Services and Activities are an important part of a Scotch education. Service fosters respect for others and oneself, a sense of responsibility, and social awareness. It is hoped that the service our students start in school will continue in many different, rewarding ways throughout the rest of their lives.
The Service and Activities program at Scotch embodies our school’s core values:
Respect
A belief in the inherent value and dignity of every person. Each boy is encouraged to listen to, understand and appreciate the needs and views of others and to forge lasting relationships regardless of religious, cultural, and social background.
Responsibility
We believe that every person is responsible for their actions, and decisions. Each boy is encouraged to make the most of every opportunity and to use his gifts and talents in the service of others.
Reverence
We believe we are part of something bigger than ourselves. Through our Christian traditions and the example of those who have gone before us, each boy is encouraged to embrace a spirit of reverence that awakens awe and wonder.
Choosing a Service or Activity
When choosing a service or activity, students should remember that it is a commitment. This commitment is a reflection of your responsibility and respect for the opportunity provided. Instructions on how to apply for a service will be emailed directly to students, and preferences must be submitted before the specified deadline via the online portal. Please note some programs have places for a large number of boys, whilst others accept only a few.
At Year 11, the Service Program includes an immersion experience, as well as the ongoing services and activities. This will involve a camp, as detailed in this program guide. Being involved in a service program demonstrates service to the community and prepares boys for leadership in Year 12. This experience is designed to instil a deep reverence for the diverse communities you will serve. In Year 12, students may choose an ongoing service or activity, an activity available to Year 12 only, or choose not to participate in any programs.
If boys have any queries about this process, they should speak to their Head of House, the Director of Co-Curricular, or Head of School.
Program structure
Legacy Leadership Programs (Years 9 -12)
Our Legacy Leadership Programs are the centrepiece of the Scotch College Services and Activities Program. They are designed to enrich the educational and personal experiences of our boys. These programs offer a unique blend of tradition and innovation, fostering leadership, community service and opportunities for personal growth. Boys engage in programs that both honour our school’s rich history and prepare them for future challenges. Boys will be invited to join the Military Band, Pipes and Drums and Venturers.
Year 9 Application Programs
Application Programs provide interestbased opportunities to Year 9 students. These programs provide boys with diverse opportunities to develop leadership skills, spend time in the outdoors and understand Indigenous cultures. Students must apply to be a part of these, knowing that each program has specific selection criteria that must be addressed in their application. Some Application Programs allow for students to make a multi-year commitment to develop their interests and skills in the areas of Outdoor Education and Indigenous Cultures. Places in Application Programs are limited.
Year 10 Service and Activity Programs
In Year 10, many students will continue to contribute to the Legacy Leadership Programs. For those students who wish to explore new opportunities, a small range of activity-based programs are offered. Programs offered to Year 10 students build leadership skills, promote physical fitness, whilst also encouraging creativity and teamwork.
Engagement in these programs will allow students to see the importance of physical activity and community involvement. Places in the Year 10 Service and Activity Programs are capped, ensuring a wellresourced experience for all boys.
Year 11 Immersion Programs
The Immersion Program emphasises learning to serve, where students perform community service to gain skills and knowledge by working alongside communities to bring about positive change. The Year 11 Immersion Program includes three terms of pre-service learning activities and a 3-4 day immersion experience, focusing on project-based work, community engagement and reflection.
Legacy Leadership Programs
( Years 9 to 12)
Scotch College Army Cadet Unit
Ref: LL1
The Cadet program is a peer led youth development program with authentic leadership experiences for those who continue beyond Year 9. Boys who participate in Cadets are also enrolled as a Cadet in the Australian Army Cadets organisation. The Cadet program is focused on values that will help them thrive in a team environment, improve communication skills, and become responsible members of their community. As a cadet you will learn leadership, team building and survival skills that will set you up for life.
In Year 9, cadets are able to explore their abilities through exposure to a range of skills that foster teamwork, self-confidence and personal resilience. Activities are focused on youth development principles, using the leadership structure and curriculum of the Australian Army Cadets. These areas include basic first
aid, map reading/navigation, use of radios, communication skills field engineering/field craft and living in the field/survival skills.
Cadets progress through an experience with their Platoon where they are led through a range of lessons which culminate in the Bivouac in Term 1 and the Annual Camp held at the end of Term 3.
Those in years 10-11 can attend a leadership course and be promoted to various leadership roles within the Unit. These can be specialist skill leadership positions or leadership positions around leading a group of younger cadets either at a Company level (up to 100 Cadets), a Platoon Level (up to 25 Cadets), or a Section level (up to 10 Cadets). Each level of leadership has a course which cadets are required to complete to be eligible for that position/rank.
