Outside school hours care (OSHC) is becoming more complex, with rising expectations around service quality, consistency and communication.
For many providers, the challenge is no longer just attracting educators, but ensuring services are led by people who can confidently manage teams, maintain standards and respond to the day-to-day demands of school communities.
This is prompting a shift in how leadership capability is developed across the sector.
Traditional training, often delivered away from the service environment, is being reconsidered in favour of approaches that build capability within day-to-day operations. The focus is moving towards practical, applied learning, where leadership is developed in real time.
This shift is reflected in the 2026 Australian Institute of Training and Development (AITD) Excellence Awards, where Camp Australia’s Aspiring Leaders Program has been named a finalist in both leadership development and blended learning.
While the recognition highlights one program, it also signals a broader change: leadership in OSHC is increasingly being developed deliberately, rather than informally over time.
Camp Australia’s Aspiring Leaders Program is built around this approach. Participants remain in their roles while developing leadership capability through weekly sessions, mentoring and applied projects focused on team leadership, communication and service operations.
This model recognises that leadership in OSHC is highly practical. Service leaders are responsible for managing teams, engaging families and maintaining program quality, often in fast-paced environments. Developing these skills within the service allows for immediate application.
Program results show a clear impact:
- 91% of participants rated the program highly
- 84% remained with the organisation 12 months after completion
- 42% progressed into leadership roles
These results point to a clear link between structured leadership development and workforce stability, an ongoing challenge across OSHC.
Consistent, well-supported leadership enables stronger team performance, clearer communication and more reliable day-to-day operations, all of which underpin service quality.
Camp Australia Chief People Officer, Alissa Taylor, said the recognition reflects a sustained focus on building leadership capability at the service level.
“The Aspiring Leaders Program is about strengthening our leadership pipeline at the service level and ensuring our service leaders feel confident, supported and equipped to lead in their roles and prepare for future opportunities,” they said.
“Being recognised by AITD reinforces the impact of developing our people through practical, in-role learning that directly benefits our teams, services and the children and families we support.”
The increasing focus on embedded leadership development also aligns with expectations under the National Quality Framework, where workforce capability and continuous improvement are closely linked to service outcomes.
As OSHC continues to evolve, leadership is becoming a core driver of service quality. Providers that invest in structured, in-role development are better positioned to deliver the consistency, stability and performance that schools and families now expect.
Camp Australia is a national provider of outside school hours care services, supporting schools and families through before school, after school and holiday programs. The organisation delivers the Aspiring Leaders Program as part of its focus on building leadership capability and supporting consistent, high-quality service delivery.