A large focus in Year 4 at our school is on community service. We try to empathise with the issues people face in our community and what we can do to help.

We support the Salvation Army who support families going through rough times or at risk of homelessness. Peter and Jane from the Salvation Army came to speak to all of the Year 4s about the different ways that this organisation supports people. Already this year, the Salvation Army in our community alone from January – June has already helped 1000 people in finding a safer place to stay. 

They help those experiencing rough times by:

• support people in finding somewhere safe and secure to live.
• talk through the different emotions they might be experiencing.
• link them with other services they may need eg. doctors.
• assist with booking appointments or driving them to medical appointments. 
• assist with access to food and self care products.

The students in 4T will be raising money by doing extra chores at home as part of their weekly home work over the next couple of weeks. With this money we will purchase and donate various toiletries items which will go into care packages created by the Salvation Army to give out to those experiencing homelessness.

This week is Homelessness Week in Australia to raise awareness of people experiencing homelessness, the issues they face and the action needed to achieve enduring solutions. This year’s theme is ‘Ending Homelessness Together.’
In class we will be exploring videos, fact sheets and writing letters to members of the Victorian government to discuss the issues facing our community.

Thinking back to Peter and Jane’s talk. Leave a comment with something that you heard that connected with you or made you think differently.