Cadets wear the cadet uniform as issued by the Australian Army to Wednesday training afternoons and camps but will also be issued a Scottish Highland uniform, including kilt,
to wear on ceremonial occasions.
Details of the national AAC program can be found at www.cadetnet.gov.au.
Cadets can enrol in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards Scheme and cite their cadet service and camps towards some of the qualifying criteria.
If you would like more information about the cadet unit, you can contact the Unit’s Commanding Officer via email Alistair.Dunn@scotch.vic.edu.au
Program Levy: $650
Some additional activities may attract a separate cost e.g. leadership courses
Military Band
Ref: LL2
The Scotch College Military Band is part of the Scotch College Cadet Unit. It supports the Unit in its ceremonial duties and has done so since it was formed in 1959. The band’s annual performance schedule includes the Melbourne ANZAC Day commemorations, the cadet parades and the Foundation Day Concert. It is predominantly made up of boys from Years 9 to 12 who are learning brass, woodwind or percussion at school. It can also take boys in Year 8, and these boys will be automatically allocated to the Band for their Year 9 service.
Boys invited to join the Military Band are also enrolled in the Cadet Unit and the Australian Army Cadets (AAC). Some of the information in the Cadets section of this booklet also applies to the Military Band. Further details of the national Army Cadet program can be found at www.cadetnet.gov.au
Boys invited to join the Military Band after Year 9 still need to complete recruit training. A
Members of the Band are provided with the cadet uniform that they will wear on Wednesdays and at camps. They are also provided with a ceremonial uniform that is unique to the Scotch College Military Band. Those who are in the Military Band are expected to attend the cadet bivouac and camp, and they are able to take part in the cadet instruction and leadership courses that equip them for higher rank, along with added responsibilities and opportunities. From year to year, the band will take in around 20 new members.
Program Levy: $650
Some additional activities may attract a separate cost (eg leadership courses)
Pipes and Drums
Ref: LL3
Considered by many to represent the ‘soul’ of the School, the Scotch College Pipes and Drums is beloved by the whole Scotch Family. Joining the Pipes and Drums is an exciting way to experience a competitive musical activity that is uniquely ‘Scotch’.
Competition plays a large part in the focus of the Pipes and Drums with the band having achieved Victorian, Australian and World Champion titles in recent years.
The band competes locally, interstate and internationally making several successful trips over recent years to Scotland to compete on the world stage, achieving the highest placings by an Australian school.
Joining Pipes and Drums as a service is by invitation, with boys needing to already be in the learning program and proficient at either pipes or drums. Boys who begin learning pipes or drums in Year 7 usually achieve a high enough standard to join the band and select Pipes and Drums as their service in Year 9.
The band performs at many events within the school such as the Scotch College Tattoo, Family Day, Foundation Day and many more events within the local and wider community.
Camp Levy: $500
Instrumental lesson costs:
$1200 per annum
Year 9 Application Programs
Indigenous Partnership Program (IPP)
Ref: AP1
The Indigenous Partnership Program (IPP) is an application-only opportunity offered to Year 9, 10 and 11 boys that aims to educate about the history and culture of Australia’s First Peoples, as well as exploring the various issues currently confronting Indigenous Australians. The IPP also fosters meaningful connections with Indigenous communities around the country and works closely with cultural training facilitator Girraway Ganyi Consultancy. The IPP also works to strengthen the partnership between Scotch and Tiwi College.
Year 9, 10 and 11 boys selected to participate in the Indigenous Partnership Program will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities. The service involves visiting speakers, excursions to relevant organisations, including local Indigenous
organisations, and study of significant film resources and contemporary issues. The program takes approximately 20 boys at each year level, who need to be mature, open-minded, and interested in the reconciliation process. Preference at Year 10 and 11 is given to continuing students only. It is expected that IPP boys use their growing knowledge and awareness of the reconciliation process to lead and inspire others throughout the school community. All boys in the program are expected to participate in one of three camp/ immersions offered in the final week of Term 3. These are:
1. Melbourne-Based Camp
Students will participate in Melbournebased activities that aim to develop their understanding of Indigenous peoples’ contributions to Melbourne’s past and present.
