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This year, students in Senior School have been actively involved in a number of Service initiatives, thus forging stronger community connections, and finding ways to make a positive contribution to society.
Big Group Hug is a non-profit organisation that responds to the needs of vulnerable and disadvantaged children and their families. We can all take for granted the love and care we receive as young children. Most of us have never had to worry about whether we are going to have enough to eat today, if we have enough clothes or blankets to keep us warm or whether we will get a present for our birthday.
Big Group Hug, which was founded by past Ivanhoe Girls’ Staff member Angela Wood, provides much needed supplies to families who would otherwise struggle to meet these basic needs. The Group relies on the support of local communities and people like us to donate urgently needed items such as nappies, clothing, blankets, prams, cots, toothbrushes and other essential items. Then, volunteers check, sort, and pack essential item packages for distribution by Maternal Child Health Centres and social workers to families in need.
During Term 2, Year 11 and 12 students ran a Winter Coast Drive across the School to donate warm coats in child and youth sizes to help Big Group Hug.
As Social Service Prefect, I am passionate about building awareness to the plight of people less fortunate than us, and creating a school culture that gives back to our community. No matter how big or small the contribution, it can have such a positive impact on vulnerable children and their families. Volunteering your time or household goods to help families in need creates a sense of pride and a feeling of connectedness to your community, knowing your small contribution really can make a difference. With more children and families in need I believe it is more important than ever for us to give back.
Tayla
Year 12
Social Service Prefect
During Term 1, Year 12 students worked with two organisations that have similar missions in supporting women around the world. Through working with KIT International and Zonta, our students learnt about several of the challenges some pregnant women face when they do not have access to clean and sterilised medical equipment.
In order to support these women and give them the best chance at safely delivering their babies, our Year 12 students worked together to assemble and package over 300 birthing kits. Each birthing kit includes one plastic sheet, a small piece of soap, two gloves, three pieces of string, a sterile scalpel blade and five squares of gauze. In order to meet the stringent shipping requirements, each kit must also be assembled according to strict hygienic standards and packed, airtight, into several shipping boxes.
During the assembly process, the energy in the room was abuzz and teamwork was synergised. It was wonderful to watch all of the students dedicated to supporting women around the world. The care they took in preparing each parcel perfectly was a joy to witness. From this experience, our students became more aware of the challenging experiences many women face when bringing life into this world, and in becoming more aware, deeper connections and empathy grew within all of us.
Brett Borbely
Director of Student Wellbeing