Community and Service
Container for Tanzania
On the Wednesday of the first week of the last holiday break a small group of boys and some parents turned up to help fill a container with the old Middle School furniture - bound for Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. While the response to the appeal for assistance was disappointing, those who came worked very hard indeed to fill a 40 foot container with classroom furniture from 10 or so classrooms. Thanks go to this intrepid group and also to the Maintenance and Grounds staff who set aside their regular work to help finish the job.
Without doubt, this furniture will be gratefully received in Tanzania. Most of it will be used in government schools in Dar es Salaam. However, a substantial amount will travel the six hours from Dar to Matipwili and be placed in the village Primary School that has been renovated and extended by Scotch and PLC over the past three trips. Some classrooms currently have no furniture and students sit on the bare floor. Understanding this prompts reflection on the meaning of privilege and opportunity to think that our boys are about to occupy a truly spectacular teaching and learning space in the new Middle School building.
Swan View Salvation Army Talk
Also during the holidays I had an opportunity to give a talk to a group at the Swan View Salvation Army League. This group of older local residents meets regularly to fundraise for the Salvation Army and other causes. I was invited along to explain the part played by Scotch College in packing and distributing Street Swags to the homeless. The group had raised $200 for the Street Swag programme and I was there to accept the check on behalf of the organization.
While the money will be put to good use to manufacture swags for the homeless - which alone is commendable - it struck me that for this group the generosity was truly outstanding. Most of the members of the Salvation Army group were already giving heavily of their own time to run Salvation Army services for their community and some were caring for disabled or frail family members. Once again this prompts reflection - this time on who in our society provides support for those in need and at what sacrifice to their own lives. I suspect that many of the services aimed at the less fortunate are only able to function because of people like this Swan View Salvation Army group - volunteers who are passionate and humble and who see it as a duty to give back to the wider community no matter how challenging their personal circumstances.
The Scotch Service Framework
The Scotch Service Framework, developed this year, has as its corner-stones four key concepts - Nurture, Inspire, Connect, and Sustain. The model recognizes that most service undertaken by is local - but that we also take part in limited, but important national and international service activities. The framework provides a template for planning service and also to highlight the importance of a service-learning programme within the College. As a school of the Uniting Church, the Christian view of service informs our actions. However, it is important to also focus on the other drivers with clear educational outcomes.
Our boys are very good at nurturing - the aged, disabled, displaced and the young. The boys themselves are nurtured through contact with individuals from diverse backgrounds. Many of the stories the boys hear are inspirational - a recent example was the talk given by Young Australian of the Year Akram Azimi. The boys are inspired to take action through exposure to different stories.
Our boys are connected to the word in many ways - mostly electronic! However we need to connect to communities through service and create partnerships that deliver tangible outcomes to people who need support. Through establishing links with communities in Cambodia, Tanzania, India and in remote Australia (Jigalong) we can markedly enrich the lives of our boys as well as those of our partners elsewhere.
Our actions need to be sustainable. We have the responsibility of stewardship of the planet and also of ensuring that individuals are balanced and communities wholesome. We need to serve in a sustainable manner with the needs of future generations a central driver.
Service therefore is not peripheral to the main game of education. Rather it provides a central focus and an opportunity for boys to frame their lives, counter the potential for self-absorption and give an outward expression of what is a core value at Scotch.
Multiple Sclerosis Society of Western Australia
The MS Society runs a number of events each year to fundraise to support people with this degenerative neurological condition. While the Ocean Ride was held last Sunday, the next event will be the 'Dive In' - held at the Melville Aquatic Centre. This is a 10-hour team swim with up to 10 individuals in each team. If any boys or parents would like to know more about this event, please contact Bill Cordner. wjcordner@scotch.wa.edu.au
Friends of Lake Claremont Fundraiser
Every year Tania Young opens her Dalkeith garden to various charities for fundraising purposes. FOLC have been very fortunate to secure 2 sessions on Saturday, 2 November. Morning tea from 10.30 - 12.30 and afternoon tea from 3pm - 5pm. Tickets are $35each. Tania's Garden is set on 5 residential Dalkeith blocks and is one of the finest private gardens in Perth. This garden is simply stunning and it features many beautiful statues and objets d'art as well as a number of beautiful ponds and a working kitchen garden. Please see the attached poster and come check it out!