Approximate cost is $300
2. Central Australia Camp
Students travel to remote First Nations homelands in Central Australia. Students will have the rare opportunity to make real connections with First Nations People living on their own land who have maintained a deep connection to their culture and history. They will learn from Elders and Traditional Owners and play with young First Nations children eager for a window to the outside world. The group will stay in safe areas on privately held First Nations land, not accessible outside of this setting. They will learn, make, gather, eat, give, grow and connect with Traditional Owners and First Nations People.
Approximate cost is $2500
3. Tiwi College Immersion
Final year/Year 11 students will have a 6-day trip to Tiwi College where they will immerse themselves in Tiwi life and community, learn how to hunt and fish on traditional land and learn about Tiwi culture from the Tiwi Elders.
Approximate cost is $3,500
Program Levy: $400 plus camp levies
Fairhaven Frontiers
Ref: AP2
In 2026, Scotch students will continue the exciting work completed in the 2025
pilot of this program. This is a unique opportunity for current students to experience the new campus in Mallacoota before it is open to whole year levels.
Culminating in a camp in Mallacoota at the end of Term 3, students selected for this opportunity can expect to experience and:
• Build connections with the Mallacoota Community
• Develop new media skills
• Increase their knowledge of environmental and sustainability issues
• Support the local community through service opportunities
• Develop new life skills (cooking, camping, farming, fishing, hiking)
• Explore the organisational components of planning an event
• Develop leadership skills
• Reflect on the big idea of ‘Freedom’
As one of the first student groups to visit the site, our Fairhaven Frontiers students can look forward to an exciting journey of growth, learning, and discovery!
Program Levy: $1500 (TBC)
Outdoor Expeditions
Ref: AP3
Year 9 Outdoor Expeditions is an application only opportunity open to 30 boys. The program is designed to give boys an appreciation of the outdoors and learn the necessary skills of routebased camping. The boys will undertake two camps where they will hike/mountain bike/canoe/kayak through areas such as Wilson’s Promontory and The Surf Coast Walk or the Victorian Alps.
Boys will be responsible for the preparation, navigation and catering of each camp and work in small teams to achieve their goals.
Boys can also undertake the Duke of Edinburgh Award. The Outdoor Expeditions program is designed to allow boys to achieve the Bronze level of this award during the course of the year. In future years, boys may continue their outdoor education journey through involvement in the Outdoor Leadership Program in Year 10 and the Outdoor Expeditions Leader Program in Year 11.
The Wednesday afternoon sessions are structured to prepare boys for the camps and assist with completing their Duke
of Edinburgh Bronze award. For more information on the Duke of Edinburgh program, please visit www.dukeofed.com.au
Some of the Wednesday activities include:
• Setting up a tent
• Cooking on a stove
• Basic navigation skills
• Bike maintenance and basic mechanic skills
• Hiking in Yarra Bend Park
• Mounting biking
• Team building activities and games
The Outdoor Expeditions program finishes at the end of Year 9. At the end of the program, the boys will have learned how to:
• Select and pack the right equipment for a multi-day hike
• Plan and prepare hiking meals
• Plan a hiking route through a remote area
• Select bivouac sites and set up camp
• Navigate using maps or GPS
• Ride mountain bikes confidently Program Levy: $900
Year 10 Service and Activities Programs
The Year 10 Services and Activities program is for Year 10 Boys not participating in a Legacy Leadership Program.
Outdoor Leadership Program
Ref: OLP
Students who have enjoyed the experience and opportunities provided in the Outdoor Expeditions Program may select this program in order to become a Outdoor Expeditions Leader in Year 11. This is a challenging program, intended to develop high levels of leadership qualities within a bushwalking context.
In Terms 1, 2 and 3 participants receive training in practical outdoor skills and instruction in leadership theory. Mapreading, navigation, first aid and equipment
management skills are taught and then applied. The program includes a progressive series of hikes and outdoor experiences spread throuhgout the year.
In addition, the boys will have the opportunity to complete the Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award at Year 10, and if they choose to continue achieve the Gold Award over Years 11 and 12. For more information on the Duke of Edinburgh program, please visit www.dukeofed.com.au
Program Levy: $800 (inclusive of the hikes)
AFL Umpire Program
Ref: AFL
Umpiring is a great way for young people to develop their interpersonal skills in a safe and inclusive environment. This program will run from Terms 1-3. On Wednesday afternoons participants will receive training on how to umpire a football match, as well as look at some of the requirements and pathways to umpire football at a higher level.
Key skills covered will be positioning, knowledge of the rules, communication and team-work. Boys will also take part in some physical training during these sessions. At the end of the program, boys will be accredited with an AFL recognised ‘Level 1 Umpiring Course’ to assist with their further development.
