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Teacher interacting with two young children at a table, helping them build with colorful blocks in a classroom setting.

Our Purpose

Our philosophy

YMCA Whittlesea acknowledges the traditional custodians of this land, the Wurundjeri Willam people. It is on their land that we build our community. ​We pride ourselves on the strength of our partnerships and our ability to listen to our stakeholders. We continuously work towards providing the best opportunities, programs and life skills for our children. We aim to provide opportunities for all families to share their cultural needs and beliefs within the program.

​The National Quality Framework guide our education and care programs.

We believe that each child is unique, capable and curious, with inbuilt strengths and tremendous potential to be a master of their learning. Our programs provide children with countless hours of fun. Children’s senses are inspired as they explore and engage in motivating surroundings.

We believe children learn through play. We provide children with opportunities to discover, learn and investigate through times of uninterrupted play using natural and open-ended materials. Children’s play involves taking calculated risks and is part of children’s natural development. It is also an important life skill. We believe in providing countless opportunities for children to demonstrate independence skills. We value its importance and see it as an opportunity for children to gain confidence, build self-esteem and accept responsibility.​

 We recognise and value the importance and uniqueness of each of our educators. We invest in every educator through our commitment to offering quality training programs, current resources, mentoring and guidance. As a dedicated team, we will work collaboratively to share our knowledge and expertise. We aim to function as an extended family, providing children with security, comfort and familiar faces.

Overall,​ we work together to create an environment where children, educators, families and the community have ownership and a sense of belonging.​​

Three young children sitting on cushions with colorful face paint designs, including a tiger, Spiderman, and a unicorn.
A woman helps a young girl with a coloring activity at a classroom table, emphasizing focused learning in an early childhood educational setting.
A teacher and two young children engaging in a hands-on activity at a table in a bright, colorful classroom.
A teacher and two young children work together with LEGO bricks on a table in a classroom, focusing on creative building and learning activities.
Colorful classroom with wooden play furniture, a table set with toy cupcakes, and international flags hanging above. Bright, child-friendly learning environment with open-ended play areas.
Children performing a dragon dance indoors, holding a colorful dragon costume and smiling, with classroom decorations and a television in the background.
Children wearing green vests and hats walk in a line on a sunny sidewalk, led by an adult in an orange safety vest, surrounded by greenery.
Smiling young child sits on a play mat, reaching toward a floating yellow scarf as an adult encourages and interacts with them in a colorful indoor playroom.

Learn more about us

To find out more about what drives our work and how we approach nurturing children to become independent, lifelong learners.

Meet Our TeamVisit Our Centres