We are proud to partner with Y Kinders during a significant period of change in early childhood education.

An established Early Years Manager, Y Kinders supports thousands of families across 94 kindergartens in 21 local government areas, playing a vital role in delivering high-quality, community-based programs that help children learn, grow and thrive.

With the Best Start, Best Life reforms reshaping how kindergarten services are delivered, supported and funded, Y Kinders is preparing for a future where demand, workforce expectations and family needs will continue to evolve. To support this next stage, Y Kinders has engaged NMC to develop a five-year Growth Strategy that will guide the organisation through a changing early years landscape.

A Sector in Transition and Evolving as a Recognised Leader

The early childhood sector is undergoing rapid transformation. Shifts to 30-hour Pre-Prep, ongoing educator shortages, financial pressures, and increasingly diverse community needs are challenging providers across the state. For an organisation of Y Kinders’ scale and reach, this moment presents a unique opportunity to strengthen its foundations and position itself for long-term, sustainable impact.

Families rely on Y Kinders to deliver accessible, consistent and high-quality education – whether they live in regional towns, fast-growing corridors, or established suburbs. Ensuring these services remain strong, equitable and financially viable over the coming years requires clear direction, coordinated planning and the right support for educators, leaders and communities.

NMC brings extensive early years strategic planning experience to this partnership, with the project led by Dariya Otgonbayar and supported by our sector specialists.

A Strategy for the Future

Through this project, Y Kinders will develop a clearer, more connected understanding of its service network today and the conditions needed to grow and adapt into the future. The Leadership and Growth Strategy will focus on:

• strengthening and supporting the workforce, leadership capability and educator pathways
• guiding long-term planning for facilities and partnerships
• lifting consistency and quality across regions
• ensuring financial sustainability across the kindergarten portfolio
• supporting operational models that reflect how families live, work and access care
• providing a clear roadmap for meeting reform requirements while maintaining service excellence.

These insights will help Y Kinders make confident, evidence-based decisions that continue to put children and families at the centre.

A Collaborative Journey

NMC will work closely with the Y Ballarat Executive Leadership Team, Board, regional leaders, centre teams, and partners throughout the project. Engagement with staff, families and sector stakeholders will play a central role, ensuring that the voices, experiences and aspirations of those closest to early years services directly shape the final strategy.

Our focus is on building clarity, alignment and practical recommendations that strengthen organisational resilience, while ensuring the process is grounded in the day-to-day realities of delivering high-quality services across a geographically diverse network.

Looking Ahead

We welcome the opportunity to partner with Y Kinders on this important journey. Over the coming months, we will bring together data, lived experience and sector insight to lay the foundations for a future-ready early years system that continues to serve Victorian families with care, confidence and excellence.

The work ahead represents an exciting opportunity to shape the next chapter for Y Kinders and to support the organisation in continuing to lead, innovate and deliver high-quality education for children across the state.