It is an expectation of the course that boys enrol with a local umpiring group such as Yarra Junior Football League or South Junior Metro Junior Football League,
where they can put their skills to the test. Other exciting opportunities of the program include umpiring an Auskick match at half-time of an AFL match, attending AFL matches with some ‘behind the scenes’ access as well as hearing from some of the nation’s best umpires.
At the end of Term 3 the boys will be involved in a three-day program based in Melbourne where they will gain access to the AFL’s Review Centre and tour both the MCG and Marvel Stadium. Boys will learn about the foundations of the game and take a deeper look into the history of Australian Rules Football. They will also spend a day taking part in a training program and learning about the physical requirements of umpires at the top level.
Program Levy: $500 (inclusive of the camp, uniforms and transport)
Scotch Shed
Ref: SSD
Scotch Shed is a dynamic opportunity for selected students to give back to the Scotch and local community. This program, open via an application process and interview, empowers you to make a real difference while cultivating core values of service, confidence, teamwork, communication, and practical skill. At its heart, Scotch Shed takes influence from the Australian Men’s Shed Association and is about selfless giving, transforming your time and talents into meaningful contributions that uplift those in need. Boys will contribute to the Scotch community, partner with local charities and volunteer organisations, channelling efforts into projects that enhance and strengthen community bonds.
Whether supporting housing programs, promoting environmental health, or refreshing public spaces, every action will foster accessibility and pride. Through hands-on activities each Wednesday, students will experience the value of service and learning from others. This program embodies the Men’s Shed philosophy of communal giving, inspiring you to lead with empathy and purpose. This program will consist of a large practical element which may include gardening, building, painting, repair, and rejuvenation. Practical skills sharpen through real-world application, building resilience and capability. Culminating in a camp in Term 3, extending service further and leaving a lasting legacy of kindness.
Program Levy: $500
Activities Program
Ref: ACT
The aim of the program is the development of each boy’s environmental, outdoor and interpersonal skills and experiences.
A variety of activities are offered. The below information and activity descriptions are intended to assist you and your son in the selection of activities and camps for next year.
In general, boys will participate in a total of three different activities over Terms 1-3. Attendance at a camp at the conclusion of Term 3 is an integral component of the activity and a compulsory part of the program.
Five activity-based camps are offered at the end of Term 3. These camps are designed to improve the boys’ skills in the above-mentioned areas and take them to places in Victoria that they might otherwise never experience.
Program Levy: $450 (plus individual camp levy)
Scotch Stories
Term 1, 2 or 3
This program immerses students in the creative and technical processes of digital media production. Through a series of guided, hands-on experiences, participants develop skills in visual storytelling, camera operation, sound recording, and digital editing.
Students learn how to plan, capture, and refine visual and audio material, experimenting with different forms such as short films, animation, and video art. The emphasis is on creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving, as students bring their ideas to life using accessible digital tools.
Throughout the program, staff from the Media and Arts Departments support students in developing both the artistic and technical aspects of their work, helping them to communicate ideas effectively through digital media.
Approximate cost: $500
Fly Fishing
Term 3 only
Participants will be taught the basics of casting and fly-tying during Term 3, leading up to a camp at the end of term. A group of professional guides will accompany the boys on the camp near Lake Eildon. The camp will be based at a hard-top facility where they will be expected to do some light hiking in the bush, as they fish the rivers in the area. Participants will be required to do some food preparation, as a part of the camp experience.
Approximate camp cost: $1200
Martial Arts
Terms 1, 2 or 3
Martial Arts teaches all aspects of combat, self-defence and survival. Training sessions consist of unarmed combat (punching, kicking, throwing, joint locks, and escaping methods) and weaponry (sword, knife, stick). Boys who undertake this activity will develop greater selfesteem/confidence, discipline, strength, coordination, agility and fitness.
The Term 3 Martial Arts Camp will be 3 days and 2 nights of action and adventure. Activities may include archery, high ropes, climbing, abseiling, flying fox, commando course and self-defence sessions. This will be a non-stop action packed 3 days and is not for the faint-hearted. If you love a challenge and are interested in real Martial Arts then this is the camp for you. The camp takes place at a hard-top facility and is fully catered.
Approximate camp cost: $600
Mountain Bike Touring Term 1, 2 or 3
The camp involves the pursuit of mountain bike riding on the tracks along the Great Ocean Road between Torquay and Anglesea. There is also the choice of participating in a surfing lesson or sea kayak trip while on the camp. All equipment on camp is provided including mountain bikes, helmets, surfboards etc.
