A dedication to fun: Karly Sheppard’s 20-year journey in OSHC leadership

After two decades of service to children and the Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) sector, Karly Sheppard has built a career grounded in fun, rights and real impact.

Now serving as State Operations Manager for PCYC Queensland’s Fun Squad program, Karly oversees a team of 700 staff and helps deliver care to more than 20,000 children across the state. But her journey began on the floor, and she still holds those early years close.

From program setup to statewide leadership

Karly’s OSHC story began in 2002 when she established the before and after school care program at Hills College in Jimboomba.

“I loved it,” she recalled. “Back then, it was basically a babysitting program. There was very little legislation and things were much looser. But I just loved working with primary school children. That’s never changed.”

In 2009, PCYC Queensland took over the program at Hills College. Karly joined the team and gradually moved through a series of leadership roles, from Area Manager to Regional Manager and now to her current statewide position.

Although she no longer works directly with children every day, she says the broader reach of her work is both powerful and humbling.

“I can influence 700 team members and 20,000 children. It’s amazing to feel like I can make a positive impact in all these lives with the work that I do.”

Child voice at the heart of Fun Squad

Karly played a key role in designing and launching Fun Squad, PCYC Queensland’s refreshed OSHC model. The initiative centres on play, engagement and inclusion, and it was designed with direct input from children.

“Some of the icons and characters the children came up with are now core parts of the Fun Squad branding,” she said. “Of course, all research shows that when children are engaged and having fun, their wellbeing is strengthened and their parents worry less.”

The program includes Before School Fun and After School Fun, both designed to match children’s energy levels and emotional needs at different times of day.

“Before school is more social and flexible. Children come in, they have breakfast, they might want to chill and read a book or draw,” she explained.

“After school is when it becomes more structured. We have a wide number of activities going. You might have up to 200 children coming through the door, and we don’t know what kind of a day they’ve had. We have to cater to all their needs and emotions.”

That flexibility includes providing space for movement, mindfulness, meals and even homework when needed.

Prioritising wellness and belonging

Karly said she’s proud of how far the sector has come in supporting children’s emotional wellbeing, noting the integration of mindfulness, yoga and journaling into many PCYC programs.

“All of our services offer mindfulness or yoga or journaling and have a focus on wellbeing and belonging,” she said.

She is also an ambassador for Children’s Rights Queensland, where she supports children to learn about their rights and responsibilities, a role she describes as both meaningful and educational.

“It has been so wonderful to work with all of these children and find out what matters to them,” she said.

Leading with heart

For Karly, the core of her leadership is simple. It’s about how people feel.

“I am often guided by the great quote from Maya Angelou: ‘People won’t remember what you say or do, but they will remember how you made them feel,’” she said.

“That’s how I try to do my job and live my life.”

To learn more about the programs Karly supports, visit the PCYC Queensland website.