Flourishing at Family Day

As Vilma Raymundo looks back on career Family Day, she muses that watching children and their families thrive was the most rewarding part.

“I love watching the successes of our children and their families, and witnessing their milestones,” says Vilma, who is getting ready to retire after 25 years with the agency. I’ve kept all of my greeting cards and thank-you cards from the families I’ve connected with.”

After emigrating from the Philippines, Vilma started work for Family Day as a Child Care Services intake worker, moved on to become an RECE, and then became a centre Supervisor. She spent the last 16 years as the Supervisor of the agency’s Don Valley EarlyON Child and Family Centre, which offers free, high-quality drop-in programs for families and children from birth to six years of age.

“At Family Day, you don’t just have a job. There is a lot of room to grow,” she says. “I never felt I was stagnant in one area.”

She says she stayed at Family Day so long because of the newness of things. “There’s always something different – new people, new families, new communities, and new collaboration with our partners.”

And the constant training and career planning at the agency kept her busy: “The training is consistent and Family Day is very innovative. If you work for Family Day you will get quality preparation and be very aware of what is going on in your line of work and your community.”

For those who are just starting their career, Vilma recommends the agency as a place where opportunity is widespread. “I always tell new people that it is a place where there are a lot of prospects. You can work in home child care, integrated services, family support – there is a lot of opportunity to grow.”

These days, Vilma is focusing on the growth of her two (and one on the way) young grandchildren, with a view to consulting, writing children’s books and attending speaking engagements for RECEs.

“I have had such a gratifying career seeing children thrive. I will always be thankful for that.”