volunteering | Sydney Catholic Schools

Pope Francis Award expands into secondary school

Sydney Catholic Schools’ unique faith-based service program Pope Francis Award has, for the first time, expanded into secondary schools.

Pope Francis Award is a way our Year 6 students can earn an award by volunteering their time before and after school to complete community service.

When Sydney Catholic Schools initiated this program in 2017, only 17 schools participated in the pilot program and 220 students graduated.

Today, 105 primary schools across the Archdiocese of Sydney deliver this program, supporting students to develop mindsets of ‘giving back’ while contributing to their own success by developing new experiences that will aid them in the long run.

Plus, for the first time, the program has been expanded to include Year 7 students from the following five secondary schools:

“I love that it’s growing so much,” Sydney Catholic Schools’ Education Officer: Church Engagement, Cheryl Fernandez, said.

From small beginnings

A Sydney Catholic Schools’ alumni, Ms Fernandez has overseen the system’s Pope Francis Award program since its inception.

So, she was elated to share that the program would be offered to every Year 7 student in all 33 of our Sydney Catholic secondary schools from 2023.

“It was always the dream to go into secondary school … there’s a need to connect the students with parish and to encourage the students to do service,” Ms Fernandez said.

Our Graduates

2017: 222 students

Isabell PetrinicSeptember 5, 2022|

1,142 Pope Francis Award graduates recognised

The Pope Francis Award gives student volunteers in Year 6 a soul-enriching opportunity to help make the world a better place. This week we recognise our 2021 graduates.

In recognition of their important contribution to our school and parish communities Sydney Catholic Schools is currently recognising the latest 1,142 Pope Francis Award graduates from across the Archdiocese of Sydney.

They will each receive specially-designed certificates and medals after completing 20 or more hours of self-driven community service in their school and parish communities before and after school, including during lunch and recess, throughout 2021.

“The best thing you can give people is your time and that’s what we encourage: for young people to make an impact,” Sydney Catholic Schools’ Education Officer: Church Engagement, Cheryl Fernandez, said.

“I believe it’s a beautiful way for students to be involved in giving back to the community,” she said, adding “it’s a way that students can develop organisational and leadership skills.”

ABOUT THE POPE FRANCIS AWARD

The Pope Francis Award supports students’ growth as a whole person – including their social, spiritual and emotional learning and wellbeing – by encouraging the involvement of students in their school and local parish.

It supports students to find their voice and be a powerful influence for good, no matter their academic ability, within the nurturing environment of their school and parish community.

“The yearlong program will help your child recognise the importance of respect and caring for others, while encouraging them to be compassionate open-hearted service leaders who ‘never see a need without doing something about it’,” Ms Fernandez said.

As Pope Francis says, “Jesus didn’t stay out on a balcony. Instead, He got involved. Follow Jesus’ example.”

Isabell PetrinicNovember 26, 2021|

Our Mini Vinnies

More than 2,500 of Sydney Catholic Schools’ youngest students – otherwise known as Mini Vinnies – have so far followed in the footsteps of Saint Vincent de Paul, who spent his life providing relief to the poor.

Our primary school students may not have established hospitals for the poor like Saint Vincent, but they have put their faith in action by taking part in St Vincent de Paul Society’s Mini Vinnies program.

Mini Vinnies

Mini Vinnies are a group of primary school students who want to become volunteers, advocates and fundraisers within their school and local community. They meet regularly to discuss ideas to help people less fortunate.

The spiritual and learning undertaken by the Mini Vinnies group establishes strong values and builds empathy in our young people.

Our student volunteers

Sydney Catholic Schools’ involvement in Mini Vinnies began in 2011.

“There are now 101 Mini Vinnies Conferences in the Sydney region, 99 of which are a part of Sydney Catholic Schools (SCS),” said Christina Gilio, the Metropolitan Schools Engagement Officer for the St Vincent de Paul Society, affectionately known as Vinnies.

