Welcoming Our Centre Manager Coco at Aspire Riverwalk

We are excited to welcome Coco Yuan as the new Centre Manager at Aspire Riverwalk. Coco has been working in early childhood education since 2008. Over the years, she has developed strong experience in leadership, curriculum support, and team mentoring. Importantly, she is passionate about creating a supportive environment for children, educators, and families.

Coco’s goal is to foster a positive and inclusive early learning environment. She focuses on ensuring children feel safe, educators feel confident, and families feel connected to their child’s learning journey. Additionally, she is committed to helping her team deliver the best possible care and learning experiences.

Coco’s Career in Early Childhood Education

Coco began her career in early childhood education in 2008. Since then, she has worked in a variety of roles, including Room Leader, 2IC, Centre Manager, and Curriculum Support. This experience gave her a wide understanding of both classroom practice and leadership responsibilities.

During her time in Curriculum Support, Coco spent significant periods in Western Australia, assisting centres with curriculum delivery and mentoring educators. As a result, she strengthened her skills in reflective practice and supporting teams to deliver high-quality early learning.

Coco holds a Diploma of Early Childhood Education. She also believes in ongoing professional development, as it ensures children benefit from the best possible care and educators continue to grow in confidence and skill.

Why Aspire Riverwalk

Coco values the strong sense of community at Aspire. She appreciates how the organisation focuses on quality, relationships, and continuous improvement. Additionally, she values the tools and resources Aspire provides. These help mentor educators, streamline centre processes, and support compliance.

With these systems in place, Coco and her team can focus on what matters most: nurturing children, supporting educators, and connecting with families. Importantly, she values being part of an organisation that invests in its people and supports their growth.

Guiding Values

The Aspire values that resonate most with Coco are Empowering Excellence and Connecting Communities.

Empowering Excellence is about supporting educators to grow, build confidence, and feel valued. Coco believes that when educators feel supported, children thrive in a positive learning environment.

Connecting Communities reflects her focus on families and the wider community. She aims to create a welcoming and inclusive centre where families feel heard, involved, and confident in their child’s early learning journey.

Leadership Style and Team Support

Coco’s leadership style is warm, supportive, and empowering. She prioritises respectful relationships with educators, children, and families. Additionally, she recognises the strengths each team member brings to the centre.

By providing mentoring and guidance, Coco creates a workplace culture where educators feel confident, valued, and motivated. She emphasises clear communication and reflective practice to maintain high-quality care and learning experiences.

Coco also shares with her team:
“I can’t guarantee it’s always an easy day, but I can guarantee it’s a happy day at work.”

Approach to Children and Learning

Coco is passionate about fostering a learning culture where children are capable, curious, and competent learners. She is influenced by the Reggio Emilia approach, which values children’s voices and interests in shaping learning experiences.

Additionally, she focuses on reflective practice for educators. Supporting her team to develop their skills and confidence ensures children receive high-quality care and meaningful learning opportunities. Coco also values strong partnerships with families. These partnerships are key to supporting children’s learning, wellbeing, and sense of belonging.

Her guiding principle is simple:
“It takes a village to raise a child.”

A Little About Coco

Outside of work, Coco enjoys spending time with her cat Poffertjes, named after the Dutch pancake. She is also a coffee lover.

Looking Ahead at Aspire Riverwalk

As Centre Manager, Coco is focused on supporting her team, building strong family partnerships, and maintaining a positive, inclusive centre culture. Additionally, she is committed to continuing Aspire Riverwalk’s reputation for high-quality early learning and care.

We warmly welcome Coco to Aspire Riverwalk. We look forward to the impact she will make in helping children, educators, and families thrive together in our early learning community.