​Background

The 2008 Chapter of the Society of the Sacred Heart identified one of its priorities as further developing the relationships between its international communities. The 2008 Chapter stated that ‘we desire communities that are open to all, sharing life and faith, dreams and struggles, our goods and resources’. Moreover, it invited its members ‘to weave threads of connectedness, drawing on the richness and challenge of interpersonal, cultural, and ethnic diversities, in regions and provinces, and as an international Society’.

Background 

The Sony Foundation Camp for children with disabilities

The Sony Foundation Camp is a collaborative enterprise between Sacré-Cœur Melbourne and Stuartholme School Brisbane and five other schools. The majority of the campers come from low socio-economic families who have little access to services like this Camp. The Camp is free to the families due to the generosity of the Sony Foundation.

Objective 

Background

It has been shown that refugee children do not to do well at school till the third generation.

Objective 

To increase school results of children of refugee families. 

Activities

• Tutoring for Sudanese students (years 5 and 6)

• Sometimes classroom help to offer teacher extra time to those who need it.

Includes organisations working with

• Asylum seekers

  • Catholic Care: Syrian Refugees in Australia (2015)

  • Australian Red Cross, Edmund Rice Centre: Asylum seekers with medical access, housing and essential services, group education sessions  (2015)

  • House of Welcome: transitional housing; no-interest loans (2014, 2015)

  • Jesuit Refugee Service: refugees in camps

• Impoverished rural communities:

Background

The indigenous aboriginal people of Australia live a marginalised life. Their situation is more severe when in urban areas. 

Objective

To offer a place of hospitality, networking and advocacy in urban Sydney for indigenous aboriginal people

Activities 

- Help with food, clothing and blankets (usually not money)

- help with bureaucracy (filling out forms etc.)

- attend events related to aboriginal issues

Background

In 2001, there were many asylum seekers living in Footscray suburb(Melbourne) on the Bridging Visa E, a visa generally given to those "unlawfully" living in the country who have to depart before the visa expires. Those on the Bridging Visa E are denied access to medical care and do not have the right to work. 

Objective

The objective of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC), based in Footscray (Melbourne), is to provide aid, juistice and empowerment programmes to over 1000 asylum seekers. 

Background 

Three Springs, western Australia, is a remote, isolated and poor area with few opportunities for retreats and spiritual accompaniment. 

Activities

Annual visit to provide spiritual and pastoral work to indigenous women in Three Springs, Western Australia. Activities include: retreats.

Background 

One of the five goals of the Sacred Heart School is “Social Awareness which Impels to Action”. This goal is taken seriously at Stuartholme and the students are provided with many opportunities to engage with the wider community with all its diversity. The students themselves come from a diversity of backgrounds as we are enriched by the presence of approximately 150 boarders drawn from regional Queensland and overseas as well as our cohort of indigenous students.

Activities 

Background

To raise awareness among Year 9 students about social justice and service engagement. 

Activities

The Year 9 students engage each Wednesday in a special program – Notre Monde (Our World). One of the core unit of the school’s Notre Monde program is a service program. Initially, students engage in a curriculum program focused on the themes of social awareness and justice and service engagement. Students are then required to organise a service placement in the local community and are expected to complete 25 hours of service.

Background

The Society's school curriculum focus on service and compassion and social awareness that impels to action. 

Objective

To raise awareness about the marginalised situation of St Joseph's Outreach Service.

Activities

Over Christmas, the 'Joigny' primary school invites its families to provide a family pamper pack for marginalised people. It is known as the Christmas Pamper Pack initiative

Outomes