Service Learning… “ Preach the Gospel to all the world and if necessary, use words”

1. BCC Beatitude Focus for 2005‘Witnessing God’s Presence’Blessed are the merciful: for they will be shown mercy.Blessed are the clean of heart: for they will see God.Blessed are the peacemakers: for they will be called children of God.Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.Acknowledge good citizenship (including non sporting and non academic):Year Assemblies and newslettersWork on long-term model for service learning:Evangelisation Team – examine models from others schools and work with local volunteer associationsProvide some service learning opportunities for students:Continue Year 8, 10 & 12 service component of RE courseShare in the Eucharist as a College community:Student / teacher in-service on Eucharist, increase student/teacher participation in smaller Eucharistic liturgies (lunchtime mass)Publish scriptural references on injustice in the NewsletterFocus on bullying policy: Use Assembly times to focus on bullyingFoster positive staff relationships Social gatherings and inter-staff affirmationPublish the stories on lives of Saints and Martyrs

2. Service Learning BCC Year 8 2006Proposed timelineFocus: CommunityCommunity includes: family and friends, College, Church (parish) and civic (not-for-profit agencies)Requirements: 10 hours with emphasis on family and friends, students should attempt a minimum of 4 different activities, possibly to commence March and conclude May, 2006.1. Justice Congress at Edmund Rice Centre for Social Justice, Fremantle May and September: Year 10 students attend 2 day congress to include service learning content. I propose that these students assist with presentation of the concept of service learning to Year 8 students in 2006 2. Staff in-servicing on service learning in September Term 3 Professional Development days: Br Shane Lavery from NDU 3. Year 8 Parent Information Night Term 1 2006: one-page handout and emphasis on ‘partnering your kids’ outlining programs and journals for both mainstream and students with learning difficulties (inclusive). 4. Term 1 Yr 8 RE: RE theme for Term 1 of ‘Community’ - St Marcellin Champagnat and Venerable Catherine Mc Auley (foundersof Marist Brothers and Sisters of Mercy) to set context of ‘service’ for students. Lessons to follow may include: Service Learning: What is it? What do I need to do? Why do I need to do it? Hopes, expectations, fears. Places I can go, suggestions for my experience. 5. Holidays at end of Term 1: students encouraged to work on service learning activities. 6. Class discussions followed by small group discussions on ‘My experience so far: positives and negatives’ 7. Journal due date and report/student reflection (tick-a-box completion indicated on Semester One report) 8. Publication of reports/testimonials eg. newsletter, assembly, make a booklet up showing spread of experiences, incorporate into future journals.

3. Bunbury Catholic CollegeService Learning Journal: proposed layout Year 8 2006Welcome and Vision/motto for service learning at Bunbury Catholic CollegeList of Outcomes that students are expected to meet over the course of the activity.How to use this Journal including a timeline of events in the service learning process, problem solving, lost journals, compulsory participation and discussion of issues arising.Volunteers Rights and ResponsibilitiesOutline of Report/Student Reflection for submission at end of service learning period.‘Application to Participate in Service’ form including parental permission (legalities).Activity Review pages: name of activity, location, the people assisted, reason for participating in this particular activity, what I enjoyed about my experience, challenges I faced and what I learned (table format).Service Record: activity, dates, time taken, witnessed by and an optional supervisors comment.

4. Service Learning… “Preach the Gospel to all the world and if necessary, use words” St Francis of Assisi • Goes beyond academic excellence • Provides new lenses for seeing the world in a profoundly different way that calls for personal commitment and action • Enhances what is taught in school by extending learning beyond the classroom • Is the experience not the outcome • Is being accountable • Not voluntary work • Is interactive for staff, students and parents • Is a positive experience • Is living out the Word or faith in action • Is learning values • Is reflective Tell me and I might forget. Show me and I might remember. Involve me and I might understand.

5. Service Learning is the application of social justice. We are about developing people of compassion, people of awareness and developing relationships.We need to challenge our students, encourage them to ask why things happen. Appreciate that people are different but also, posing the question of how can we make this world better.We need to develop a culture at the College. Our service learning needs to have a faith basis. Service learning cannot be seen as another add-on for an already busy College. Service learning is integral to the whole education of our students and integral to their faith development.Service learning demonstrates students living out Gospel values, it is tangible. The Importance of establishing relationships with agencies in the community eg. New Norcia for Yr 11 Remar Caravel: we have ownership of this, it promotes relationship between the students and the monks, it is ongoing and very much looked forward to.To instil in our students a sense of obligation to give back to a community that has given them very much.

