VCAL Update – October 24, 2017

Applied Learning update: The Collaborative Berry St Project

Applied Learning students recently took part in the celebration of a successful collaboration between Loreto College, Berry St and St Patrick’s College. It is best summed up in an article that appeared in the Ballarat Courier by Ashleigh McMillan and is contained below for your information:

VCAL students from Loreto College and St Patrick’s College have put together education and inspiration bags for children affected by family violence.-

Thirty support bags- were put together for school-aged children and donated to- charity Berry Street.

Each bag includes educational resources, an inspirational letter from a- student and wooden toys made in St Patrick’s College classes.-

The handover of the bags- was celebrated with a morning tea on October 16.-

Supplies were purchased- following a family violence awareness day held at Loreto, which raised $900 for Berry Street and the White Ribbon Foundation.-

Berry Street teacher Monica Solomon said the donation would help students missing out on education.-

-What we’re working with is kids that have fled a family violence crisis situation, and they’ve come into a refuge,- Ms Solomon said.-

-Receiving these bags will be- essential for the kid’s state of mind,- refocusing their attention to something that isn’t family violence-related and giving them a sense of themselves again.-

Loreto College VCAL student Daisy Kennington said the idea came from classes discussing family violence.-

-We looked into how much of an issue it was in Ballarat- and we found out that a lot of kids are taken out of their homes,- Miss Kennington said. -Family violence is really affecting their education.-

-We might not think it’s much, but it’s rewarding- knowing these kids who may- not have- support from their families still get something and feel special,- she said.-

Thirty-five students were involved in creating the bags,- the first collaboration between Loreto and St Patrick’s College VCAL students.-

St Patrick’s College student Adam Svaljek, who made a wooden pencil box, said he wanted to make something practical and unique.

-I thought I’d make something that every child would use and wouldn’t just sit somewhere in their room,- Mr Svaljek said.

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We are delighted by the success of this first collaboration and hope that this can continue to grow. Plans are already afoot for next year’s collaborative projects, with students being critical partners in the development of future projects.

This collaborative project will be nominated for the Statewide VCAL Awards.