Play Learn Connect With Syl Lorimer

After 15 years, Syl has returned to PRACE as a project worker, bringing with her a wealth of experience and new practice ideas. And, she is not surprised to find that many of her former PRACE colleagues are still on the team!

“I feel very at home at PRACE. It’s not a place that you ever want to leave. I’m happy to be back there in my roots, because my career flourished as a consequence of PRACE” she explains. 

Syl first joined PRACE to deliver a retail course for disengaged youth facing social isolation. After side stepping into EAL teaching, Syl moved into a leadership role as AMEP coordinator.

“This leadership role taught me a lot about supporting staff and mentoring staff – this experience has been invaluable in my career, helped my professional growth and increased confidence because we were getting great results – happy staff, students and great quality teaching” she says.

Syl was a single mum when she first came to work at PRACE in the early 2000s. She found PRACE and in particular, Libby Barker, incredibly supportive of women with kids in the workforce. So it’s with great pleasure that we welcome her back to PRACE as project coordinator for the Play Learn Connect program –  assisting new migrant and refugee parents to navigate parenthood in Australia.

Play Learn Connect is a 15 week “kindergym” style program which supports women with preschool aged children to develop parenting skills, understand the Australian educational system and participate in career planning.

The program helps parents develop a better understanding of the importance of education for their child, and the role they can play in their development. The interactive format has parents participating in play activities and facilitated discussions around parenting, relationships, child development, education and navigating services.

While developing the course, Syl has engaged in partnerships and collaborations with organisations that can enrich the learning experience of Play Learn Connect participants. This one of a kind project and we look forward to sharing our learnings with our peers in the Learn Local and Neighbourhood House sector.

Like many projects, COVID-19 has meant we have had to adapt and make some changes to ensure we can continue to deliver a quality learning experience for our participants in term 4. Final confirmation of delivery mode and dates will be announced soon.

Enrolments for Play Learn Connect are open. However, places are limited so please call the office on 9462 6077 to find out more.