Puppets Alive

09/01/2026

Puppets Alive is delighted to welcome Emma Ring to the team. Emma is a compassionate and creative Counsellor and Drama Therapist with extensive experience delivering therapeutic and arts-based interventions to people of diverse ages and cognitive abilities. Skilled at engaging individuals—including those living with dementia and complex psychosocial needs—through playful, person-centred approaches. Emma is adept at building rapport quickly, adapting in the moment, and creating joyful experiences that foster connection, self-expression, and emotional wellbeing. Emma is well qualified for this role having completed a Bachelor of Creative Arts (Drama) at Deakin University and a Master of Creative Arts Therapy (Drama) from the University of Melbourne. We cannot wait for you to meet Emma as she takes up the role of Puppet Therapy Practitioner on the Puppets Alive team in 2026. Emma will be sharing our puppet therapy sessions on Tuesdays and Wednesdays with Stephen.

11/12/2025

Lots of joy in Bayswater 🎅

04/11/2025

New curtains for our Puppets Alive show stage. Oh, and that’s Frank Sinatra doing it his way, as usual.

21/09/2025

Hi Puppets Alive FB friends

Puppets Alive is looking to add someone to our team in 2026. I would appreciate it if you would share this with your your FB friends. Thanks so much.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Puppet Therapy Practitioner

• Permanent part time position (0.4) 16 hours per week on Tuesday and Wednesday
• Based in Eastern suburbs of Melbourne with travel throughout metropolitan Melbourne, Mornington Peninsula & West Gippsland.
• $32.00 per hour + Superannuation Guarantee + Vehicle allowance $1.00 per km.
• Position to commence on the 6th of January 2026.

We are looking for a Puppet Therapy Practitioner for our small business contracting entertainment and therapy services in the Residential Aged Care (RAC) sector. We work with many of the RAC groups in Melbourne and engage, encourage and entertain RAC clients of all cognitive abilities, and especially those living with dementia.

The Puppet Therapy Practitioner role has been created to meet the increasing demand for Puppets Alive’s services.

The role will report to the Senior Puppet Therapy Practitioner/owner and will be responsible for:
• providing engaging, encouraging and entertaining one to one puppet therapy sessions to residential aged care (RAC) clients with varying cognitive abilities.
• providing concise feedback to the RAC Wellbeing Managers or Lifestyle Coordinators on therapy session client outcomes and responses.
• performing the required responsibilities in a manner that both enhances the relationship between Puppets Alive and RAC staff and encourages and affirms the RAC clients who are engaged.
• performing administrative and marketing tasks as directed by the Senior Puppet Therapy Practitioner.

The job will be permanent part-time, with hours to be worked between 9.00am and 5.00pm Tuesday to Wednesday.

Successful applicants must have:
• excellent listening, communication and affirmation skills
• experience and interest in engaging older people one to one
• empathy and patience
• ability to adapt quickly and ‘be in the moment’
• strong communication and interpersonal skills
• ability to work independently
• current driver’s license and own vehicle.

It would be advantageous to have:
• counselling or pastoral care skills training
• dementia-related training or experience
• residential aged care or disability care experience
• puppetry experience or training in the rod arm and human hand style (puppetry training will be provided)
• The ability to sing in tune and unaccompanied.

If you are interested in this job, please email your resume and covering letter to [email protected] or call 0429 417 036 for further information. As part of your covering letter please include a paragraph as to why you believe you are suited to this role.

Applications close on Friday 31st October 2025 with interviews to be conducted on Saturday15th November.

24/05/2025

Just a little fun…with purpose & meaning.

06/02/2025

Say ‘G’day’ to Bushy Bard, reciter of famous Aussie poetry.

27/12/2024

Another Puppets Alive year has come to a close after:
144 performances,
506 contact hours of one to one puppet therapy, and
4 Hands on Puppet activity sessions.

It is such a privilege to be welcomed and trusted to engage, encourage and entertain folk living in residential aged care, and particularly those living with dementia. After a short break Puppets Alive will continue to bring meaning, love and lots of smiles in 2025.

24/10/2024

A bit of fun earlier this week.

29/08/2024

A recent visit to an aged care community. Elvis seemed very popular, for some reason.

29/07/2024

31/05/2024

Puppets Alive was in the house, as was Elvis. Lots of fun & laughter. And Elvis got a few kisses as well.

01/07/2023

From a recent visit to Moe & Drouin. A great day.

Residents from our Heritage Manor and Amberlea communities recently enjoyed a fun day with some cheeky singing and dancing puppets!

“Whenever Puppets Alive visit us the feedback from our residents is always so positive,” said Tanya, Lifestyle and Activities Coordinator at Baptcare Amberlea. “Their laughter and clapping is so loud! I even have residents who refuse to attend other activities on the day Puppets Alive visit because they’re so keen to get a good seat for the performance!”

Judging by the photos, it’s not just the residents who seem to enjoy the shows!

“It’s such an amazing performance,” said Kate from Heritage Manor (pictured below with a colleague). “There’s comedy, singing and it’s just so interactive and fun.”

If you’d like to learn more about our residential aged care communities, please visit our website at https://www.baptcare.org.au/services/aged-care-homes/residential-aged-care-homes