Description:
Join us to spark curious, creative & confident children
... as an Educator in our busy casual relief team - working across a group of friendly sessional kindergartens
- positions starting in February 2024
- interviews commencing late January / early February 2024
Sparkways (formerly TRY) is a leading not for profit Kindergarten Management group offering you career stability, flexibility & progression. Learn more: https://sparkways.org.au/
Our 14 kindergartens in the northern suburbs are in the suburbs of: Doncaster, Heidelberg, Greensborough, Bundoora, Thomastown, Mill Park, Epping, Mernda, Doreen, Whittlesea and Beveridge
What will I do?
You will work across a portfolio of kindergartens that you choose, and relieve Educators and Teachers who are not able to work, ensuring that we do not have to close a session and disappoint our children and families. Your start times and locations will vary each day.
- Relieve educators on leave
- Help out with project and SRF work
- Learn from different teachers and groups
- 10 weeks leave per year over term and summer breaks – VECTEA conditions
- Flexibility like an agency staff, but you are a valued part of the Sparkways team
- Support from a dedicated Relief Team Manager and Coordinator
- $38.00 to $40.00 per hour, subject to experience
How does it work?
- You will nominate the locations, days and times that you will be available, and you are not obligated to accept any shifts
- You can update your availability at any time
- You will be invited to attend shifts at the Sparkways Kindergartens and Preschools by our Relief Team
- You will receive texts with the shifts needed including position, location and times. These texts will sometimes be well in advance of the shift date, and sometime at short notice, on the evening or morning before the shift is to start
- You respond yes (Y) when you want to accept a shift. The shift will be awarded to the first person who responds. You will be sent a confirmation by text if you have been awarded the shift, with the address and google link of the service
- You can ring or email the relief team to ask questions any time
- Read about working in Sessional Kinder: https://sparkways.org.au/uploads/documents/Working-in-Sessional-Kindergarten-Oct-2023.pdf
We would love to hear from you if….
- Diploma qualified Early Childhood Educator, or
- ECT degree student, with 30% of your units completed
- You are available to start in February 2024
- You want to work three to five days per week
- You are available to start work by 8.00 am if needed for an early session - start times will vary
- You are able to work 8 hour shifts - finish times will vary
- You are able to travel to at least three kindergartens - you choose which kindergartens
- You have experience with sessional kinder, or the kinder room in long day care
- People describe you as child-centred, dependable, confident, competent, positive and energetic
- You love working with children, and are eager to work with different groups, educators and teachers
- You will be able to provide great references from your previous Early Childhood employers
- We are not able to accept applications from Agency staff members, If you have worked at any of our kindergartens or learning centres through an Agency in the last 12 months
Yes! …. Then we can offer you
- Lots of casual shifts available
- No work over term breaks
- Relationships and learning across a group of kindergartens with our community of passionate and like-minded ECEC professionals
- A supportive workplace with opportunities for professional and career development
- The opportunity to belong to an organisation with strong values, ethics and commitment to children and the ECEC workforce
- VECTEA workplace conditions
- Flexibility like an agency staff, but you are a valued part of the Sparkways team
- Support from a dedicated Relief Team Manager and Coordinator
How to apply
Apply through the Seek link or through our job board: https://sparkways.org.au/careers
Any questions?
Email /call Judith Nimmo in the People & Culture team
- employment@sparkways.org.au
- 0437 942 438
The successful applicants will demonstrate
- Proficiency in early years’ care and education - sessional kindergarten experience preferred
- Flexibility to work with different kindergarten services each day
- Dependability, energy, positivity and great working relationships
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Great references from your previous employers
The Sparkways difference
At Sparkways (transitioning from TRY) we’re more than just an early learning and care provider. As a non-denominational, not-for-profit organisation we work with communities to improve the life chances of children and young people facing adversity. We do this by helping them to achieve great educational and employment outcomes through our youth mentoring and employment pathway programs, as well as supporting vulnerable families to access early learning.
When you join Sparkways you’re joining an organisation with a 139 year strong history of making a meaningful difference to the lives chances of children and young people. Are you ready to make a difference?
Learn more here: https://sparkways.org.au/
Child safety and inclusiveness
Sparkways is committed to child safety. The protection and wellbeing of children and young persons is reflected in our zero tolerance for child abuse. All staff and volunteers have a moral and legal responsibility to ensure that young people are safe whilst involved in our care and programs. All children have the right to safety and security and the protection from physical, emotional, verbal and sexual abuse and neglect.
We are a child safe and equal employment opportunity employer. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, from people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and from people with a disability.