Mini Masterminds at Sydney’s Olympic Park wins 2020 local business awards

Mini Masterminds at Sydney Olympic Park has beat-out almost 40 other childcare centres within the Parramatta area to win the ‘Most Outstanding Childcare Centre’ category in the 2020 Local Business Awards, an achievement all the more significant given the service has only been open for one year. 

 

A panel of anonymous judges recognised the service for its unique extracurricular activities, its sustainability programs and its charitable and community engagement, as well as high quality care and exemplary customer service.

 

Onsite extracurricular activities such as Master Chef cooking, yoga and sports classes and Mandarin-language lessons are also offered as part of the service. Off-site programs include excursions and interactions with local community and environmental-learning walks around the Sydney Olympic Park precinct.

 

In terms of sustainability the service outshone other early childhood services in the category, with judges commending the way in which environmental sustainability is incorporated into daily lesson plans.

 

This, centre director Mikaela Cassell said, is driven by the service philosophy and belief that “it’s vitally important that children are encouraged to consider the environment from a young age.” 

 

Recycling drop off zones for parents and the community are incorporated into the service, where they can drop off unwanted, with the bulk of the service’s learning and arts and crafts activities featuring recycled materials. 

 

The Centre’s chicken coop provides eggs for families to take home and its on-site community garden, worm farm and inventive water recycling systems also contributed to the Award judges’ decision to spotlight Mini Masterminds.

 

In terms of community engagement, judges commended the service for their charity work, which included a ‘Love Your Backyard’ fire service charity event to raise money for the Rural Fire Service during the bushfires, and hosting a special disco to raise money for Ronald McDonald House Charities Greater Western Sydney.

 

The service also sponsored a koala via the Australian Zoo during the bushfires and sponsors an APIA Women’s Premier League player, Courtney Halpin, to “demonstrate our belief that anyone, of any gender, can do anything they set their minds to,” Ms Cassell added.

 

Further information about Mini Masterminds can be found on the website, here.