Service at Santa Maria

Students in Years 5 -11 are required to do service hours as part of the Christian Service-Learning Program at the College. Year 12 students are encouraged to participate in the various co-curricular service activities on offer.

The Christian Service-Learning Program involves the girls doing things for an individual or community for no financial reward. Through participation, students have the opportunity to develop skills like empathy, compassion and altruism – great skills for the future. This is different from the Service Co-curricular offerings at the College.

For more information about the Service-Learning Program and current Service Co-curricular groups your daughter can participate in click here.

We asked three Year 10 students, who have done their hours for the Christian Service-Learning Program with very different organisations about their service and how important it is.Brooklyn Barr

“I am doing my service at Fremantle Surf Life Saving Club, my local surf rescue beach patrol location.
I chose this activity because I am very passionate about the beach and encouraging surf safety. I joined the surf club to increase my responsibility in society as an advocate for surf lifesaving and beach safety to all patrons.

“When I complete my beach patrol, I complete various activities including a Roving Patrol, Tower Patrol, training exercises and paddling on boards to keep checks on patrons in the water. I also do beach attendance and conditions, set up beach flags and bring down equipment to set up patrol tent.

“Through doing my service at the Fremantle Surf Life Saving Club, I have gained a lot of knowledge and skills. By educating beach patrons, I can share my already gained knowledge and assist them with any concerns or troubles they have. I can share in the responsibility for keeping the beach a safe place and ensure that all people are in ‘good hands.’

I believe it’s important for us, as students, to engage in service as it provides us with the opportunity to become active members of the community and have a positive impact on groups in society. It also helps us to gain life skills and knowledge, whilst participating in activities that assist those in need.” Jessica Miller

“I have completed my service at Attadale foreshore with an organisation called FOAF (Friends of Attadale Foreshore). I chose this service activity because I have always liked being outside and helping the environment and thought it would be a good way to spend my service, doing something that I genuinely like and also helping our local environment and community at the same time.

“During my time with FOAF, we did various activities including removing weeds from the bush along the foreshore, picking up rubbish and planting various vegetation all around the area. I found the time doing service valuable. I learnt many valuable skills and lessons like: what we can do to help the environment, which plants are good and which are bad, and how to plant properly and protect what we have planted. I also learnt many things about the environment around us, including things like history. Each week we were provided with new information from our supervisor Mike.

“I think it is very important to do service as it provides important life experience for the future and can develop a love of helping others and the community. I think it is very important to give back to the community and help the people around us. By doing service for others, we not only help the organisation and local population, but I also found it a deeply rewarding experience for myself, and from speaking to my peers I found they felt the same.”Sarah Durston

“I did my service at South Perth Senior Citizens Centre in South Perth. I chose this location because I live very close to the centre, hence I could serve my local community. It was also very convenient as I could walk there.

“I helped with many different activities. including delivering Meals on Wheels, I helped wait tables and serve guests for the Easter and ANZAC lunches. I also sold raffle tickets on ‘themed’ days. On one of the days, the centre was holding an indoor bowls competition, that I participated in (every though I wasn’t very good). At times when there wasn’t anything major for me to help with, I did little jobs, such as shred paper and tidy brochure stands.

“I think the main thing I gained was confidence. I had to interact with the senior citizens, which was quite challenging for a shy person like myself. While serving tea, for example, I had to ask the senior citizens if they wanted coffee or tea, sugar or no sugar or milk or no milk. This helped be gain confidence in serving other people who I don’t know.

“It also taught me how to work with other adults, as often I was working with the adult volunteers to serve meals to the citizens etc. At first, being the only young person in a group of adults was quite daunting, but I learnt to overcome that by listening to the instructions they gave me and trying my hardest to follow their directions.

“I think it’s important to do service. We are very privileged in Australia, and sometimes we forget that there is a greater need in the community. By doing service, whether this be serving the community or the environment, we are able to reach out and serve others. We are able to learn about and support an organisation that supports those in need and develop new skills along the way. By doing service, we are able to get out of our comfort zones and realise that there are so many incredible things that go on outside our personal lives that we don’t know about.”

What A Term! So Many Opportunities – Jennifer Oaten

As I look back on the past nine weeks, I am so grateful for who we are as a community and what we have achieved. Through the dedication of our staff and the enthusiasm of our students, we have established new connections, immersed ourselves in opportunities and worked through challenges.

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