Emma – Active Kids World Square Service Coordinator

A Little About Emma

I am an Early Childhood Teacher from Ireland. I studied my Childcare with Montessori FETAC level five for one year followed by my Bachelor of Arts Early Childhood Care and Education degree in Ireland for 4 years.

I then worked as a preschool room leader for 3 and a half years at home in the West Coast of Ireland which I truly loved before deciding to spread my wings and moved to Sydney in February 2017 where I have been working with Active Kids since.

I am the eldest sibling of four and have a big close-knit family from both my mam and dads sides which defiantly stemmed my love and passion for caring and educating children. I knew from a young age that I wanted to work with young children.

I started my journey in Active Kids @ World Square in Feb 2017 as a casual educator getting experience in every room and soon becoming the Toddler room leader, Senior Butterfly Room leader, 3IC, 2IC, Acting Coordinator from April- November 2019 and since November 2019 have been Coordinator in the City. I learned quickly that Active Kids @ World Square was not your usual service making amazing friends that are now family for my here in Oz and gaining very special memories and experiences very early on with my amazing team.

What I love the most about my job is coming in every day to happy smiling little faces. I love to see children progress from their first day in our service throughout the year. From recognizing their name stones to writing their names unaided, to standing in front of their peers and doing their show and tell without being prompted to the children performing on their graduation day. Nothing makes you feel prouder as an educator. I feel I have very special relationship with all of our families and parents, this bond is very important as these parents are entrusting us in the care and education of their little pride and joy’s every day. Children are like little sponges and it is very important that we teach these little learning minds and provide learning opportunities and experiences for them. Every moment is a learning opportunity!

I am a very active person. If I am not at the gym, I am at Gaelic football training for my Young Irelands club here in Sydney (an Irish sport, similar to AFL only a sphere ball), doing the Bondi to Coogee walk, chilling in Centennial Park or gone exploring around Sydney. I love adventures and have a big bucket list made while I am living at this side of the world that I am determined to tick off.

I have a massive interest in keeping fit and through this interest I began cycling for charity when I lived back in Ireland. Cycling the “The Clare 250 mile Cycle” twice. A 250-mile cycle that took place over two days for Cancer Care in my home county Clare in Ireland. I also did a lot of fundraising for different organisations from a young age such as “TLC4CF” an organisation which is very close to my heart which raises money for young people who suffer with the condition called cystic fibrosis. I volunteered for years in the young club in Kilnaboy where I had been a member growing up also and also my local camogie club, Corofin Comogie Club where I trained the under eight team.

My biggest achievement to date is possibly living this far away from my family. It may sound silly but my family are so close and I am the only member of my immediate family living away from home at the minute. Also I am very proud of what I have achieved with work in Australia. I came over here for a few months for different experiences in a country halfway across the world with a similar curriculum to the one in Ireland and now three and a half years later I am Coordinator in an amazing service with wonderful educator in the middle of Sydney CBD.

My favourite childhood memories have to be celebrating with my family. I come from a big Irish family, celebrating and parties is what we do best. Whether it was a birthday, wedding, christening, first holy communion or confirmation my family from both sides would all gather together. Great memories!