1,500 students. 4,500 hours of volunteer support.
Community service is a key aspect of a balanced education. It’s a compulsory requirement in Year 9, preparing students for the service component of the Senior College leadership diploma, a pre-requisite for students applying for prefect positions. As part of our broader curriculum, students are encouraged to convert CCGS values into action by undertaking a range of community volunteering.
One of the most popular volunteering activities in Year 9 is helping at Sunday Lunches held at Gosford Uniting’s church hall - a community initiative that provides meals to people who may be experiencing loneliness, unemployment or homelessness.
A commitment to supporting our local community
2019 marks CCGS’s 15th year of involvement in Sunday Lunches. Around 1,500 students to date have contributed over 4,500 hours of volunteer support by serving meals to those in need.
Mr Steven Bennett, Head of Middle School said, “We’re proud of our long association with Sunday Lunches. We want our students to see the world out there and be exposed to the harsh realities that some people face. The whole program links strongly to our school values: care of others; compassion and friendship; generosity and selflessness; respect and responsibility.”
99% of those seeking the services of Sunday Lunches are sleeping on the street or in community housing and range in ages from the young adults to people in their 70s. The number of people sleeping rough on the streets of Gosford is surprising to most – around 50% of those who come to Sunday Lunches. On a busy day, Sunday Lunches would support around 75 people.
Making an impact
The impact of CCGS students on the Sunday Lunches program has been significant. David Smallman, a key volunteer and one of the founders of the program added, “I think it is marvellous – it’s not just the old and mature who are prepared to roll up their sleeves. We have young teenagers from CCGS who are prepared to give up their time and even in school holidays they still come in. The entire community recognise the contribution these students are making.”
David Smallman said, “It’s excellent we have this relationship with CCGS. The students are great – they want to get in and help. They welcome our clients when they come through the door, ask them what they would like to eat and then they serve them. The most important thing is to make people feel respected. CCGS students are excellent – they love working on the floor and talking to people. The students really enjoy it, and many want to come back and help again.”
Year 9 students Scarlet Rubie and Anja Eksteen recently dedicated every Sunday for a month to help out. They’d seen homeless people before in cities like Sydney but weren’t expecting it to be such a problem here on the Central Coast. “It’s a huge reality check and eye opening. It feels really good to give back to our community,” said Anja.
Words of wisdom
Scarlet and Anja have three pieces of advice for anyone who wants to help. “Number one,” said Anja, “It’s simple and easy. Everyone should sign up for Sunday Lunches.”
Added Scarlet, “Number Two, we’re probably all guilty of walking past someone who is homeless and turning the other way. We choose to ignore the problem. But the homeless are people too. It takes nothing to smile, say hi and show some respect.” And finally, number three, added Anja, “We take having a roof over our heads for granted. We need to make the Central Coast more aware of the problem in our own community.”
Other community service projects students undertake might include volunteering at the Australian Reptile Park, surf patrol or Take 3 for the Sea. Added Mr Bennett, “Our students are in a very privileged environment. It is important for them to see what is outside of our classroom walls. We want to give our students the very best education, and this goes beyond the academics. Supporting our children to be truly compassionate global citizens is fundamental. It is represented in how we treat others, how we treat ourselves and how others treat us.”
