Making a Change!

‘The proof of Love is deed’ Catherine McAuley

Year 7 Service-Learning Program

Santa Maria College

Student Name:
House:

Due Date:
 Changing the World Through Acts of Service
This service program is designed to help you make a change in your family, and the wider
community. Through embarking on this journey, you will be able to make a meaningful
contribution to those you serve and at the same time make someone feel good and loved. The
rewards for you are limitless. It is how much you are prepared to put into this program that will
determine how much you grow and change.

When selecting the actions to undertake, don’t pass the harder ones as their successful
completion will give you the most joy and sense of accomplishment.

Be sure to choose activities that you do not usually do as your chores.

This booklet contains all the instructions needed as well as a selection of activities to
choose from.
There are also a set of reflective questions which need to be answered on completion of
each service activity.
Your supervisor for each activity needs to complete and sign the Record of Service sheet
provided by the Service-Learning Coordinator.
Once the activities and reflections have been completed, these must be submitted
electronically via Seqta.
 What is Christian Service?
‘It is for God that we serve... and not for thanks.’ Catherine McAuley

Rationale

Santa Maria College requires all students to complete a Christian Service Project
as part of their Religious Education Course as well as part of their commitment to
our College values. The Service Program at Santa Maria College provides students
with opportunities to become involved in a wide range of activities:

1. This program together with Religious Education will encourage you to use your talents and
skills to spread the word of Christ’s Gospel by your actions.
2. This program is offered by the College to allow you to experience the joy of giving and
receiving by way of sharing with others.
3. This program is based on the example of the Sisters of Mercy who gave service to the people
in their community when they saw a need.

The service you provide must be done freely, out of your own choice, and without expectation
of reward, money or gifts. It should be a service that you are capable of doing by yourself in a
safe environment. Furthermore, it should offer you a real sense of personal achievement and
enable you to learn new skills as well as utilising your talents.

Expectations

As a result of this Service Program all students will:

• have been made aware of the value of Christian service
• have actively made a difference to the lives of others
• have made a commitment to the College values of Service and Mercy
• have earned a degree of self-worth.
 Requirements
To complete the Year 7 Christian Service Program the following requirements must be met:

▪ Complete 7 hours of service.

▪ You must do at least ONE activity from TWO of the FIVE categories:
▪ Family
▪ Neighbourhood
▪ Parish
▪ School
▪ Global

▪ Suggested activities are provided in this booklet.

▪ Each activity must be a minimum of 30 mins.
▪ Use the Service Record Logbook at the back of your planner to record the time spent on an activity and
obtain the supervisor(s) signature.
▪ This project is compulsory and must be completed to the best of your ability.

Remember that it is important that you always feel safe during your activities. Do not take unnecessary risks. Most
of all enjoy what you do.

Decide which actions you would like to engage in. Be practical and mindful of your other commitments like
school, sport and family.

Discuss your intended actions with your parent(s) and then decide which actions you will make a commitment to.
Bear in mind that by committing yourself to a service project it will involve some responsibility. Ask your parent(s)
to help you with your commitment.
 The Five Categories
You must do at least ONE activity from TWO of the FIVE categories specified below.

FAMILY
You can make a positive contribution to the wellbeing of your own family; this includes your family in the
Boarding Community. You could help by completing any task that is for the benefit of the members of your
family including parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, etc. This is not a task that you would normally be
expected to do like cleaning your room or one for which you receive pay or pocket money.

NEIGHBOURHOOD
There are many people who live around us who could use some help or some company. You could help by
offering to do some gardening or clean the windows of people nearby. Perhaps there is an elderly person living
close who would like some company that you could visit regularly. There may be neighbours who have young
children you could take care of for a short time.

PARISH
Being aware of the needs of others is the starting point for all acts of service. You could help by participating in
Church activities such as altar serving, music ministry, reading, organising activities for other young people,
visiting the sick or elderly parishioners.

SCHOOL
There are many opportunities for you to serve the people who make up your school community. You could help
by volunteering at College events, participating in activities organised by your House or Year group to fundraise
for charities. You could make a special effort to care for someone who needs help in the school community or
volunteer when a teacher asks for help. The Service-Learning Co-ordinator will advertise school-based
opportunities via e-mail. NB: Your school co-curricular activities can not contribute to the service hours for this
program.

GLOBAL:
We are all part of creation and our actions will impact the environment of the future.
It is our duty to behave in responsible ways, to reduce our ecological footprint and care for our global community
by using resources in a sustainable way.
 Suitable Activities
Students wishing to engage in other activities must first check with the Service-Learning Coordinator.

