About Us

At the Y, we believe in the power of inspired young people, and there is no better place for us to start empowering and supporting young people than in early learning programs and services.

At Y Learn and Swim, we offer a unique combination of Long Day Care, Kindergarten and Swimming lessons all under one roofline, providing a high quality early learning experience for children and convenience for busy families.

Y Learn and Swim opened in April 2023, with free kindergarten for 3 and 4 year old children commencing in 2024. We continue to innovate and introduce new initiatives such as Bush Kinder and our Penguin Paddlers Program.

The Y Ballarat

Our centre is managed by the Y Ballarat, who have been operating children’s programs for more than four decades. Proud to have been active in the Early Years sector since 2003, Y Ballarat delivers engaging and educational programs across 93 locations inspiring some of our youngest community members.

Through Y Kinders’ Early Years Management, our organisation is the largest provider of sessional kindergarten in the state. Y Learn and Swim’s high quality kindergarten programs are part of this portfolio.

Y Ballarat is a profit-for-purpose organisation and operates from a head office in Barkly Square, Ballarat East, supporting programs in the key areas of Early Years, Outside School Hours Care (OSHC), and Youth and Community services.

With an established history, the Y (YMCA) Ballarat has been active in our community since the 1870’s and we are proud of our continuous community service role which stretches back over 145 years.

The Y Ballarat is a Profit-for-Purpose organisation. ABN 47 539 957 592

Our Global Mission

To empower children, young people and communities Australia-wide to build a just, sustainable, equitable and inclusive world, where every person can thrive in body, mind and spirit.

Our Vision

A better world, with and for
young people

Our Belief

We believe in the power
of inspired young people

Our Policies

The link below provides access to our Policy and Procedures Hub, which is a comprehensive resource for families, educators and staff.

We are committed to providing safe, nurturing and enriching environments for the healthy growth and development of children.

Our Policies and Procedures are developed to ensure clarity, consistency and transparency of the practices that govern our early learning programs.

In the Hub, you’ll find our Safeguarding Children and Young People policy, as well as those covering curriculum development and service operations.