HIPPY

The Brotherhood's Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters (HIPPY) works across Australia with families from Indigenous, refugee and long-term disadvantaged regional and rural communities.

It aims to:

Foster a love of learning in young children, promoting cognitive and social development and enhancing school readiness
Increase parents' confidence and skills as their child's first teacher
Increase participation in school and community life
Develop work readiness and community leadership skills of participating parents.

How does HIPPY work?

Families are provided with storybooks and 'reading and numeracy readiness' games and activities which the parent works through regularly with their three to five year old child.

Parents' skills and confidence as their child's first teacher are developed through regular home visits and support from 'Home Tutors', and by meetings with other parents.

Home Tutors are also parents completing the program with their children, providing many - including newly settled refugees, aboriginal people and early school leavers - with their first paid work and a path into the workforce. Most Home Tutors gain a Certificate III in Community Development as part of the program.

Background

HIPPY started in Australia in 1997 with 20 families and three tutors in the inner suburbs of Melbourne. The program was supported and administered by the Brotherhood of St Laurence.

From these humble beginnings HIPPY BSL employs nine part-time Home Tutors, two site Coordinators and works with over 100 families each year. HIPPY BSL has families in Fitzroy, Carlton, Collingwood, North Melbourne, Flemington and Ascot Vale.

HIPPY relies on the generosity and goodwill of our wonderful volunteers. The volunteers help with fundraising, book translations, the HIPPY library, organising the graduation ceremony a toy program and much, much more.

How to help HIPPY

Partner with us. Many communities are selecting HIPPY as the intensive, long-term tool they'd like to use to meet the needs of their families. The Brotherhood is looking for partners to help support those communities. Call 03 9483 1183 for further information.

Sponsor a family, donate or volunteer. Call 03 9483 1183 for further information.

You can help children reach their potential be sponsoring a family to complete the HIPPY program:
Download a form (PDF) to sponsor a child to read and write

“The first time I sat with Tam she kissed me and asked me to teach all her friends at kinder” Thu (home tutor and mother of Tam)