Boss vs Leader and why being a leader in OSHC is so important

Are you a Manager, Coordinator, Director etc in OSHC? These roles all play a vital role in the success of not only the service itself, but the team of educators running the service alongside you.

Being a transient industry, many people start out in OSHC as a job to get them through university or because they just enjoy playing and having fun with children. Many come into this industry without the knowledge of how crucial OSHC is and can be for children's development, many lacking the full understanding of how regulated and challenging (but rewarding) our sector can be.

Only a small percentage of those who start in OSHC progress into these leadership roles, and even less will choose OSHC as a career.

What many don't know about OSHC is that whether it be a job whilst at Uni, or a life long career, there are many transferable skills you can learn in OSHC which can set you up for success in your life, such as:

• Communication skills – Engaging with children, families, and colleagues effectively.

• Leadership & teamwork – Leading activities, working in a team, and mentoring others.

• Conflict resolution – Managing disputes among children and collaborating with co-workers.

• Time management – Balancing multiple tasks and meeting deadlines efficiently.

• Problem-solving – Adapting to unexpected challenges and making quick decisions.

• Customer service – Engaging positively with families and the community.

• Adaptability & flexibility – Responding to changing environments and diverse needs.

• Organisational skills – Managing schedules, documentation, and resources effectively.

• Emotional intelligence – Understanding and responding to emotions in a professional setting.

• Risk management & safety awareness – Ensuring compliance with regulations and safety procedures.

But none of the educators coming through your program will understand just how rewarding our industry can be unless they have a great leader guiding them through this, so it is important you are taking the steps to train and develop your team to be the educators you want them to be whilst they are working for/ with you, which will in turn benefit them if they decide to move on.

Being a great leader doesn't happen over night, and it often takes being vulnerable with your team to get their buy in before magic can truly happen, but when it does, you will all achieve amazing things together.