Work Readiness Pathway

Work Readiness Pathway - Community Service

We are so lucky to be able to integrate regular service and volunteer work into our Work Readiness Pathway through our Employability Program which runs alongside Catholic Faith in Action in students HSC year.  This term, Year 11 WRP students, spent time in classes at St James Primary School, built a chicken coop, baked and fundraised and helped Lunch with Friends and St Joseph’s Parish organise a Christmas luncheon for people experiencing homelessness in the Tweed Heads/Coolangatta area.  Through these initiatives, students were able to contribute positively to their community and school, while also developing employability skills such as teamwork, communication, financial literacy, leadership and initiative to name a few.

“This term, we have been going to St James Primary School and assisting teachers with their classes.  From Kindergarten to Year 6, we have supported students with arts and crafts, poetry writing, spelling practice and other activities.  This has been a great opportunity to step out of our comfort zone, make a difference and also learn how to interact with younger students.” Liv Macnaughtan

“Building a chicken coop for St James was a great experience.  It was nice to have time out of the classroom and work with students from St James on this project.  We got to teach the year 6 students some of the skills we’ve learnt in construction like how to use an electric drill.  At times it was challenging because the instructions that came with the chicken coop weren’t very good so we had to problem solve and work as a team to put it all together.”  Sam Derrick

“Every second Wednesday we have been baking muffins, cakes and cookies in the Food Technology room and selling these at school the next day to raise money to buy chocolates to put on the tables at the Christmas lunch for the homeless.  We had to work together in the kitchen, communicate with each other and use financial knowledge when selling the baked goods.  It was a lot of fun, especially working with classmates in the kitchen.”  Lachlan Cameron

“I recently had the opportunity to participate in a Christmas lunch for the homeless with my class.  It was an incredibly rewarding and humbling experience, and I am so glad that I was able to be a part of it.  As we prepared the food and set up the tables, I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation.  I knew that we were doing something good, and that we were going to make a difference in the lives of those who were less fortunate.  When the homeless individuals arrived, we welcomed them with open arms and big smiles.  We served them a delicious meal, complete with all of the traditional Christmas trimmings.  It was heartwarming to see the joy on their faces as they ate and chatted with us.  One of the best parts of the experience was getting to know the people who came to our lunch.  They each had their own unique story, and it was fascinating to hear about their lives and experiences.  I was struck by their resilience and determination, despite the challenges they had faced.  Overall, the Christmas lunch was a huge success.  It was so rewarding to be able to give back to our community and make a positive impact on the lives of others.  I am grateful for the opportunity, and I look forward to participating in similar events in the future.”  Tex Funch

Ms Hannah Lindschau
Leader of Learning - Work Readiness Pathway