“In 2021 alone, seven new SCS primary schools have signed up to be a part of Mini Vinnies in Sydney. Several others had expressed interest prior to the current NSW lockdown” – Christina Gilio

Putting faith into action

At St Vincent’s Catholic Primary School in Ashfield, students have been taking part in a range of programs to help the less fortunate, including Mini Vinnies.

Antonella Dolores, school principal at St Vincent’s, says Saint Vincent de Paul’s teachings are instilled in their students and help them understand the importance of helping those in …

AdminSeptember 26, 2021|

Volunteering in COVID-19

Sydney Catholic schools’ student volunteers are continuing to make a difference to the lives of others during our city’s hard lockdown. To mark International Day of Charity (5 September) we are shining a spotlight on some of their charitable works.

Besides honoring Mother Teresa’s tireless work to help others overcome poverty and suffering, the International Day of Charity highlights the need to open wide your hand to your brothers and sisters, to the needy and to the poor.

Our student volunteers remind us that charity begins at home – lending a hand to your neighbors and friends – and that it can be both meaningful, magical and fun, and an energising escape from our day-to-day routine to give back to your community.

Preparation for One Meal

Our big-hearted students at St Joachim’s Catholic Primary School Lidcombe have been dedicating their time to spreading happiness by ‘Lighting up Lidcombe’ with creative messages of hope, support and humour, guaranteed to put a smile on your dial.

Students at St Ursula’s College Kingsgrove are realising their full potential through living out the school’s motto – ‘SERVIAM’, meaning ‘I Will Serve’.

Their school lies across the local government areas of Canterbury-Bankstown, Bayside and Georges River Council – areas of concern during COVID – and, along with students from Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Primary School Kingsgrove, they are spending hours of their own time cooking hot nutritious meals for people doing it tough within 5 kilometres of their schools.

They are doing this as part of a service titled One Meal Kingsgrove, supporting the not-for-profit organisation One Meal. The school also has a close relationship with the St …

AdminSeptember 3, 2021|

Time flies when you’re … poolside

Eighteen Sydney Catholic Schools students got to experience the atmosphere of an Archdiocesan Swimming Carnival by getting involved in an official capacity.

The Year 11 students from Holy Spirit Catholic College Lakemba helped poolside at the recent carnival in Auburn by timekeeping – arguably the most important role at a meet.

Holy Spirit volunteers Desmond Lartey and Rocco Alvaro.

“I like my job, drawing up the times on the wall,” said student volunteer, Desmond Lartey, a sports enthusiast who plays Division 1 basketball for the Southwest Hornets.

Stuart Kensitt, Holy Spirit’s Year 11 Leader of Wellbeing and Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE) teacher, said students from the school have a history of volunteering at sports carnivals.

“They are volunteering here today as part of their 1 Unit Sport, Lifestyle and Recreation (SLR) studies.” Mr Kensitt said.

Key competencies of the 60-hour module include planning and organising physical

activity opportunities for others. This can include leading peer coaching sessions, organising

in-school competitions or simply raising others’ awareness about ways to get active in the

community.

“Our students are learning to run sports carnivals,” Mr Kensitt said.

Another of the Year 11 volunteers, Rocco Alvaro, said it’s the first time he has been involved in volunteering and that he found the experience really enjoyable.

A big thank you to all the secondary colleges who have supported at the carnivals; Trinity Catholic College Auburn, Marcellin College Randwick and Christian Brothers Lewisham.

By: ISABELL PETRINIC Read the 2021 Archdiocesan Swimming Carnival recap here …

AdminMarch 29, 2021|

Pope Francis Award expands into secondary school

From small beginnings

Our Graduates

1,142 Pope Francis Award graduates recognised

ABOUT THE POPE FRANCIS AWARD

Our Mini Vinnies

Volunteering in COVID-19

Time flies when you’re … poolside

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which our schools and offices now stand. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.

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