As ‘one church’ in mission, there are many insights to be shared between parishes and dioceses here and overseas. That’s why a delegation from the Diocese of Auckland made the hop “across the ditch” to the Diocese of Parramatta to understand more about the successful Ambrose early childhood services, operated by our Community Ventures agency.
The Ambrose preschools and out of school hours (OSHC) care services have expanded rapidly across the Diocese to provide much-needed care and education options for the growing families across western Sydney and the Blue Mountains.
James van Schie, General Manager of the Catholic Diocese of Auckland, Catherine Ryan, Head of Education, and Michael Butler, Head of Property, spent a day with leaders from Parramatta’s Chancery and Community Ventures teams. Image: Diocese of Parramatta
Named after St Ambrose, a doctor of the church and patron saint of learning and beekeepers, Ambrose commenced in 2019 with 25 OSHC services and 5 preschools. Since then the OSHC portfolio has more than doubled. Today there are 55 OSHC services, and still growing, serving almost every one of the 58 primary schools across the Diocese.
James van Schie, General Manager of the Catholic Diocese of Auckland, Catherine Ryan, Head of Education, and Michael Butler, Head of Property, spent a day with leaders from Parramatta’s Chancery and Community Ventures teams touring the new early learning centre in Plumpton, currently under construction, as well as visiting St Luke’s in Marsden Park to observe the operations of a large early learning centre and the unique Ambrose Activities after school care.
Visiting the construction site at Plumpton gave the team insights into how a new early learning centre is designed and built, and what type of educational programs and services will be offered once it is open.
delegates from the Diocese of Auckland visiting the construction site at Plumpton. Image: supplied.
“The growth of the Ambrose network over the past few years underlines the importance of strong branding and a dedicated workforce. It has been very inspiring to see what can be achieved in a relatively short time,” said James van Schie.
On the other hand, the visit to a large established centre at St Luke’s in Marsden Park allowed them to see how the centre manages its daily activities and supports the developmental needs of young children and enhance the transition from preschool to Kindergarten.
Ambrose Activities features schoolteacher-led “masterclasses”, an innovative approach introduced by Community Ventures to enhance the quality of the education program. These masterclasses provide children with additional learning opportunities, which extends the school curriculum and provides an opportunity for children to learn new skills.
“It was a delight showcasing our Ambrose centres and brand to our colleagues from Auckland,” said Anthony Goonan, Chief Executive Officer of Community Ventures.
“They visited to gain insights into our establishment and growth and learn how they can deliver early childhood education and care services. They were able to observe Ambrose’s methods in action and experience the thoughtfully designed learning environments firsthand, all of which have contributed to our successful growth,” he said.
To find out more about Ambrose and Community Ventures, please visit: https://www.ambrose.org.au/
