COMMUNITY AND SERVICE
Reflections of the Past Two Weeks
This past fortnight has provided some opportunities to gain a deeper insight into some of the issues affecting the Community and Service area of the College.
Homelessness: You may have read in the local press, the story of a homeless man begging outside the Swanbourne shops. This was a stark reminder that homeless is a significant and growing issue for all West Australians. Indeed, homeless can occur very quickly and to anyone if home or work circumstances suddenly change. Throughout the College, boys touch on the issue of homelessness - from collecting and donating warm clothing and sleeping bags in the Junior and Middle Schools - to the Senior School 'Street Swags' project, setting up facilities for the City of Perth and Volunteering WA, 'Homeless Connect Day', and working with Tranby Day Centre. With each activity comes and opportunity to provide context and to learn about the issue of homeless.
Last week I attended the inaugural Western Australian Collective Impact Forum. This brought together many of the government and non-government agencies involved in community service sector with in the state. Homelessness was one of the issues discussed. There is a clear need for collective action on the problem through a defined structure of collaboration between all agencies involved and agreement on an approach. Scotch College may only have a small role in supporting the homeless - but it is part of a collective none-the-less.
Mental Illness: Homeless is often linked to mental illness and the boys who attend Tranby Day Centre in East Perth (run by UnitingCare West), are made aware of this fact. The Centre caters for around 120 homeless people each day, many of whom find it difficult to function in the mainstream society. The Year 10 boys who attend Tranby are educated on the broad problems of homeless - both for the people who find themselves in that situation and the agencies that provide service.
The difficulties of dealing with a mental illness are starkly highlighted when boys in Year 10 and 11 visit Romily House - a facility in Shenton road supporting residents with paranoid schizophrenia. Many of these people would be on the streets if facilities like Romily House were not available. Again, it is important that boys understand that problems like these can touch people from all walks of life.
Intellectual and Physical Disability: last Sunday some senior boys took part in the Rocky Bay 75th anniversary 'Walk With Me' event. The boys facilitated small activities along the walk course to engage the walkers and raise money additional money. The Scotch partnership with Rocky Bay - a provider of disability service - goes back 15 years or more. It was great to see current students supporting this institution last Sunday and building on the good work done by Year 10 boys on Friday afternoon.
Overseas Aid and Development: Last week I had the good fortune to attend a reception for delegates to the 'Africa Down Under' conference. This was held at Government House and invitees included mining and business leaders, dignitaries from Western Australian universities, Australia diplomats and consular representatives from various African countries. The focus of this reception was on education and four local tertiary institutions outlined their links with Africa. Scotch College and PLC have a combined long-term partnership with Matipwili village in Tanzania to improve teaching and learning opportunities for the whole community. The reception provided a chance to network and highlight our particular project. An outcome of this was that the Australian High Commissioner to East Africa - Geoff Tooth - has indicated that he will try to visit the project when students are in Matipwili next year.
Good Samaritans: While overseas service projects perhaps attract more attention than local activities, our partnerships with local agencies provide more of the opportunities for our boys to engage in service learning. Last week Good Samaritan Industries agreed to provide us with two 'blank' yellow bins for clothing deposits These will be placed within our campus in the Senior School and close to Junior and Middle School and Boarding. Boys will paint appropriate motives on the bins - combining creativity and service. These bins will be available to our community soon to deposit clothing and toys. In the next two weeks, Year 10 boys will be working alongside disabled workers at the Canning Vale facility - sorting donated clothing.
Restoring Hope' - Joan Adams of Morning Star Centre for Children: Joan Adams, the Director and Founder of Morning Star Children's Centre, Welkom, Orange Free State, South Africa, is visiting Perth in September. The Centre is located in the depressed mining town of Welkom. Joan's outreach work also involves assisting some 500 children, many of whom are orphans and their families, in the impoverished surrounding Townships of Welkom. If you are interested in learning more about Joan's work, she will be in Perth and giving a free public talk on Friday, 27 September from 6.15pm onwards at St Philips Anglican Church Hall, 240 Marmion Street, Cottesloe.