Accommodation will be in cabins just outside of Torquay. Food will be cooked and provided by the camp operators and is included in price. Preparation for the camp will occur in Term 3. The camp will be at the end of Term 3. Boys are expected to bring their own bike for the Wednesday sessions.
Approximate camp cost: $800
Yoga Term 1, 2 or 3
Yoga is a traditional art of body and mind fitness. It restores the balance between body, mind and spirit through a series of gentle physical exercises, breathing techniques and meditation. Yoga can improve flexibility, strength, balance, and stamina. Yoga is also increasingly incorporated into training routines of AFL clubs and elite athletes. Many people who practice yoga say that it reduces anxiety and stress, improves mental clarity, and even helps them sleep better. During Wednesday sessions students will work to improve their fitness, focus, confidence and manage stress.
The Term 3 Yoga Retreat (camp) takes place in the Yarra Valley. Accommodation is in cabins, and all meals are provided. Students will undertake a yoga posture challenge and spend time in nature.
Approximate camp cost: $600
Indigenous Partnership Program (IPP)
Ref: AP1
Boys who participated in the Indigenous Partnership Program in Year 9 may continue in this program in Years 10 and 11.
Year 11 Programs
Outdoor Expeditions Leader Program
Ref: OEL
The Year 11 Outdoor Expeditions Leader Program is the culminating experience of a three-year journey beginning with Year 9 Outdoor Expeditions and continuing with the Year 10 Outdoor Leadership Program. This program is designed to develop advanced leadership skills, outdoor expertise and a sense of responsibility among students. Year 11 Outdoor Expedition Leaders will attend Year 9 Outdoor Expedition sessions and camps throughout the year.
Students in the Outdoor Expeditions Leader Program will undergo leadership training, focusing on team management, conflict resolution and decisionmaking in outdoor settings. As Outdoor Expeditions Leaders, they will support staff in conducting workshops on essential outdoor skills, including route planning, first aid and environmental stewardship. Students will be assigned a group of Year 9 Outdoor Expeditions students, guiding and supporting them through the preparation, navigation and catering aspects of their expeditions.
During expeditions, Outdoor Expeditions Leaders will oversee navigation and campsite setup, providing real-time guidance and support. Post-expedition, they will facilitate reflection sessions to help Year 9 students evaluate their experiences and learn from them. Students who choose this service will meet the Skills, Voluntary Service and Adventurous Journey requirements of the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award. For more information on the Duke of Edinburgh program, please visit www.dukeofed.com.au
Approximate cost is $300
Indigenous Partnership Program (IPP)
Ref: AP1
Boys who participated in the Indigenous Partnership Program in Year 9 and 10 may continue in this program in Year 11.
Immersion Programs
Ref: IM1 – IM8
The Year 11 Immersion Program will take place between Term 1 and Term 3. The two parts of the program are:
1. Pre-Service Learning
The majority of the program focuses on the pre-service learning program. Students engage in activities designed to develop skills and knowledge required for their immersion. These learning activities take place on some (but not all) Wednesdays. A timetable of Wednesday afternoon commitments will be provided at the start of Term 1. Examples of learning activities include:
• Values Education (i.e. exploration of the values that motivate and guide our service work, e.g. Integrity)
• Certification (e.g. OH&S, food handling, first aid, etc.)
• Learning about antecedents and presenting factors of social inequity (e.g. presenting factors of mental illness, root causes of homelessness, social and political history of places and people, etc.),
• Skill development (e.g. communication skills when working with people with disabilities, safe lifting strategies when on a build site, etc.)
• Learning about the practice of community development (e.g. reciprocity, solidarity, empowerment vs. patronising models of charity that fail to respect the innate dignity of others)
• Team building (e.g. developing knowledge of skills/challenges within the group, developing leadership skills, communication skills, etc.)
• Fundraising (e.g. planning and running a movie night, etc.)
• Planning (e.g. parent information night for a trip, talking through itineraries for a trip, etc.)
• Reflection (e.g. what am I looking forward to? What do I imagine that these people will be like? What am I nervous/anxious about? What are my pre-conceptions?).
2. Learning Through Service Immersion
Usually 3-4 consecutive days (or the equivalent) where boys work locally or interstate. This involves the boys:
• Directly engaging in project-based work
• Connecting with the community outside of Scotch College, particularly those affected by some form of social dysfunction, injustice or inequity
• Consolidating the skills and knowledge developed in pre-service learning
• Engaging in community development – especially meeting the needs of a community as articulated by that community, and
• Reflecting (e.g. How does this make sense of the core values of service at Scotch? What is rewarding about this? What is challenging about this? How do I feel about this?)
