ETC supports Gloucester Preschool with expansion

Families and job seekers will soon reap the benefits of an expansion to Gloucester Preschool including two new classrooms and a nature based playground.

Elizabeth Price the Director of Gloucester Preschool said this was a great opportunity to meet the needs of local parents.

“The community had indicated a need for additional places for children under 3 years of age and for extended hours of operation. We already have a number of families on our waiting list that would like to return to work, but have been unable to source a suitable care position for their child due to limited services in our region. We are thrilled to now be able to include 0-3’s,” Ms Price said.

According to Ms Price, when the expanded service is running at capacity it would mean up to 15 new jobs.

“Being a rural community and isolated from larger towns, it’s hard for locals to get jobs without having to move away. So really it’s giving locals the opportunity to grow their education and skills, but do it locally,” she said.

“Plus it will provide training opportunities such as TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) for students at the local high school.”

Ms Price drew upon her 30 years’ experience in the childcare industry to come up with the vision and design for the new buildings and playground.

“I really saw it as an opportunity to give our children a playground that got them in touch with nature, as well as provide some quiet areas to play and a safe environment where they could challenge themselves and take some risks. We used no plastic and minimal concrete in the construction of the playground. Everything else was built from natural materials, which gives the children the best start in life in my view,” Ms Price said.

Ms Price thanked the ETC Community Support Fund for a grant to help kick start the project.

“The money that ETC gave us meant that we could expand on our current project and have the new building and playground to the high quality that we wanted,” she said.

ETC Board Chairman, Rod McKelvey, said it was a pleasure to be able to support Gloucester Preschool with $30,000 towards their expansion.

“The ETC Community Support Fund is designed to help organisations reduce disadvantage, generate opportunity, increase support services and/or build capacity in the communities in which we operate,” Mr McKelvey said.

“Since 2012 we have given back $1 million to local communities through the ETC Community Support Fund. We are proud to be a not-for-profit company.”

ETC also provides employment and training services.

If you need help finding a job, are looking for staff or are interested in up-skilling, contact ETC on 1800 007 400 or visit www.etcltd.com.au.