Community Service

Developing a culture of contribution and care.

The Lauriston community recognises the immense personal learning that students experience through our Community Service or G.I.V.E. (Girls in Values Education) Program. Each year, the program is involving more and more students, underpinning our values of Relationships and Engagement in Life.

One of the most rewarding parts of my job as Coordinator of the G.I.V.E. Program is when students come to me with an idea of how to raise funds and awareness for a cause they feel passionate about. Their own initiative.

Claire in Year 1 was concerned for the children of Ukraine and decided she wanted to have a movie night and sausage sizzle at School on a Friday night to raise much needed funds. Fast forward to Term 3 and we sold over 170 tickets and cooked 225 sausages with our Junior School gathering to enjoy a screening of Encanto.

Eleanor in Year 5 wanted to support people in our community who are sleeping on the street. She held a ‘guess the number of jellybeans in the jar’ competition with all funds assisting the production of backpack beds for the homeless. These beds provide shelter, dignity, warmth, health, sleep, comfort, and safety for street sleepers and Eleanor raised enough money to fund two backpack beds which will no doubt make an enormous difference in the lives of others.

Piper in Year 2 organised for EatUp to come into our School so the whole year level could make sandwiches for children who go to school without food. Missing out on lunch has a big impact on children with hunger, causing fatigue and poor concentration. This commonly leads to learning difficulties and behavioural problems in school, with disadvantaged children falling further behind their peers. Piper decided that this seemed unfair so wanted to get involved. After an incredibly successful sandwich-making day, the Year 2 classes decided to sell Zooper Doopers every Tuesday for a month to continue to raise funds for EatUp.

Other initiatives in 2022 included:

• Year 10 students holding a bake sale to raise funds for the Lismore Library so new books could be bought following the New South Wales floods.

• Year 3 girls – Stephanie, Amanda and Edie - made bookmarks and origami and sold them to support The Red Cross.

• Hana and Helen in Year 4 sold books to raise funds for World Wildlife Fund.

The care shown by our girls and their desire to contribute to our wider community is so wonderful and helping them bring their ideas to life is why I have the best job in the School!

Sarah Jessup Community Service Coordinator