Two Coast businesses named as Champions

Two Central Coast businesses have been named category winners at the Australian Small Business Champion Awards 2024.

Koori Curriculum based at Wyoming won the Education Services category and Indigo Early Learning Centre at Forresters Beach took out the Early Childhood Services award.

Koori Curriculum, an Aboriginal early childhood consultancy, won the same category in 2023 at the Australian Women’s Small Business Champions Awards.

In 2023, Koori Curriculum also won the Diversity and Inclusion awards at the Central Coast Business Awards.

It was founded by Jessica Staines, a Wiradjuri woman, early childhood teacher and passionate educational community member, with ties to many advocacy groups on both national and international platforms.

Koori Curriculum facilitates a range of professional development programs and workshops for educators that help guide the inclusion of Aboriginal perspectives in early childhood curriculums.

Staines and her team provide education services, subscriptions, memberships and products to help early childhood educators and families embed First Nations perspectives in their teaching and the day-to-day lives of Australian children.

“While children need to be exposed to and educated on the First Nations history and culture of Australia, many educators are hesitant to deliver this teaching for fear of getting it wrong or causing offence,” she said.

“This is where we step in.

“We support early childhood educators to improve their cultural capacity and their confidence.

“To do this, we’re committed to creating new and diverse ways to reach educators across Australia and the world, adding to the ever expanding suite of products and services including podcasts, educational resources, exclusive publications, webinars, online summits, conferences, in-services and planning days, and a dedicated membership program for educators.”

Indigo Early Learning Centre at Forresters Beach took out the Early Childhood Services award.

Operations manager Jess Wallace said the centre was proud that both its Forresters Beach and Green Point teams were named as finalists, with Forresters Beach taking out the award.

“We are extremely proud of both services becoming finalists,” she said.

“The team at Forresters Beach are excited and deeply honoured to receive the award.

“The management team wants to extend their gratitude to our loyal educators who work tirelessly to make a difference in the lives of children every day.

“Their dedication and passion are the heart of our company, and we are grateful for each one.

“Also, a big thank you to all the children, families, and our extended community, your contributions and enthusiasm for our philosophy have been crucial to our successes and are greatly appreciated,” Wallace said.