On the 17, 18 and 19th June, centre managers, area managers, state managers and the centre support office team from across Affinity Education Group, came together for a weekend of connection, inspiration, and collaboration to celebrate the 2022 Centre Manager Conference - the first in-person event since 2019!
Held at the RACV Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast, more than 200 Centre Managers and Assistant Centre Managers from across Australia enjoyed an all-expenses paid weekend on the Gold Coast at the RACV Royal Pines resort.
The program for this year was designed around exploring the idea of The Affinity Way, leading through Affinity’s values, weaving together opportunities for educators and staff to explore this further and what this meant to them and also their centre. This provided a great opportunity to reflect on how our values help to shape and influence our Centre Managers in their day-to-day roles to remain connected to our values, and exert positive influence on their own teams.
Tim Hickey, CEO at Affinity Education Group said:
Our Centre Managers are business leaders and inspiring professionals in the early education and care sector. They directly influence the careers of more than 4,000 early childhood educators and teachers and more than 18,000 Australian children. This provided the perfect opportunity for them to recharge and refresh at this conference – and to have Serious Fun!
(Side note – Tim showed us all that he can truly live up to our Serious Fun value with his impromptu air guitar performance to support Team NSW’s surprise ‘Flash Mob’ dance)
As well as exploring The Affinity Way, other activities include a stunning gala dinner, team building ‘Flat Pack’ building challenge in support of The Pyjama Foundation and a yoga session hosted by corporate partners FLG.
A number of prominent keynote speakers were invited to attend and included Jay Laga’aia, much-loved actor and children’s entertainer; Lucy Bloom, accomplished leader and well-known author; Hetty Johnston AM, child sexual assault protection advocate and founder of Bravehearts Foundation; Dr Neil Carrington, Australian Institute of Management Business Leader of the Year 2016; Philip Butler, Senior Associate at Semann & Slattery and Dr Ali Walker, nationally accredited mediator and founder of Ality.
Linda Carroll, Chief People Officer at Affinity Education said: “Our Affinity Way values guide and inspire us every day. We’re so excited to be able to meet in person again. Our Affinity Centre Managers Conference has been a highlight on our annual calendar but celebrating via zoom wasn’t quite the same. We have gone above and beyond to plan an incredible weekend of recognition and relaxation to reward our people for their hard work across Australia.”
