Students Not Only Learn The Traditional Three R’S At School These Days, They Also Learn To Give Back

Haileybury Berwick’s Mission for Social Justice

Which charities are your school involved with? Haileybury is involved with a wide range of charities across the girls’ Pre-Senior and Senior School. Our Pre-Senior Girls have had the opportunity to support a program called KOGO, Knit One Purl One. It is a volunteer organisation that supports people in need by providing knitted items, such as blankets, beanies, scarves and toys.

The Senior Berwick girls support the One Girl foundation, which provides scholarships for disadvantaged girls in Africa; Sierra Leone and Uganda. Additionally, we campaign for the Polished Man project raising money for trauma prevention programs aimed to help children who have been subject to abuse.

Why did the School choose those charities? The School recognises that we are extremely fortunate and advantaged to live in a safe, comfortable and free environment in which we can be happy and healthy.

Unfortunately, this is not the case for many people around the world. In recognising this, the girls hope to contribute to the change that will aid those, especially girls alike, who endure struggles that we could never imagine possible in our own homes and lives.

Middle School Boys Fundraiser.(pictured)

How do the students benefit from charitable work?By involving ourselves in these charities, the girls are exposed to the harsh realities of others, which ultimately allow us to recognise our role in giving back to the community – especially when we have the ability to do so. Additionally, this allows us to see the many ways in which we can create change for the better, but also the value in doing so; opening our minds and developing social justice skills.

What other fundraising activities happen throughout the year? Throughout the year, the School enjoys getting involved with external charities too! For example, the Senior School participates as a group in Connor’s Run to support the RCD fund. Also, we support the international school in Dili (Timor-Leste) by hosting BBQ’s in and out of school grounds to raise money.

Which charities are your school involved with? The Berwick Pre-Senior Boys, for the ‘2018 Stay Warm This Winter’ campaign, put together packages filled with warm clothes, scarves, hats, gloves, blankets, and amenities such as toothbrushes, toothpaste for those who were forced to sleep rough on the streets this winter.

Further, the Senior School boys have continued their pledge to social justice through the Smith Family. The annual Smith Family Run was held once again this year, and the boys mobilised for this noble cause, running around the front oval at Berwick to demonstrate our dedication to and raise awareness about those who are less fortunate than ourselves. From the ‘Run for Change’, we have been able to raise over $2000 and, as a result, were able to again sponsor 4 students in need, providing them with the resources to create their own opportunities in life.

Moreover, we also have a large commitment to the Narre Warren Transit Soup Kitchen, a short drive away from our campus. As frequently as possible, groups of students travel down to the venue to help prepare and serve food, and provide much needed groceries to members of the community, many of whom would go hungry without the provided services.

Why did the School choose those charities? As students who are fortunate enough to receive a privileged learning experience, we often take the resources and facilities afforded to us for granted, and can easily lose sight of our fortunate circumstances. As such, our commitment to the Smith Family aims to supplement the education of those less fortunate than ourselves in our local community, ensuring that we remain aware of those needing assistance to do things such as doing assignments or researching online, things we often do without a second thought.

Moreover, this sentiment is further exemplified through our work in the Transit Soup Kitchen. By ensuring that students have the opportunity to tangibly assist, and have a genuine impact on the underprivileged in our local area, we uphold our responsibility to assit others in our community.

How do the students benefit from charitable work? Through our charitable work, the students are reminded of the many privileges they are fortunate enough to have, and necessarily, the responsibility they bear as members of the community to assist those less well-off than ourselves. The ability to have fun through events such as the Annual Smith Family Run, with the knowledge the efforts are for a good cause, provide a sense of fulfilment to the boys who are more than happy to give back to the community.

More specifically, those who volunteer at the Soup Kitchen are always humbled by the experience, and the authentic gratitude reciprocated by those at the venue, being able to see the genuine faces of those who need help the most.

What other fundraising activities happen throughout the year? In addition to the annual Smith Family Run and the volunteering at the Soup Kitchen, there are various other means through which we aim to raise funds. Namely, this years events such as Termly Food Days, our Berwick-Quad parties, and the exhilarating and enthralling Annual Downball Tournament, we have supplemented the funds raised through our main events. It is through these various endeavours, that we are able to make our greatest contribution to assist. We have pledged to purchase and install two 8kw split systems to keep those dependent on the ‘Transit’ services warm in the winter, and more importantly, cool in summer, where temperatures can rise in excess of 40C.

We hope that through this contribution, we can make a tangible difference to lives of many who are disadvantaged, and assist Pastor Keith in this noble drive to help the needy.

HAILEYBURY
138 HIGH STREET, BERWICK VIC 3806
Phone: 9904 6007 or visit www.haileybury.vic.edu.au