Nominations are now open for Victorian Early Years Awards in Australia

Deadline: 14-Jun-21

Nominations are now open for the Victorian Early Years Awards (VEYA) to support families, parents and carers to feel confident and capable in their parenting role and recognises their role as the first and most important teachers in supporting their child’s learning and development.

The Victorian Early Years Awards (VEYA) celebrate leadership, outstanding achievement, exceptional dedication and innovation in improving outcomes for children aged birth to eight years and their families.

For example, initiatives may have a focus on:

Strengthening the role of families, parents and carers in delivery of the educational program, especially for those experiencing vulnerability and/or disadvantage
Strengthening the quality of relationships between parents and their children
Supporting the home learning environment through implementing evidence-based parenting programs.

Funding Information

The winner of this Award receives a grant of $15,000 towards their project or initiative.

Categories

The seven award categories focus on improving engagement in learning, supporting parents, building collaborative community partnerships, improving child health and well-being, exemplary practice in early childhood education, leadership and significant service improvement.

Category 1: Improving Access and Participation in Early Learning
- This award recognises one or more early childhood services and/or organisations that are taking action to promote access, ongoing participation and engagement in early learning, particularly for families experiencing vulnerability and/or disadvantage.
Category 2: Supporting Parents Through Evidence-Based Practice
- This award recognises one or more early childhood services and/or organisations that are taking action to support families, parents and carers to feel confident and capable in their parenting role and recognises their role as the first and most important teachers in supporting their child’s learning and development.
Category 3: Creating Collaborative Community Partnerships
- This award recognises a collaborative partnership between two or more early childhood services and/or organisations that are taking action to promote collaborative practice that supports and demonstrate positive outcomes for children and families.
Category 4: Promoting Children’s Health and Wellbeing
- This award recognises one or more early childhood services and/or organisations that are taking action to improve health and well-being outcomes for young children.
Category 5: Continuity of Early Learning
- This award recognises two or more early childhood services, schools and/or other organisations that support continuity of early learning through successful transitions.
Category 6: Early Childhood Teacher of The Year
- This award recognises an early childhood teacher who has demonstrated evidence-based innovation and exemplary practice in early childhood education and care. Their nomination will demonstrate how they have made a significant contribution to the development and delivery of high-quality early childhood education programs and/or achieved significant improvements in children’s learning and development outcomes.
Category 7: The Emeritus Professor Collette Tayler Excellence in Educational Leadership Award
- This award recognises an early childhood educational leader, service or an approved service provider that has led their educators and teachers to significantly improve the quality of their learning and teaching practices, with a focus on intentional teaching practices to achieve improved outcomes for Victorian children and their families.

Eligibility Criteria

This award is open to one or more early childhood organisations and services delivering projects, programs and initiatives that are improving outcomes for young children and their families.

Eligible organisations may include (but are not limited to):

Early childhood education and care services and Early Years Management organisations
Primary schools
Local government services (e.g., family services, maternal and child health services)
Playgroups
Best Start partnerships
Parenting services
Aboriginal health organisations or cooperatives
Community service organisations and community health organisations.
Ineligible
- Individuals are not eligible for this award category.