What is HIPPY? HIPPY stands for the Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters. It is a home-based parenting and early childhood enrichment program targeting the most disadvantaged families in our community. The HIPPY approach develops the foundations for school success during the crucial early years, plus offers, for some parents, a supported pathway to employment and local community leadership. HIPPY is a two-generation program, working with both parent and child. HIPPY assists the family as the child makes the transition into school.
Please see the History of HIPPY on our website for details on the program’s background.
I’ve heard that you recently gained federal funding to open more HIPPY sites. How do we access the funding to open a site in our community?The federal funding is still under negotiation and until the process is complete those wishing to start up should contact HIPPY Australia to register an interest. You could also start collecting/collating data and letters from partners that show: - your community wants the program
- your community needs the program (i.e. that you have data on local disadvantage for families with young children)
- you have identified your target population – who you aim to work with, and over what area
- HIPPY fits into locally set priorities and strategies (e.g. municipal early years plans or other forms of coordinated community strategies)
- your organisation has the capacity to deliver, in having access to appropriate physical space, ability to employ and manage staff, and acquit and manage funding.
- your organisation has partners within the community that will provide links, networks, and in-kind or other financial or material support. This should include support from your local government, state and federal MPs
- some idea of your preferred timeline for starting the program within your community.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us to find out more about the program and how to open a site.
*Don’t just wait for federal funding. We advise you to investigate alternative sources of funding. (e.g. philanthropic, state government, corporate)
I’m looking for a literacy program to incorporate into our community. Would HIPPY be suitable?
It may be suitable, depending on your community and its needs. HIPPY is an early years program that works with disadvantaged communities. The HIPPY approach develops the foundations for school success during the crucial early years, plus offers, for some parents, a supported pathway to employment and local community leadership. The tutors (who are other parents from the community) visit and show families through the activities via role-play. The parent works through the activities, reading to, playing with, and helping, their child. Thus, parents with a low level of literacy, or for whom English is a second language, can participate. The activity workbooks concentrate on language and discrimination skills, and problem solving. These activities assist with literacy, numeracy and motor skills, while enhancing the relationship between the child and parent. HIPPY is not defined as a literacy program but as a parenting and early childhood enrichment program. What does HIPPY cost? At some sites, families are asked for a gold coin donation each week. This usually goes towards celebrations and graduations. However, the program is mostly free to the families involved. The organisations running the program are always on the look out for funding opportunities from government, local businesses, community organisations and the philanthropic sector. | | Someone I know has done HIPPY. How can I do it with my child?Your child will need to be within the correct starting age for the program (usually 3½ – 4½ years old). We will then need to identify if there is a HIPPY site in your local area. If there is, we can pass on your details to the coordinator, who will be in contact to give you more information. The program runs for 30 weeks a year for two years. If there is not a HIPPY site in your area, it would be a good idea to approach members of your local community and family service providers to inform them about the program and encourage them to make contact with us about opening a site. I am a qualified teacher and am working in a community centre. I would like to run HIPPY teaching small groups of children for a certain amount of time each week. I am wondering whether your program would be of benefit?HIPPY is a program that works with families, to encourage the idea of the parent as the child’s first teacher. The program is delivered by a tertiary-trained site coordinator to parents from the community employed as a HIPPY home tutors. The home tutors complete the activities with their own children before making home visits to families within their community and role-playing the activities with the parents. The parent then spends time each day reading, playing and doing the activities with their own child. HIPPY may definitely benefit your community, but it is not designed to be delivered directly to children. Our aim is to help parents to better help their own children. 
Do you have any research that shows that HIPPY works?In Australia, a series of small research and evaluation projects undertaken between 2002 and 2007 has shown the following very positive and recurring themes: - eagerness in children to learn new concepts
- increased self-confidence of parents
- improved communication between parents and children
- positive impact on family relationships
You can find some of the research summaries on our website.
In 2007 a new national research project began, lead by Monash University in partnership with the Brotherhood of St Laurence, and with stage 1 funded by the Victorian government and the Brotherhood of St Laurence. The project aims to track outcomes for a large number of families across as many sites as possible within Australia, over a five-year period. I would like to volunteer to help with HIPPY. Who should I speak with?You are welcome to make contact directly with the site you wish to volunteer with, and you may need to undergo a ‘working with children’ check. Alternatively, you can contact HIPPY Australia or the Brotherhood of St Laurence. Volunteer activities usually consist of helping to paste translations into books for families, helping with admin tasks around the site and assisting with craft activities. At the end of the year, many volunteers enjoy being involved in preparations for the HIPPY Age 5 graduation celebrations and helping to organise this final event. Does the program adapt to local conditions?Each HIPPY site operates a little bit differently according to the needs of the families and communities served. There is always an open discussion about what variations might be needed. However, there are core elements of the program that are followed by all sites, in order to achieve targeted program outcomes. |