Service and Social Engagement

As the year draws to a close, I would like to take some time to reflect on the valuable contributions made by so many students and families over the course of 2019, where we have been active in the outdoors participating in Clean Up Australia Day, the Mother’s Day Classic and the Pink Sports round in support of Breast Cancer Research.

Students in Ys 7 to 9 have generously given their time for a wide range of activities including weekly visits to the residents at Bougainvillea. Led by teachers Kate Moore and Alissa Ynson, these visits are a wonderful way for Redlands students to connect with our neighbours and develop an appreciation of the varied lives these members of the wider community have had. To wrap up the year, Toby Page, Chloe Laverty, Emily Colvin, Vivienne Spicer, Anna Saunders and Claudia Weiss organised and hosted a special sing along Christmas Carols with the residents to mark the start of the festive season. The students baked Christmas tree brownies, gingerbread and cookies for the residents, which created a lovely, welcoming Christmas spirit. This occasion was thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated by many of the residents, who warmly joined in singing many known carols with the students.

Other community contributions included the Salvation Army’s Red Shield Appeal ably undertaken by Yr 11, as well as our weekly commitment to breakfast service at the Matthew Talbot Men’s Hostel. 

Within the school, students have supported Junior School Reading and Maths Clubs. This has been greatly appreciated by the Junior School staff. Hopefully these rewarding experiences have given our students an opportunity to reflect on their good fortune and give back to others in a meaningful way.

The Secondary School have also taken time to engage with issues like gender equality through International Women’s Day, and our Environment student team have raised environmental and climate issues in assembly which included a visit from the Meet the Oceans team through our involvement with the Sydney Institute of Marine Science.

We have made a very valued contribution through donation drives for Matthew Talbot (Socks, Jocks and Toiletries), Anglicare (Toys ‘n’ Tucker) and Easter Eggs for Edward Edgar Lodge. Not forgetting the many bake sales and sausage sizzles as fundraisers for NSW communities impacted by bushfires and drought, the Peru service project, the Cambodian service non-profit M’Lop Tapang trip and a range of other smaller initiatives.  

Significantly, students have had many opportunities through their Pastoral Program, participating in a wide range of learning, thinking and reflection activities linked to social engagement and service. These have examined the meaning and value of service in Yr 7, culminating this term with a visit from Assistance Dogs Australia and the positive and negative impact we have on our Environment in Yr 8. Students visited the Sydney Institute of Marine Science (SIMS) to make connections between their learning in Geography, Science and Service. We have examined the challenges of social inequality in Yrs 9 and 10 where we have built a deeper understanding of disadvantage and the issues of homelessness with a wonderful Sleepout attended by over 150 students and a hardy bunch of teachers. Finally in Yrs 11 and 12, students have worked passionately and independently on a wide range of Service initiatives of their own choosing which will hopefully stay with them as they come to the end of their schooling.

Lastly, we have sent some very fine groups of students on wonderful, exciting and thought provoking trips with service as a key element. This year students have travelled to Fiji, Arnhem Land and Peru and learnt about the places and the people as well as making a contribution to the communities they have visited. At the end of this term we wish our next group of students travelling to Cambodia all the best for a safe and meaningful journey. 

For the first time we have had a team of passionate and engaged students working throughout the year to examine the 17 United Nations Sustainability Goals and measure how NSW is performing against these. We will have a team of five students attending an inter-school It’s our future Earth 3.0 Conference in Singapore next week to share their findings and collaborate with students from many other places and countries.

Thank you very much to all of the teachers that have made these activities possible. It is very rewarding to reflect on the very many ways Redlands teachers, students and their families contribute to our own community and also on a much wider basis. 

Ms Kria Coleman
Service Coordinator
kcoleman@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9892