Scotch College

Social Service reaches a caring hand out to the community

Scotch Social Service activities are many and varied. Some boys are right into conservation and recycling; others visit nursing homes and chat to elderly patients; still others help in after-school programs.

It’s all based on the recognition that Social Service is about caring for the local community and for those less fortunate than ourselves. Underpinning it all is the Social Service Auxiliary, providing support for the whole program, including organising a roster of volunteers to drive the boys to their various venues.

Over 250 boys each year are involved in many Social Service activities, both on and off campus. On-campus activities include conservation, recycling, archives, work in the Senior and Junior School libraries and supervising and helping various clubs, including astrology, chess, the Student Christian Movement and Amnesty International.

Off-campus activities include helping organisations such as Vision Australia, Baptist Community Care, Very Special Kids and primary after-school care programs. In some cases this may involve just chatting and sharing a cup of tea with an elderly person in a nursing home. Apparently some boys are becoming quite proficient at carpet bowls, coached by their elderly companions!

Most people who join the Social Service Auxiliary enjoy the involvement and camaraderie, and end up supporting it throughout their years at Scotch and, in many cases, even beyond that.

Until June of this year, the auxiliary was run by a dedicated group of past Scotch mothers – such is the spirit of the auxiliary! However, we finally managed to form a new committee. Spurred on by some enthusiastic Year 7 and 9 mothers, our main fundraiser for the year, the cake stall at Family Day, made a handsome profit. We were particularly delighted to find that several past members came back on Family Day to lend a hand.

All money raised is distributed to deserving, mostly child-based charities. Included among these is our ongoing commitment to sponsor two children through Child Fund Australia: Julia, a nine-year-old East Timorese girl and Junior, a 12-year-old boy from Papua New Guinea. The auxiliary has sponsored these children since 2003.

The other charities cover a broad spectrum, including special needs, homelessness and those obstructed from achieving their full potential because of financial constraints. We are currently looking at much-needed support for children of refugees living in Melbourne.

Our auxiliary warmly encourages anyone who would like to be involved to come along to our meetings. If you’re interested, please contact Freda Robertson on 9853 6302 or 0408 536 970. GS