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The good news just keeps rolling in for our Gowrie Broadmeadows Valley (BV) service! We are absolutely delighted to share that our incredible team, in partnership with MacKillop Family Services, has won the prestigious ‘Creating Collaborative Community Partnerships’ Award at the Victorian Early Years Award night.
This fantastic achievement is yet another highlight for BV, following their recent re-award of the Excellent rating for the third time—a true testament to their outstanding service and commitment to children and families.
A partnership built on dedication
The ‘Creating Collaborative Community Partnerships’ award celebrates innovation, collaboration, and leadership across Victoria’s early childhood sector. This win acknowledges a powerful partnership that demonstrates what’s possible when early childhood educators and social workers collaborate to remove barriers, provide help, and strengthen protective factors for families.
Michelle, Early Learning Manager, and her team are excited about the award, but for them, the real reward is seeing the partnership thrive. “This award reflects the dedication and compassion of our educators, and the strength of our relationships with families and the community,” Michelle shared. “We’re proud to be part of a partnership that meets families where they are, listens deeply, and works alongside them to achieve their goals.”
Ebony, Engagement Leader at BV, reflects on the journey. “When we first began in 2022, we weren’t sure what this was going to look like. It wasn’t something that just fell into place or took off instantly—and we never would have foreseen that three years later, the partnership would have supported 94 families to achieve 129 personalised goals.” Michelle and Ebony are proud of how hard the entire BV team have worked to grow in their practice and how this flexible approach has truly made the partnership thrive.
What makes an effective partnership?
For our BV team, the partnership has been effective for many reasons:
- A shared vision
As early childhood professionals, practice is always guided by the service philosophy. For Michelle, Ebony, and our BV team, the goal is simple—they want to ensure that families are supported to meet the needs of their children. This could mean helping families with access to food, boosting participation in the program, or ensuring children are safe in the home. Finding a partner with a shared vision—like the one with MacKillop, is essential for an effective partnership. - Being responsive to the needs
Not every community is the same, and what works for one service might not work in another. Partnerships should always reflect the unique needs of the community. Before reaching out to organisations, take time to gather insight into what supports and services your families are already using. You can do this through enrolment information or by using tools like Child Link (which helps educators see if a child is already connected to other services). This insight will guide your approach and help to ensure that support is coordinated, not duplicated. For example, while BV are partnered with MacKillop to provide intensive family support, your service might find the most beneficial partnership is with a nearby playgroup to support families who are new to the area, or a partnership with Maternal Child Health services to support working families access appointments. - Working hard to maintain the partnership
Michelle and Ebony also emphasise that strong community partnerships don’t happen by accident. They require intention, time, and ongoing commitment. As the VEYLDF practice principles highlight, partnerships are built mindfully and deliberately, through planned collaboration and everyday interactions which strengthen trust and build opportunities for involvement. At the heart of any partnership is a two–way relationship where both parties contribute, listen, and share responsibility. As Ebony describes, “It’s the dedication for this community that really makes it work, you need to recognise each other’s expertise and be open to learning new things and adapting your practice.”
This dedication is visible in the way the BV team has created a seamless service, intentionally reducing barriers so that ‘warm referrals’ (where families are introduced directly to a partner they already know and trust) can occur naturally within the building. This whole approach is strengthened by the Early Help Program, which focuses on providing support before concerns escalate, ensuring families feel supported rather than overwhelmed.
CEO Karen Weston credits this success to the team’s unwavering focus, noting, “it’s the partnerships and collaboration that our team have developed that truly support families.”
This recognition underscores Gowrie Victoria’s commitment to excellence, inclusion, and innovation in early learning. A massive congratulations again to Michelle and the entire BV team, including our MacKillop partners, for making a real difference for children, families, and the community every day!
Read more: Gowrie Partners with Restacking the Odds to Boost Kindergarten Attendance
Read more: 4 Ways Gowrie Docklands Kindergarten Supports New Migrant Families
Read more: How Gowrie Broadmeadows Valley Empowers Families Through Community Partnerships
Reflective questions:
- How do you currently collaborate with external organisations, and how could these partnerships be strengthened?
- How confident are you in identifying when a family may benefit from additional support or a warm referral?
- What local organisations or support services are there who you know of?
- How do you prepare educators so they feel confident discussing available supports with families?
- How do you celebrate and share partnership successes with the wider community to strengthen visibility and trust?