Community and Service

Scotch Service Partners

The Scotch College Service Model below highlights to rationale behind the service undertaken by boys throughout the college. The cornerstones of the model - SUSTAIN, NURTURE, CONNECT and INSPIRE anchor the service programme while providing for breadth depth of experience.

SCOTCH COLLEGE SERVICE MODEL

Over time, Scotch College has built up partnerships with a number of organisations and service agencies that give life to the programme. These include the following:

Scotch has been associated with some of these organisations for many years with generations of boys contributing their time to direct service or fundraising activities. As the list continues to grow more opportunities open up for current boys to sustain, connect, nurture and be nurtured, inspire and be inspired.

Round Square

• Exchanges

This week the last of our overseas exchange students for 2015 departs for home. During the past 12 months we have had 14 boys visit us from Round Square schools located in diverse parts of the world. These boys have in turn hosted Scotch boys in their schools and homes. The experiences have been wonderful for all boys concerned and the programme has enriched the lives of the boys and their families.

Hosting a student from overseas is not always easy. However, the Scotch parents involved in hosting should be commended for being involved in the right spirit and going 'above and beyond' to show the visitors the best of Perth and Western Australia - and indeed elsewhere in Australia. Our boys returning from exchange all speak highly of the experience and recommend it to the current Year 9 boys.

This term Year 8 national exchanges take place. These are for two weeks and so far the other schools involved are Scotch Oakburn in Tasmania and Westminster School in Adelaide.

• Scotch College Round Square Conference 2016

Plans for our Round Square Conference for 12-14 year olds continue and soon the registration documentation for schools within our region will be available. The flyer for the conference can be found here. While the programme is still being developed, the four-day event in the April holidays next year is shaping up to be an exciting one for the 120 national and overseas delegates expected to attend.

Last week an email was sent to all current Year 10 and 11 students asking for volunteers to service as leaders for the conference. Around 30 boys are required to lead small groups of delegates through activities and to facilitate de-brief sessions each day. Leaders will need to be available in the first week of the April holidays. Specific skills training for the group selected will be arranged during Summer Term.

• Global Round Square Conference UWCSEA Singapore

In the first week of the October holidays, five Year 11 boys will head to Singapore to represent Scotch College at the 2015 Round Square Global Conference. This is being held at the United World College of South East Asia (UWCSEA). The theme for this conference is 'Act Today - Change Tomorrow'. The five boys will take part in activities based on the IDEALS (Internationalism, Democracy, Environmentalism, Leadership and Service). Delegates to this conference come from Round Square member schools from around the world. Keynote speakers include Tim Jarvis, environmental scientist and Kavita Ramadas, human rights advocate. This is another good opportunity for Scotch boys to take part in an important international event.

UnitingCare West Winter Appeal

UnitingCare West is now collecting clothing as part of its Winter Appeal. Boys in all three schools have been collecting for this appeal. While the Middle School collection has now concluded, collections in Junior and Senior School continue until the end of term. There has been a particular request for jeans. Men's jeans are a priority; however, ladies' and children's jeans will also be greatly appreciated. Please ensure jeans are clean and of a wearable quality. Boys in the senior school should drop clothing off with their House Head or with Mr Cordner. Ross House in the Senior School is also fundraising for the homeless in addition to contributing to the Winter Appeal collection. You are reminder also that Scotch has its own Good Samaritans bin located near the Dining Hall. This can be used to deposit clothing at any time.

Street Swags

For the past six years Scotch boys have been rolling Street Swags and distributing them to agencies dealing with homeless clients or other charitable organisations wanting to improves the lives of people living rough on the streets of Perth. The deliveries this month have been made to:

• Short Back and Sidewalks. Article here
• The Shopfront
• Bega Garnbirringu Health Service, Kalgoorlie

Mr Bill Cordner

Director of Community and Service