Get out of your comfort zone and into your PJs for the Pyjama Foundation

Settling in to read a good book is one of life’s pleasures. CEO and Founder of the Pyjama Foundation, Bronwyn Sheehan, is passionate about sharing this feeling of safety and the gift of learning with the thousands of foster children around Australia. In the lead up to this Pyjama Day, Friday 23 July, we spoke to Bronwyn about her inspiration for starting the Pyjama Foundation and her vision to help foster children around the country reach their potential.

What inspired you to start the Pyjama Foundation

Back before I started the Foundation, it didn’t feel as though something like this was within the realm of possibility. I was a mother of three and a nurse when I met an amazing lady. She was a foster carer of 35 years and had 100 children though her home. This amazing woman had dedicated her life to raising kids who hadn’t had the best start in life and I thought she was truly amazing.

I came to the realisation that even in my inner-city suburb, there were kids and families in need and people in the broader community had no idea. It was then that I decided that I wanted to extend the magic of reading and love of learning I’d imparted on my own kids, to other kids who needed it. I’d been reading to my kids since they were newborn, to give them a gift that would not only set them up for success at school, but last a lifetime.

I set up the Pyjama Foundation and put together a team of Pyjama Angels. Our Pyjama Angels spend one to two hours a week with kids whose life has been fractured to help them open their mind to the world that comes alive when they read and encourage a love of literacy and learning.

And where did the Pyjama Foundation’s name come from?

I’m glad you asked! I wanted the name to heighten people’s curiosity! Parents and caregivers often read to their kids at night-time and that’s the experience we want to create. On a more profound level, we wanted to get all Australians wearing pyjamas on Pyjama Day to get out of their comfort zone, which is often how our foster kids feel, especially when adjusting to a new home environment.

What are some of the lessons you’ve learnt over your 17 years heading up the Pyjama Foundation?

I’ve learnt that the most important thing you can do as human beings is being connect to others. It’s as important in a business sense as it is to kids who are shaped by positive human connections.

Starting the Pyjama Foundation has also showed me how magnetic a sense of passion and enthusiasm can be. I embarked on something I was truly passionate about and now I have a team of Pyjama Angels and other wonderful people and partners helping bring the Pyjama Foundation vision to life. You have to be passionate to get people on-board!

The experience has also taught me to be a master of asking. If you don’t boldly ask for what you need, you won’t receive. An example of when asked with boldness, was when I asked Optus CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin to be my mentor. I was so delighted when she said it would be her honour!

What would you like people thinking about and doing on Pyjama Day? And what does the day mean to you?

Pyjama Day is our chance to raise awareness for the needs of the 48k kids around Australia (with 22k in NSW) who are in foster care. Our Pyjama Angels touch the lives of 1.4k children, but my vision is to see each and every child in foster care in Australia to have a Pyjama Angel – to have a special person in their life to believe in them.

In NSW it costs $1k to train a Pyjama Angel, so donations mean a lot to us. We can turn any donation into something positive for foster kids around Australia.

I’d love to see everyone taking picture of themselves at work and at home and uploading them to social media to spread the word about the needs of foster kids in Australia. It really puts a smile on my face when I see people getting creative, out of their comfort zone and having fun!

What will you be wearing this Pyjama Day?

I have quite a few favourite pairs! I have some floral Peter Alexander pyjamas, a cow onesie and some gorgeous satin loungewear – so I’ll be doing a few outfit changes during the day! But my favourites are my blue flannelette pair that have little clouds on them! You just can’t beat flannelette for comfort.

Learn more

At Optus, we’ll be wearing our pyjamas on Pyjama Day to support Bronwyn and the work of the amazing people at the Pyjama Foundation.

If you’d like to find out how you can support the Pyjama Foundation or get involved, visit: https://thepyjamafoundation.com/