INSPIRE: Jo Talmage on Skylar Early Learning Centre’s ACCI Great Southern Business Awards win

Jo Talmage is launching Skylar Early Learning Centre into the future by building relationships with the wider community. The colourfully bright childcare centre in Spencer Park was recognised for its entrepreneurship at the 2024 Albany Chamber of Commerce and Industry Great Southern Business Awards on October 12, winning the business start up category. Taking over the childcare centre formerly known as Ragamuffins Childcare located on David Street in Spencer Park in 2023 and expanding with a centre in Mt Barker, Ms Talmage said she wants to take the childcare centre further. “We wanted to make a broader impact,” she said. “We came into an older centre that had a brilliant reputation and has been part of the Albany community for 30 years — we’ve taken that and launched it into the future.” After moving to Porongurup from Perth 10 years ago with a bachelor’s in childhood psychology, Ms Talmage loves her work and describes it as “exciting”. She said a core foundation of the childcare centre was to see the children grow and develop. “The children are at the centre of everything we do, the relationships we build, the growth we see physically and emotionally,” Ms Talmage said. “We see them grow in every way and it’s a really special environment.” The centre supports more than 100 children in the Great Southern and employs 24 people, with the Spencer Park building the largest childcare hub. Ms Talmage welcomed the recognition of her hard work when she was nominated for and won the award for best start up. “I’ve been working really hard to provide this high quality service to the community and it was really nice to be recognised for all the hard work,” she said. “It enables vulnerable families to get back on track while children are in a safe space. “Most importantly it gives children the best opportunity to learn, play and make friends with trusted adults.” Along with renovating the centre’s building — adding new resources and equipment — Ms Talmage said the childcare centre was looking outside of the centre’s four walls to build relationships with the community. “We’ve renovated the building, added new resources and equipment,” she said. “We’ve had professionals come in and we hold parent nights with guest speakers. “We are building relationships with aged care facilities to create an inter-generational playgroup — to learn and connect with each other, which is important. “We also have a new initiative called Skylar Together — it’s a community service initiative, to have further impact on the community through relationships that we build.” Beyond the Spencer Park and Mt Barker locations Ms Talmage is looking to expand childcare services further in the Great Southern. “We are growing — we will have a new centre on Pioneer Road mid next year,” she said. “The whole community benefits from parents having access to quality childhood education.”