• Post-immersion reflection: after the immersion there will be a formal reflection about key challenges, what students have learned and how they might engage in future community development work.
3. Immersion Program Selection
1. Students in Legacy Leadership Programs, Indigenous Partnership Program (IPP) or Outdoor Expeditions Leaders may continue this
involvement in Year 11.
2. Please check the cost of participation – parents must agree to the specified financial contribution before selections are made.
3. Students wishing to be considered for the Music Immersion must provide their experience to the Music Department.
4. While we will endeavour to provide students with their first preference for Immersion Program, students are asked to complete additional preferences. Some immersions require an application processes (e.g. interview, experience or statement).
5. We have tried to provide the most up-to-date information. However, for various reasons dates and costs may need to be altered.
6. Students who do not submit preferences for a Legacy Leadership Program or an Immersion Program will be placed in a Immersion Program for Wednesday afternoons in Term 1, 2 and 3.
The Ballarat Immersion
Ref: IM1
The Ballarat Immersion gives boys a chance to learn in partnership with students from Ballarat Specialist School (BSS), a P-12 school for young people with mild to complex intellectual disabilities. The school has three campuses – including a Farm campus (a working café, bakery and various vocational learning areas in a rural farm environment). The goal of the immersion is to work in partnership with BSS students to achieve their goals in:
• Developing vocational skills
• Working towards students living independent lives
• Experiencing leadership opportunities (in a world where young people with disabilities often don’t get that chance)
• Developing social skills (in a world where young people with disabilities
are sometimes socially isolated)
• Combatting some misunderstandings about people with disabilities, and
• Creating community connections for BSS students
Boys will learn independent living skills (including cooking and budgeting), program development skills and tutoring skills. In some activities, they will learn from the BSS students (e.g. baking skills). In other activities, boys will take leadership (e.g. help with running a sports activity). Learning opportunities in the farm-like environment include:
• Cooking/baking skills (in a commercial kitchen/bakery)
• Car and bike maintenance skills
• Physiotherapy/hydrotherapy (working as an aid in physical therapy work)
• Woodwork (working on building projects with students
• Horticultural skills and working with animals, sport, art/music
Time commitment:
• Most Wednesday in Terms 1, 2 and 3: Designing a program to work towards a specific goal for the Ballarat students. They will also learn relevant skills (e.g. food handling, first aid, budgeting skills, knowledge and skills relevant to working with people with disabilities)
• Sessions with E.motion21, a notfor-profit organisation that provides dance and fitness programs for children and young adults with Down Syndrome. Through performancebased activities and community engagement, E.motion21 aims to enhance lives for people with Down Syndrome and change perceptions of Down Syndrome within society. This will allow the boys to develop a relationship with these young people as they assist the dance students.
• Four day camp in the last week of Term 3: Camping for a week in cabins at the BIG4 Ballarat Windmill Holiday Park – involved with budgeting, cooking and caring for their own living space (supervised by staff who are nearby)
Program Levy: $750
Children and Family Support Services Immersion
Ref: IM2
The Children and Family Support Services Immersion gives boys a chance to learn in partnership with organisations that provide crucial support services for at risk young people and their families. This covers education-support, sports and recreation, counselling, personal development, life experiences and employment pathways. The goal of the immersion is to work in partnership with charities and the families that they support to achieve their goals, including:
• To enable young people to reach their full potential and make a positive contribution to society
• To provide positive intervention and unconditional support for Victoria’s at-risk youth
• To reconnect young people with their families and communities
• Support young peoples’ personal development, building confidence, teamwork, cultural tolerance and leadership
Boys will learn how to create Social Justice action plans, develop ways of making the community aware of issues that impact children and families, and participate
in various activities that support the community. Boys will be actively involved in a number of programs in and around Melbourne, including:
• Eat Up Australia (making school lunches for vulnerable children in schools right across urban and regional Victoria)
• Excursion to Front Yard (organisation in Melbourne CBD that supports young people to find pathways out of homelessness)
• Partnership with local organisation You Matter (raising funds and participation in activities to support the establishment of Havens that will be homes to women and children escaping domestic violence)
Time commitment:
• Most Wednesdays in Terms 1, 2 and 3
• Three day program in the last week of Term 3: traveling to a variety of Melbourne based locations, working onsite at the You Matter warehouse to support the maintenance of items, assembling furniture and other goods. School based activities will also run during this time – guest speaker and an Eat Up session.
