For more than five years, children at Koala Child Care Centre have welcomed visitors from a local retirement village, forging meaningful intergenerational relationships. Through shared experiences, the children learn empathy, respect, and social connection, while the seniors enjoy purpose, engagement, and community. 

When two Engadine Preschool educators couldn’t find an age-appropriate sustainability book, they created one, inviting children to lead the way with curiosity and colourful illustrations. Now published in collaboration with Keep Australia Beautiful NSW, their story is inspiring children, educators and families to protect their local waterways.

With the ocean within walking distance, children at Redhead Community Preschool were the first in their region to take part in a new beach kindy program that turns each fortnight into a coastal exploration. Discover a story of place-based pedagogy shaped by marine life, local heritage, and a community deeply connected to its environment. 

For many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander educators working in western-led organisations, their work extends far beyond formal job descriptions to include unspoken and often unrecognised cultural expectations.

CELA cultural consultant Lisa Walker explains why this emotional and cultural burden is not about culture itself, but about the ongoing impacts of colonial systems and assumptions. She explores what needs to shift, the responsibility non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations must carry, and why genuine cultural responsiveness is essential.