening school success • Developing employment and training pathways for HIPPY Home Tutors • Strengthening communities. Program providers are integral to the achievement of these objectives in the national rollout of HIPPY.

In Memoriam The late Professor Avima D Lombard (1926 -2008), Director of Early Childhood Research and Projects for the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) Research Institute for Innovation in Education was the founder of HIPPY in Israel before later expanding it around the world.

History of HIPPY 1969: An experimental HIPPY program was set up in Israel by a team headed by Professor Avima D Lombard of the Institute for Innovation at the School of Education of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. It was designed to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of home-based education intervention involving mothers and their preschool children from educationally disadvantaged sectors of the society. 1975: HIPPY was introduced country-wide in Israel aimed at localities with high proportions of educationally disadvantaged children. 1983: HIPPY goes international with the first program outside of Israel commencing in Turkey. 8

History of HIPPY 1984: HIPPY starts in the U. S. A. and a pilot in Chile 1988: South Africa 1991: Germany and also Mexico 1992: New Zealand 1998: HIPPY begins in Australia! 1999: Canada 2007: Austria, Italy, Denmark (trial of HIPPHOPP) 2008: Pilot in Switzerland Argentina 2009 to present: HIPPY continues to grow world wide 9

HIPPY International HIPPY programs currently operate in Australia, Austria, Canada, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United States. There are pilot projects in Argentina, Denmark, and Switzerland. National early childhood programs still exist in Turkey and the Netherlands that are based on the principles and program of HIPPY. 10

HIPPY International Dr Miriam Westheimer is the current Director of the international network of HIPPY programs. With a solid foundation in the education field, Dr Westheimer has been involved in developing educational programs first in Israel and the United States, and then internationally. Dr Westheimer has taught graduate courses in curriculum development, supervision, early childhood, parenting and intervention programs. Dr Westheimer’s current interests lie in the development of program models and service linkages that best support families.

Australia is a big country Australia is a large country stretching over 7, 617, 930 km 2 of land, with 6 states and territories. We not only have a vast and diverse landscape, we also have a vastly diverse population, including a strong Indigenous history and culture. We have 50 HIPPY locations in Australia which are spread across each state and territory, each working with unique, culturally rich and diverse communities.

50 Locations in 2012 Katherine Manoora Pioneer Alice Springs Mount Morgan West Tamworth Windale La Perouse Bidwill Whyalla Stuart Claymore Bowenfels Cabramatta Robinvale Ashmont Fairfield Riverwood Elizabeth Grove Warrawong Nowra Charnwood Dallas Broadmeadows Mansfield Park Long /California Gully Moreland Davoren Park Colac Fitzroy Dandenong Salisbury North Moonee Valley Winchelsea Braybrook Geelong Franskton North Burnie Sheffield Smithton Launceston West Coast Clarendon Vale North Dubbo East Geraldton Girrawheen Rockingham Caboolture Riverview West Ipswich Inala Logan Central

HIPPY Communities Some of the Australian communities we work with are: • Urban (in, or in close proximity to, cities) • Suburban (high in population but often lacking basic public infrastructure and services) • Rural (country areas, farming lands and often isolated) • Remote (hard to access, isolated and poorly serviced) In Australia HIPPY needs the flexibility to address the various and unique issues faced by a range of very different communities.

HIPPY Communities Many of our sites have large Indigenous populations. Some of these are remote communities in Alice Springs, Ashmont, Katherine, & Pioneer, and urban communities in Inala & La Perouse. Katherine Ashmont Pioneer Inala Katherine La Perouse Katherine Alice Springs

HIPPY Communities We work with newly arrived and settled families from places all over the world, speaking a variety of languages. These communities are mostly located in our urban and suburban locations. Claymore Moreland Girrawheen Dandenong Moreland Logan Central Davoren Park Cabramatta

HIPPY Communities HIPPY Australia is proud of its cultural diversity! Approximately a third of our families speak more than one language at home. Some of the main languages are: Chinese Arabic Farsi Aboriginal English Samoan Japanese Vietnamese Dinka Turkish Somali Kirundi Urdu Serbian Tongan Our story books are translated into Arabic, Khmer, Simplified Chinese, Dinka, Vietnamese, Samoan, Somali, Tongan, and Urdu.

HIPPY Communities West Tamworth Katherine Pioneer West Coast Long Gully California Gully Ashmont Winchelsea Alice Springs Burnie Some of our rural and remote families experience very different issues from those that are located near the city. Some of these issues include social isolation, higher travel costs, extreme weather (such as drought and floods) and lack of services.

First year Materials The first year (age 4) aims to provide children with exposure to fun, stimulating and varied learning experiences, and the opportunity to learn new concepts and consolidate emerging skills. It also encourages parents to generalise the activities and skills learnt in everyday settings. Packs 1 to 30 Consists of 30 children’s activity packs

Second year Materials The second year (age 5) builds on the first year materials by introducing more information about Consists of 15 children’s learning and development for the parent packs The second year materials also build on and extend and 15 children’s the generalisation activities that HIPPY families activity packs have been doing together throughout the first year of the program. Packs 1 to 15

Australian HIPPY books

HIPPY in Australia is underpinned by 10 guiding principles 1. All young children learn 2. All children mature across the same developmental areas and that learning and development is multidimensional and interrelated. 3. All parents want the best for their children 4. Parents are the primary and most important educators of their children 5. Parents can and do teach their children 6. Parents can support and teach other parents. 7. Children’s learning is enhanced when parents have knowledge and understanding of children’s growth and development. 8. A parent’s role in supporting their child’s learning is enhanced with access to appropriate materials, techniques and consistent support. 9. Respect and acknowledgement of diversity enhances children’s and parent’s sense of belonging. 10. Connections between parents and community build a family’s capacity to care for and educate their children

Contacting HIPPY Australia The Brotherhood of St Laurence Mezzanine Floor 145 Smith Street Fitzroy Victoria 3065 Phone: (03) 9445 2400 Facsimile (03) 94452499 Email: hippyaustralia@bsl. org. au Web: www. hippyaustralia. org. au