Making the KU Difference
For communities
Mark Taylor
Director, KU Peninsula Preschool
Mark has been described as the ‘heart and soul’ of
KU Peninsula Preschool, transforming it from a struggling
centre with low enrolments to a thriving, strong and positive
local community preschool. For this reason, Mark has been
awarded the KU Difference Award for communities.
This transformation has taken dedication and commitment
and has not been a simple process. Mark’s focus has been
on creating a high quality service to meet the needs of the
children and families and which celebrates the uniqueness of
this small, local community.
Mark has spent many weekends at the centre adding to the
outdoor area gardens with an emphasis on using natural
and sustainable materials, encouraging participation from
families and the community. He has actively engaged with
and supported local community events, such as the Tilligerry
Festival, establishing many relationships with a range of
community groups and organisations in the process. When
the opportunity to apply for funding to reduce barriers
between low income and Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander families and early childhood education arose, Mark
supported the submission which was ultimately successful.
KU Peninsula Preschool is now an integral part of the Tanilba
Bay community, with a healthy waiting list and a reputation
for high quality education.
Mark’s ability to connect with the local community has
achieved outstanding results and demonstrates the
difference one person can make if they have the passion and
determination to make a real difference.
8
KU Children’s Services
Supporting the community
KU Solutions continued to provide support to
other early childhood education providers in
the form of paid access to resources, consultancy
services and workshops. In 2011, KU conducted
45 workshops/consultancy services and 13 new
members accessed the online resources.
From 2012 KU Solutions will be rebranded as
KU Professional Services to reflect the consolidation
of KU’s external support services into a full range
of training and consultancy services for early
childhood education providers.
Beyond KU
KU delivers support to early childhood education and
care services right across Australia, through a variety
of Commonwealth and NSW Government funded
programs designed to promote the inclusion of children
with ongoing high support needs, and those from
culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and
Indigenous children.
As the National Inclusion Support Subsidy (ISS) Provider,
KU (in partnership with Illawarra Children’s Services)
distributed $52m in funding nationally, assessed 11,985
applications and paid 28,338 claims.
Within our seven Inclusion Support Agency (ISA) regions,
KU assisted more than 2,300 services to include more
than 27,000 children with additional needs.
KU supported the inclusion of 293 children with additional
needs in 76 preschools in the Northern Sydney Region
through the Supporting Children with Additional Needs
(SCAN) program.