Christian Service

One of the distinctive features of an education at Trinity College is the number of opportunities staff and students are given to become involved in serving others, such as:

• staff and senior students serve homeless people with the Red Cross Soup Patrol every week during school term • students volunteer to play soccer games with refugee and migrant youth from the

Edmund Rice Common Goal program • providing supplies to St Vincent de Paul Society, The Shopfront and St Bartholomew’s House. Additionally, we have core programs at each year level that gives each student a chance to make a personal commitment to Christian Service. Students are always asked to reflect on their service experiences in the light of our faith and here we share some of their reflections from 2021.

Year 8 ‘Our Neighbour’

I made cupcakes for my older brother because he had homework to do. Jesus provided food for people and the cakes I made were sold at the cake stall, to raise money for LifeLink. Matthew Collins (8.4) Jesus made other people’s lives easier by performing miracles. I made other people’s lives a bit easier by doing tasks for them. Luke Boudames (8.3)

Year 9 ‘Restoring Relationships’

Year 9 students helped in local primary schools one morning a week for three weeks. It opened my eyes to how many children could benefit by having an older person help them out with their work and guide them. We are inspired to do this as Edmund Rice did for young boys, by making a school for them and getting them off the streets. His story inspires us to want to be like Edmund and Jesus, to help out where we can. Chad McKie (9.6) My experiences with the children helped me grow as a person because I realised that helping out and donating just a little bit of your time for others, makes you feel happy and proud of yourself. Will Norman (9.8)

Year 10 ‘Experience Counts’

The journal writing from the Year 10 students reflect on some of the lessons they have learnt from the stories they have heard from the elderly and the challenges they have faced during COVID-19. I have a strong relationship with my grandparents and elderly relatives. I value their wisdom and the stories they tell because they’re interesting and it informs me on life. I listen intently to those stories and I visit them as much as possible, showing my love for them. Joshua Gomes (10.4) Elderly people have wisdom and life experience that helps society because their life experience can teach future generations, the lessons of the past. Young people can bring vitality and excitement into lives of elderly people, who may find life boring, when they are confined in aged care homes.

Damon Christianopoulos (10.4) Elderly people are human too and the way some of them are treated in aged care, violates their rights as humans. Staff need to take time to understand the elderly and be patient when caring for them. John Van Beek (10.8)

Year 11 ‘Sharing Gifts’

All Year 11 students spent four days volunteering at local agencies, building relationships and serving others in a variety of placements. I have built a strong relationship with one of the ladies here, so I am currently writing an account of her life story. She happily agreed and I have sat in her room, listening to her stories for most of the week. When it is finished it will be featured in the monthly newsletter for the aged care home. Evan French (11.3) So much care is required to support people with disabilities. The injustice in our society is their marginalisation because they need to be educated and live in very different situations to most of the people I know. The hardest part of the job is seeing the effect that their disability has on the student, impacting drastically on their behaviour, attitudes and learning capacity. Dion Primerano (11.3) When I am trying to talk with a student and get no response, it is not something I am used to dealing with. I feel driven to work around the issues this raises and try to accomplish something with the student. The teachers set good examples of how to do this, so I am learning how best to act in this situation. Johann Soares (11.1) It saddens me to see people who were all so full of life, are now crippled by issues they face. It makes me realise that it is very important to do what I can, to lighten their days. It is a most humbling experience to understand that no matter how well you may be doing during life, that in the end, many people struggle with the perils of ageing. Myles Brown (11.5)

Year 12 ‘Senior Project’

At the end of Year 11, students can choose to commit to the Senior Project, volunteering to give service at an agency of their choice for 30 hours, in their own time. Edmund Rice camps really made me step outside of my usual comfort zone. I believe it was so worthwhile being there for the kids. Spending time talking with them lets them know that there is always a community there for them. I really experienced the presence of Jesus in the kids. They were full of love and happiness. I believe this camp was a gift from God. Matthew Loo (12.1) I’ve learnt I’m a much more patient person than I previously thought. It never used to be a strength, but I feel it’s progressed. It has definitely made me reconsider how much fun simple things can be and how much joy, living a life of service can be. Sam Thorpe (12.7)

Year 7 ‘Serving to Belong’

Finally, some advice from Year 7 students on how to keep the Swan River healthy: • Put your dog poo in the bin. It is the second biggest polluter of the Swan River. • Put fishing tackle and line in the bin because you might kill an innocent animal. • Cut down on noise pollution from boats so we don’t disturb precious animals and drive them away. • Limit fertiliser use because it could contaminate the river and cause algal blooms.

Mrs Marya Stewart

Director of Christian Service