Tech and property upgrades on the way for Victorian kinders

Kinders throughout Victoria have been invited to apply for grants for facility upgrades and the purchase of new technology to prepare them for the roll-out of funded universal Three-Year-Old Kindergarten, the Victorian Government announced late last week.

Under the $27.7 million Building Blocks program, services are able to apply for grants of up to $300,000 to upgrade early learning facilities, which can be used to renovate and refurbish spaces in readiness for the addition of three-year-olds to the preschool program. 

Organisations can apply for up to $50,000 for a minor improvement project for smaller scale works that will improve the quality of kindergarten services for their children and families, while grants of up to $1,500 are also available for devices such as laptops, tablets and televisions to support the delivery of kinder programs.

The grants program is part of a broader initiative by the Victorian Government, with $1.18 billion packaged for education infrastructure projects announced last Monday, which will build projects across Victoria, create the jobs and ‘kickstart Victoria’s economy’.

Launched in March, Building Blocks streamlines all pre-existing kindergarten infrastructure grants into one overarching program and provides increased state funding contributions for early childhood projects.

Local councils and not-for-profit organisations delivering funded kindergarten programs are encouraged to apply for a grant as part of the program.

Victorian Education Minister James Merlino encouraged those eligible to “take advantage of these grants to help improve our kindergartens and set them up for the future”.

Further information is available here.