Program Levy: $450
Community Service Immersion
Ref: IM3
The Community Service Immersion gives Year 11 boys a change to have hands-on experience working with local charities such as Red Cross, HoMie, FORaMEAL and Food Bank Victoria. The goal of the immersion program is to give boys a better understanding of the work that not-for-profit organisations do and to teach students the importance of being directly involved in charity and community service work. Boys will also learn about the promotion of justice to change unjust structures affecting the disadvantaged and to aim for a fairer society.
Boys will learn about the causes and cyclic nature of poverty and ways about how individual action can contribute to short term and long-term changes. This will assist the boys in developing skills in:
• Volunteering outside the school
• Developing social skills
• Understanding and working with people from different backgrounds
• Leadership
Time commitment:
• Most Wednesdays in Terms 1, 2 and 3. This will include sessions run by guest speakers from various charities, volunteering, and preparing for the immersion days and planning for fundraising activities. They will also learn relevant skills including food handling.
• Three day program at the end of Term 3: includes working with a range of community service and volunteerbased organisations.
Program Levy: $450
Conservation Immersion
Ref: IM4
The banks of the Yarra River, like many areas, has experienced disturbance and loss of wildlife habitat since European
settlement. The aim of the Yarra River Project is to restore and manage an indigenous plant community on the banks of the Yarra. This will provide habitat for native species and contribute to wider efforts across the community to restore native bushland along the Yarra. The project involves a weekly component at Scotch College on Wednesday afternoons, working on the project from February through to August.
During these sessions boys will develop skills in revegetation and bushlandmanagement including species identification, seed collection, propagation of native plants and weed control techniques.
During Immersion Week, the group will also be volunteering with Phillip Island Nature Parks, staying at Scotch-At-Cowes. We will be involved in various conservation work projects over the four days. As with our Wednesday sessions, this will involve physically demanding tasks undertaken outside in variable weather conditions. In previous years, this included planting seedlings at the Old Rhyll Tip restoration project, removing boxthorn from Shorttailed Shearwater nesting sites at Cape Woolamai and controlling Polygala weeds at the Summerland Estate (Little penguin nesting site). Boys selecting the Conservation Immersion should have a willingness to work in an outdoor environment and a passion for making a genuine difference in preserving the natural environment.
Time commitment:
• Most Wednesdays afternoons in Terms 1, 2 and 3
• Three-day Immersion during the last week of Term 3
Program Levy: $750
The Drama Social Justice Immersion
Ref: IM5
“We are the stories we tell ourselves”
The Drama Social Justice immersion is an opportunity for boys to meet with and re-enact the stories of people from less fortunate communities and in doing so, build their empathy, emotional intelligence and capacity as social justice advocates. Boys who have a keen interest in creative writing, enjoy performing both on stage and working behind the scenes and/or who would like to build their understanding of how to become advocates for greater social justice are encouraged to take part. You do not have to be a Drama student to participate.
Boys will be creating a theatrical response to the stories of disenfranchised people in our community; giving voice to those stories which usually go unheard. Aims for the partnership are:
• To provide opportunities for people to tell their stories and engage with students in a respectful space
• To provide the opportunity for people from different backgrounds to find common ground through the exchange of life narratives
• To provide an artistic platform for people to see their stories retold and recreated in a respectful, dignified and meaningful way; allowing them to feel heard and appreciated.
• To provide some publicity for the charitable work the organisation(s) are doing within the community
Boys will learn:
• Basic communication and narrative counselling skills so that they feel confident about listening to and sharing these stories
• How to communicate with respect
across cultures and different age groups/social contexts
• Basic play-building skills and begin to develop their script writing skills
• A basic understanding of advocacy and its impact for disenfranchised people in the community
• Community leadership skills
• Ensemble and performance skills
Time commitment:
• Most Wednesdays in Terms 1, 2 and 3: boys will begin researching the key issues for this sector of the community and interviewing relevant subjects to prepare their stories for performance
• Four-day rehearsal and performance in the last week Term 3
Program Levy: $250
EmpowerED Immersion
Ref: IM6
The EmpowerED Immersion is based on the ‘E4 model’- Extend Enrich Excel Experience. Scotch College students will mentor and tutor students from the Melbourne Indigenous Transition School (MITS), focusing on academic support, cultural exchange and personal development. The EmpowerED Immersion aims to foster mutual understanding, enhance educational outcomes and build lasting relationships through regular tutoring sessions, cultural activities and collaborative projects.
