Community Service _____________________________Page

The Edmund Rice spirit is truly alive and well and most evident in the St Joseph’s community. The number of students and staff answering the call to assist with our community service programs has been amazing. Students from all year levels have been involved in various programs assisting those marginalised in our society. This year saw the further development of a compulsory community service program across the school. Year 7 students were required to complete two hours of community service. Many of the boys completed their hours at our breakfast programs. These programs run at Christ the King, St Thomas Aquinas and St Francis Xavier every week. The boys thoroughly enjoyed their time at the schools assisting with buttering toast, pouring milo and juice to ensure that students began the day with some food in their stomachs to help them learn. The boys have also been involved with community groups, helping at fetes and the refugee school holiday programs. Year 7s are to be commended for their wonderful efforts in completing well over 650 hours of community service this year. Year 8 students led an appeal to support the Geelong Food Relief Centre. The boys learnt that the centre assists 8000 families in the Geelong region each year with cheap affordable food. The whole school participated in a casual dress day for the donation of cans of food and cereal boxes. This successful community campaign led by Year 8 boys and their RE teachers, saw over a tonne of food donated. On a cold winters night 50 Year 7 & 8 boys participated in the SJC Winter Sleep Out to raise awareness and funds for homeless people in Geelong. They spent the majority of the night outside before coming into the gym in the early hours of the morning to sleep on a cardboard box. This was an invaluable experience for the boys for one night to feel what it is like to be homeless. Year 9 and Year 10 boys have been involved in school based community service. The Year 9 boys represented the College well at various primary schools on a Wednesday afternoon. The boys helped out in classrooms, in sport lessons and led lunchtime activities. The feedback from the primary schools was fantastic and the boys thoroughly enjoyed their experience. Year 10 community service saw the boys heading out to visit various nursing homes. At first this can be a rather daunting experience as the majority of boys have not been inside an aged care facility. It does not take long for them to feel comfortable chatting with the residents and getting involved in activities, participating in carpet bowls, card games and bingo. This is an invaluable experience for our students as it takes them out of their comfort zone. The experience gives the boys a deeper understanding that older people in our community are to be respected and are valuable members in our society. The community service program at senior level requires the Year 11 boys to be involved in various activities during activities week and they are also required to complete 8 hours of community service over their senior years. Year 12 students were required to complete 5 hours of community service. Many boys have been involved in refugee tutoring, tree planting, breakfast programs, primary schools, refugee holiday programs, working in op shops, blood bank and assisting various community groups around Geelong. The senior students have been wonderful in their support of not only the St Joseph’s community service program but also many have organised their own community service and helped out numerous community groups. Year 12 boys were also involved in the Outreach Van Program on a Sunday night. They offered up their time to go out on the van to four different locations in Geelong to assist homeless people. This was a student led initiative in conjunction with Salvation Army. Senior students completed over 2000 hours of community service this year, an outstanding effort! College staff have been most supportive in assisting a wide variety of community groups. Project 950 was introduced this year to encourage staff to be involved. The project encourages staff to complete 5 hours of community service over the year towards a combined effort of 950 hours. As a result, staff completed over 1500 hours, which is a true reflection of a staff that model the image of Edmund Rice. Many thanks to all of the organisations who partner with us to support the community service program. The program gives our students an opportunity to gain an understanding and appreciation of how different their lives are compared to others and develops in them an empathy that we believe will exist well beyond the school yard.

Claire Wrigley - Community Service Coordinator

“The breakfast program is a great thing to do because you get the chance to help out the community. You make kids brekkie and they really appreciate it for what you do. It was very awarding to do something good for the community. I suggest you come and try it.” - Tom Hardiman, Year 7

Winter sleepout Community Service Refugee holiday program Breakfast programs

The Outreach Van