A true sense of community

By Megan Dunn

Connecting with people is in our DNA - it’s what makes us human. When we use this superpower effectively it has the ability to enact powerful change in our communities - the very fabric which holds us all together.

Fostering an altruistic approach to community service is all about going outside of one’s self, realising that one of the greatest gifts that we can give to other people is our time, kindness and empathy. Principals Today talks with Joe Eccleton, principal of Cashmere High School in Christchurch, about striving to instil a desire and disposition to serve others in the community within his students - the young people which fill him with a real sense of optimism about the future.

Why does Cashmere High School put an emphasis on service?

It is about going back to our purpose as a school; what are we here for? At Cashmere we believe everything we do is about preparing our young people to leave our gates and empower our communities, our nation and ultimately our world for the better. We believe education has a higher purpose, in that what we teach and what we learn needs to support a better future. If we can equip our students with the knowledge and skills to pursue tertiary education and enter the workforce that is great – if we can also develop a desire and disposition to serve others, then we will have fulfilled our vision. Schools are often the heart of a community and as a proud community school, I believe that we need to stand out as a beacon for what is ‘good’ in our communities.

How has the school’s community culture impacted its students?

I think it gives them a sense of perspective and sense of belonging (turangawaewae). My hope is that our students feel part of a community that is bigger than themselves, which is such an important part of one’s wellbeing. For me service is interwoven into being part of a community and when people feel embedded in a community, they feel protected, respected and connected. I also believe there is little debate that having a platform and the opportunity to help others, and to give back, to be part of something positive is mana-enhancing. If we had to be honest, we are a school of privilege, yes not all our students come from privilege but relatively speaking most do. And as a school of privilege, I believe we need to signal our capacity to create positive futures for others. We need to give more than we take.

Are there strong relationships being built in the community?

It is our aspiration to build strong sustainable relationships in our wider community. However, we still have much work to do in this area. As with any relationship, it takes time and energy and developing a shared understanding about the foundations of the relationship. But building and sustaining lasting relationships are not easy, relationships are easy to destroy and hard to build. However, if we can get this right, we will be able to utilise the collective capacity of our communities which could provide unlimited opportunities and experiences for our young people.

How does the knowledge students gain from service experiences promote change?

“Schools are often the heart of a community and as a proud community school, I believe that we need to stand out as a beacon for what is ‘good’ in our communities.”

It gives them a sense of agency – that they have the ability to make a positive difference. And I think the importance of students having this self-belief should never be underestimated. Students getting involved in service also provides an opportunity to develop some of the softer skills that are so valued in our workforce and encourages connecting with other people, from a range of social and cultural backgrounds - all critical elements of wellbeing.

How have you seen such experiences challenge students’ assumptions and stereotypes?

I think service involves doing things that benefit others without any thought of reciprocal benefit to ourselves. It sometimes involves acting in ways that are counter to our own interests as individuals. This forces students to think beyond themselves and to really focus on the purpose of their work. When I think of inspirational examples of service, I look at our staff. Almost all our staff are involved in extracurricular activities. This is not something that they must do, it’s not a requirement or part of their job descriptions. But they do this because they fundamentally believe in giving young people the best opportunities and experiences. They know that it is often in these areas that students build memories, develop friendships, cultivate and enhance the inter-personal skills and the positive competitiveness that is required for our young people to flourish. They understand that giving up their time enhances our students’ sense of wellbeing.

How do you define community?

That’s a really good question. I suppose we start off thinking of community as our local geographical in-zone catchment area. However, we also want our students to develop a global perspective and engage in the world around them.

What opportunities for community service does Cashmere High school provide?

We have a variety of opportunities from various service councils, such as our Humanities and Sustainability Councils to our Cashmere Volunteer Army. These groups participate in everything from tree planting and river clean ups to advocating on local and global issues such as social justice. Also, each year group adopts a charity or service group to support and engage with throughout the year.

The Every Educaid Difference

Localised learning environments reflect their place and their people. Ee’s passion is to bring a community’s stories to life through innovative openended resources that provide rich meaningful experiences for all learners.

For Te Rōhutu Whio’s ātaahua learning village in Rolleston, this meant catering for both Auraki English-Medium and Reorua Bilingual Hubs learning in multilevel (New Entrant - Y8) whānau groups. Te Rōhutu Whio’s enquirybased learning is co-constructed with ākonga learners and pursued through authentic contexts.

A strong cultural narrative was woven through Te Rōhutu Whio’s environments using Ee’s hand-selected resources, He taonga taiao nature treasures and customised LSG furniture, creating a beautiful home like environment.

The environment acts as the third teacher, invites collaboration and connection and is flexible enough to allow children to modify it to construct their own knowledge.

Ee - NZ Curriculum Resource Specialists for modern learning environments

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