Service, relationship, collaboration and empathy are core to this Immersion activity. Boys will form an educational partnership with MITS throughout the year. This program will include some face-toface sessions at MITS, as well as a 3-day Immersion program in the services week at the end of Term 3.
Goals and Aims:
• To provide a range of educational extension, enrichment and mentorship activities to MITS students, thus improving the quality of their overall learning experiences
• To provide opportunities that enable our boys to share their talents with others
• To become aware of the scope and reality of challenges that life may present
Time Commitment:
• Term 1, 2 and 3 meeting most Wednesday afternoons with some faceto-face meetings with MITS students
• A three-day program in Immersion Week. It is envisaged that during these days the Scotch group would run a series of activities that had been planned during Terms 1, 2 and 3 including running tutoring and mentoring activities at MITS. Students from MITS may visit Scotch College during these days.
Topics covered:
• Learning about the life challenges some families face via external speakers that work with children/families in need
• Identification of areas of interest that the boys believe they bring to the program
• Planning and implementing the overall program, especially the 3 days of immersion week
• Optional: Engagement in the Smith Family Student to Student reading activity to give the boys first-hand experience and something that is easily and readily done in their own time each week
Program Levy: $600
The Food Immersion Ref: IM7
The Food Immersion gives boys a chance to work with food and improve the quality of life for vulnerable members of our community. They will learn in partnership with Fareshare
– an organisation that rescues surplus, quality food from supermarkets, farmers and other businesses and cooks this food into nutritious meals for Victorian charities – such as soup vans, homeless shelters, food banks and school breakfast programs. The goal of the immersion is to work in partnership with these community organisations:
• To reduce food wastage
• To provide food for people most in need
• To create meaningful opportunities for older members of the community to pass on their wisdom and skills
Boys will learn how to cook and prepare basic meals. They will also:
• Learn basic culinary and safe food handling skills
• Learn basic nutritional information
• Learn how to operate a commercial coffee machine
• Develop knowledge about food waste and food rescue
• Develop an understanding of food insecurity and its impact on others
• Learn valuable knowledge and skills from refugees about cooking
Time commitment:
• Most Wednesdays in Terms 1, 2 and 3: Learning knowledge and skills to be able to work respectfully and safely with food.
• Gain practical skills in food and coffee preparation
• 3 day program in the last week of Term 3: traveling to a variety of Melbourne based locations, such as working onsite with Fareshare and helping volunteer with Box Hill Community Bakehouse and Compass Community Care
Program Levy: $500
The Music Immersion Ref: IM8
This program is for boys who learn an instrument and have already achieved proficiency in their instrument. Boys who learn singing and are in the Choir are also eligible. This program is also open to Year 12 students.
At the commencement of the year, boys are organised into chamber music and vocal groups. Boys then engage in:
• Pre-Immersion learning
• Repertoire selection
• Organising structure of concerts
• Allocating responsibilities (for presenting, organisation of equipment etc.)
• Rehearsing
In addition, boys are expected to dedicate individual practise time to learning parts so that rehearsals are effective
After pre-immersion activities, and when adequately prepared, boys will commence visiting venues to perform concerts. Performances will be presented and introduced by students. Students will frequently stay after concerts for afternoon tea with residents, discussing music and future plans. Music, and these positive interactions, are immensely beneficial in our aged care communities.
The exact number of groups and visitations will be dependent on the number of boys involved in the program, the instrumental combinations available and the varied skills levels.
Program Levy: $250
Year 12 Programs
Middle School Sports Program
Ref: MSS
This is an opportunity for Year 12 students to assist and coordinate aspects of the weekly sports training for all Year 7 and 8 boys during both the winter and summer seasons. This also incorporates the Year 7 and 8 Inter-Form competition where the Year 12s are involved in umpiring, scoring and running the various activities.
The expectation of the service is that this is an opportunity for the boys to give something back to the school during their final year of schooling. It is assumed that boys in this service will work with the younger boys of the school to assist them in their development in the various sports offered during the sports seasons. Whether it be taking a group of boys for
a minor game or drill-based activity or specifically working with an individual on an aspect of their skill development, it is assumed that all boys in this service will be finding ways to contribute.
The boys in the service are required to wear the Upper School Sports School Assistants polo shirt, and during the winter months the Junior Sports School Assistants rugby top.
The Music Immersion
Ref: IM8
Boys who participated in the Music Immersion Program in Year 11 may continue this program in Year 12.