FAMILY NEIGHBOURHOOD PARISH SCHOOL GLOBAL

Work together Car Wash Serve the parish Drama Time Clean Up
Help your parents with Wash a friend’s / community Offer to assist with Clean up the school
the shopping and neighbour’s vehicle Serve tea and coffee school productions yard at the end of
unpack it once you get inside and out, at a parish morning backstage. recess or lunch. See
home. including a vacuum tea. Wash the dishes Service-Learning
and polish. afterwards. Coordinator for details.

Bedtime Cook a meal Dirty hands Helping Hand Give it away

Strip off the family Prepare a meal for Do some gardening Offer to assist Recycle your
sheets for washing someone who is around the parish, a teacher or Learning unwanted toys,
and remake all the unwell or bake a cake such as weeding, Area with packing, clothes or books to the
beds. for someone who sweeping. sorting or admin nearest op shop.
needs cheering up. tasks.

Helping hand Care for others Children's Liturgy House Activities Outside time
Do the laundering for Make up a care pack Offer to assist with Offer your assistance Water the plants
the family. Including for an elderly person. Children's liturgy of the at House Activities around the house
drying and folding for Include tissues, soap, word at your parish. that are additional to and/or do some
all members. moisturiser, biscuits. what is required from weeding in the garden.
members.

Who’s Hungry? Helping Hand Serve at the Lord's Science Help Environment
Prepare a meal for the Help a classmate with table Contact the Science Participate in a local
family. Clean up after their homework or Altar-serve at your department to help community tree
dinner. catch up on missed parish. with cleaning, tidying planting day.
work. up and/or preparation
of activities.

Car Wash Bring good cheer Pray together Fundraising Plastic Bottles
Wash, polish and Bake an elderly Lead the family in Offer your assistance Contact Ms Priest to
vacuum a parent's neighbour a cake. rosary. at College fundraising help with plastic bottle
car. Spend time talking or other activities. recycling duties.
and listening to them. eg. Drama/Music/Art/
Sporting events.

Helping hand Back to Primary Busy Bee Food waste

Help a younger sibling Help out at your local Help out at your Start a worm farm to
with their homework. Primary school. Parish busy bee. minimise food waste.

Clean Up Garden Baking skills Planting

Clean a sibling's Help another in their Bake a cake for the Plant a tree, flowers or
bedroom. garden with watering, parish morning tea. shrubs in your garden.
weeding etc.

Clean Floor Build it up

Vacuum and/or mop Build a veggie garden.
the entire house.

Shed
Clean and tidy the
garden shed.
 REFLECTION 1

Service Category:
Total Time:

Description of Task:

1. What did you find was rewarding about the experience?

2. What did you find was challenging about the experience?

3. Explain how this service has been valuable to you and those you helped.
 REFLECTION 2

Service Category:
Total Time:

Description of Task:

1. What did you find was rewarding about the experience?

2. What did you find was challenging about the experience?

3. Explain how this service has been valuable to you and those you helped.
 REFLECTION 3

Service Category:
Total Time:

Description of Task:

1. What did you find was rewarding about the experience?

2. What did you find was challenging about the experience?

3. Explain how this service has been valuable to you and those you helped.
 REFLECTION 4

Service Category:
Total Time:

Description of Task:

1. What did you find was rewarding about the experience?

2. What did you find was challenging about the experience?

3. Explain how this service has been valuable to you and those you helped.
 REFLECTION 5

Service Category:
Total Time:

Description of Task:

1. What did you find was rewarding about the experience?

2. What did you find was challenging about the experience?

3. Explain how this service has been valuable to you and those you helped.
 REFLECTION 6

Service Category:
Total Time:

Description of Task:

1. What did you find was rewarding about the experience?

2. What did you find was challenging about the experience?

3. Explain how this service has been valuable to you and those you helped.
 REFLECTION 7

Service Category:
Total Time:

Description of Task:

1. What did you find was rewarding about the experience?

2. What did you find was challenging about the experience?

3. Explain how this service has been valuable to you and those you helped.
 REFLECTION 8

Service Category:
Total Time:

Description of Task:

1. What did you find was rewarding about the experience?

2. What did you find was challenging about the experience?

3. Explain how this service has been valuable to you and those you helped.
 REFLECTION 9

Service Category:
Total Time:

Description of Task:

1. What did you find was rewarding about the experience?

2. What did you find was challenging about the experience?

3. Explain how this service has been valuable to you and those you helped.
 REFLECTION 10

Service Category:
Total Time:

Description of Task:

1. What did you find was rewarding about the experience?

2. What did you find was challenging about the experience?

3. Explain how this service has been valuable to you and those you helped.
SERVICE-LEARNING COORDINATOR CHECKLIST

7 Service hours completed: Yes No

Minimum ONE activity from TWO categories: Yes No

Service Reflections completed satisfactorily Yes No