Help with relocation costs for those willing to go regional in WA

The West Australian Government has announced that ten local governments will share in over  $250,000 in grant funding to support the attraction and retention of early childhood educators to regional Western Australia.

Initiatives that support workers to upskill, help with relocation costs and subsidies for housing are among the successful grant applications which have been funded as part of Round Three of the Attraction and Retention Packages for Regional Child Care Workers Program (the Program).

Recipients include the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, which will receive more than $74,000 for its Goldfields Professional Development Project, delivered in partnership with Shire of Coolgardie and Shire of Leonora.

The project will contribute to the attraction and retention of qualified early childhood educators in the Goldfields, taking the unique needs of the region into account.

It brings the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder’s total funding received through the Program to almost $100,000.

“The importance of having quality early childhood educators in regional areas such as Kalgoorlie cannot be understated,” Member of the Legislative Assembly for Kalgoorlie, Ali Kent said.

“I look forward to seeing how the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder’s Goldfields Professional Development Project will help contribute to building a strong Early Childhood Education and Care workforce in the Goldfields region.”

A total of $781,066 delivered to 23 regional local government authorities across WA has been delivered through the Program thus far. The program is delivered with the support of the Western Australian Local Government Association and Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.

Learn more about the Program here.