Hope in Action – Seeds of Justice Conference
What happens when you bring together students from Mercy schools across Perth to share stories of compassion, justice and community? You get something pretty special, the Seeds of Justice Conference.
This year, our co-curricular Seeds of Justice students attended the conference, hosted by Mercedes College. It was a powerful day of reflection and inspiration, focused on how we can all make a difference, no matter how small the action.
Starting with Purpose
The day began with a beautiful prayer and welcome, led by students from Aranmore and Mercedes Colleges. It created a reflective and thoughtful atmosphere that carried through every part of the day.
Guest speaker Damien from Shopfront was first to present, sharing his experiences working with people facing hardship in Perth. His stories reminded everyone that the simplest acts of kindness – a smile, a meal, a conversation, can have a lasting impact.
Sharing Stories That Matter
Our Santa Maria students presented their work on Share the Dignity, a national campaign supporting women and girls doing it tough. They spoke about our school’s efforts to collect donations and create “It’s in the Bag” care packs filled with practical and personal hygiene items. It was a project grounded in empathy, action, and restoring dignity.
Alexandra White, Seeds of Justice Coordinator at Santa Maria College shared, “Hearing from the Big Issue team and sharing how our Share the Dignity project made a difference for women in need, was definitely a highlight of the day.”
Real Conversations That Stay with You
After lunch, students heard from Simon at The Big Issue, who spoke candidly about homelessness and the power of second chances. He shared how social enterprise can be a lifeline, not just financially, but emotionally. His words challenged everyone to think deeply about what it means to treat others with dignity and inclusion.
Ending with Reflection
The day concluded with a student-led liturgy, a calm and reflective way to close. It was a chance to pause and think about how we can each continue the work of justice in our everyday lives, long after the event ends.
- Cocurricular, Featured, GirlsInEducation, Homelessness, ItsInTheBag, MercyValuesinAction, SantaMariaCollege, SeedsofJustice, ShareTheDignity, SocialJusticeInitiative, StudentLearning
Author: Santa Maria College
Santa Maria College is a vibrant girls school with a growing local presence and reputation. Our Mission is to educate young Mercy women who act with courage and compassion to enrich our world. Santa Maria College is located in Attadale in Western Australia, 16 km from the Perth CBD. We offer a Catholic education for girls in Years 5 – 12 and have 1300 students, including 152 boarders.
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