6. Catherine McAuley: Understanding MercyCatherine’s father; James, exhibited a serious commitment to the practice of his faith. He regularly gave the poor children of the local area religious instruction as well as providing some practical support. It would be difficult to overlook the impact of these memories on Catherine…After the death of her father, Catherine’s family themselves became ‘poor’ and the siblings had to go and live with relatives. These circumstances made her sensitive to the inequalities of different financial and social status. Catherine continued to support the poor in her community, particularly through providing education and training to poor young women. Catherine also familiarised herself with the poorer areas of the city of Dublin and gained some understanding of the crude, unsanitary and unsafe conditions in which the poor of the city lived. Catherine became a very wealthy woman through inheritance from her foster parents and used this wealth to help the poor. She hoped to rent a small house and use it as a base to provide for poor young women, many of whom were without work, or found work in domestic service – poorly paid and vulnerable to the demands of employers.She agreed to establish a religious order precisely so that the future of this work could be ensured. The focus of Catherine’s order was the instruction of poor girls, the visitation of the sick and the protection of distressed women of good character.Catherine was sensitive to the circumstances of all she helped, and insisted that their needs be met with courtesy, genuine care and an acknowledgment of personal dignity.

7. In the Footsteps of Saint Marcellin Champagnat Marcellin’s life-time was one of great cultural, political and economic upheavals. Marcellins intellectual formation proved to be extremely difficult for lack of competent teachers. Born near Lyon in France in 1789, the year the French Revolution broke out, he became determined to turn his life into a revolution of love. Mary of Nazareth inspired the spirituality and activity of Marcellin, who followed Jesus in the way that he did. In 1817, Marcellin brought together his first two followers. The first Brothers were young country boys who were more accustomed to hard work in the fields than to contemplation, intellectual reflection and working with children. Marcellin enthused these adolescents with is apostolic and educational zeal, living among them like one of them. He taught reading, how to pray and to live the Gospel in ordinary life and how to be teachers and religious educators themselves. Marcellin and the Brothers decided to take reduced payments themselves so that costs for families to educate their children would be minimal. It was 1836 when the first Brothers sailed to Oceania as missionaries. Marcellin wrote that “every diocese in the world figures in our plans”. Marcellin didn’t write exalted theories but put his heart and soul into his work, especially among the young – welcoming them, being down-to-earth with them, accompanying them and working with them. He brought out the best in people because he believed in them and saw their potential. Marcellin had foresight, he dared to imagine other possibilities beyond the vision of his contemporaries in Church and government. He had an unfailing trust in Mary, was a leader and had a great ability to relate to other people and to communicate with them. Marcellin developed an ongoing professional development which involved both theory and practical experience and was community-based. Marcellin died in 1840 and his hope and vision remains strong to this day.

8. Service Learning is not an optional extra:It serves as a vehicle to achieve specific goals and objectives.It provides structured time for participants to reflect on their service; they are given time, the opportunity to participate and support in reflection of their experience.It fosters development of intangibles such as empathy, compassion and personal beliefs.It is based on reciprocal, on-going relationships between service and learning, it is an exchange and sharing of gifts.It has credit awarded for learning not for number of hours of service. There are benefits to self and others.It is about inspiring our students, building up enthusiasm, a culture not an opposition.

9. To develop a service learning ‘mission statement’ and aims for the College to ensure that we are matching and measuring this/these, achieving specific goals and objectives. To begin structured and compulsory service learning for 2006 Year 8 students with a long-term vision that these students will be offered accreditation in 2009/2010 for university entrance because of their service learning.That we can foster a relationship with local agencies to facilitate our service learning. That our students take ownership of these agencies or communities. That we publish a monthly newsletter about the College’s service learning activities, fostering a positive and accurate image of our students in and to the community.That Bunbury Catholic College can truly be a place where students appreciate that they can go some of the way in meeting the needs of the less fortunate in the local community. My wish list for Service Learning at B.C.C: