The Spirit Building Project

Background

SMK Saint Joseph is a three-year technical secondary school located in a low-income neighbourhood of Jakarta preparing students to either follow a technical career or continue on to university. Its students come from the near-by neighbourhood or from the Vincentus Foundation orphanage. 

In 2014, RSCJs in Indonesia became part of SMK St. Joseph with one person in a leadership position and another RSCJ as an assistant.

While the school has excellent facilities and a long history of educating low income children in technical education, this school has recently been in trouble because it has gain a reputation for violence among the students and low spirit among the faculty. As a result, the enrollment has decreased and the commitment level among the teachers has diminished.

Objective

The goal of this project is to build up the spirit of the faculty in order to empower teachers to work in a more valued-based and focused way with the students by using the principles and spirit of Sacred Heart education during faculty gatherings and retreats as well as through professional development. To help teachers transform themselves from being teachers to being educators.

Activities

• Retreat experience for faculty and staff members- Passion for mission – becoming a transformative educator: A one-day retreat at the beginning of the school year and a second one-day retreat mid-year. The purpose of these retreats is to have the teachers spend time understanding the connection between their spirit and the role they have as educators on young men and women. The retreat will provide the opportunity to develop a new spirit within each teacher and within the community of teachers as well as among the general staff. Participants include admin staff, cleaners, cooks, helpers from the orphanage, security staff as well as the head teachers and leaders of the local association who participate together, on an equal footing. 
• Monthly Spirit-building activity: Prior to the beginning of the grant year, the project coordinator (Sr. Jovita) will work with the faculty, RSCJ and an outside consultant to develop a monthly curriculum for faculty development around the issue of community and spirit building. There will be a monthly gathering with faculty during which this curriculum will be carried out. Actions will include hands-on activity, reflection, prayer, discussions.

Outcomes

Retreats led to a greater awareness among the staff of how the values of Vincentian and Sacred Heart education and their own personal motivations are the foundation of all their dealings with the students. The retreat days allowed them to recognize the impact their spirit has on their role as educators and how they can nurture and support each other in their dedication to the students and the whole school community.

Relationships between teachers and students improved.

People being served : Agents of transformation (Educators)

Age group : Adults 26-60, Children 0-17, Young people 18-25

Number of participants : 51-100

Project status : Completed

2014 was the first year of a three year project (although building the faculty community is ongoing). 

Society presence : Indonesia

Focus of the project : People

JPIC Imperative : Transforming and Being Transformed

UN Sustainable Development Goals : 17 Partnerships for the Goals, 4 Quality Education