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2016 became a defining year in Quirky Kid’s development, bringing together national publishing recognition, international education activity, business innovation and the early foundations of a stronger research program.
The year showed how far Quirky Kid had moved beyond its original clinic model. Child psychology remained at the centre of the organisation, but publishing, school programs, research and digital innovation were becoming increasingly important ways to extend that work.
National recognition for The Best of Friends®
One of the year’s strongest milestones came when Quirky Kid won the 2016 Australian Book Industry Innovation Award for The Best of Friends®.
The program was also shortlisted by Speech Pathology Australia, adding recognition from a professional community focused on children’s communication and language development.
Two international shortlists in London
Quirky Kid entered the 2016 London Book Fair with two programs on the International Excellence Awards shortlist. The Best of Friends® was shortlisted for the Educational Initiatives Award and Power Up! for the Educational Learning Resources Award.
Dr Kimberley O’Brien and Leonardo Rocker also presented Quirky Kid’s approach to social and emotional learning publishing at the London Book Fair, helping position the organisation within a wider international education and publishing network.
Building the organisation behind the ideas
In Australia, Quirky Kid joined the University of Wollongong’s iAccelerate program and later became Panel Choice runner-up at the 2016 iAccelerate Pitch Grand Final.
That period of business development helped Quirky Kid strengthen the systems needed to scale its psychology, publishing and emerging digital work.
Research and international education gathering momentum
Quirky Kid also continued its international education activity during 2016, including introducing The Best of Friends® at Positive Schools Singapore and having the program selected for the Hello! from Australia exhibition in Taipei.
At the same time, the organisation was laying foundations for more formal research and evaluation, work that later developed into the University of Wollongong evaluation of The Best of Friends®.
Viewed together, these milestones make 2016 an important chapter in Quirky Kid’s company history: the year psychology practice, publishing, research, international education and innovation began to operate as a more connected growth strategy.
