On Friday June 3rd, Mercedes’ staff used the pupil-free day to conduct our Staff Service Day. Service is a central Mercy value at the College, and both teaching and non-teaching staff take pride in putting this value into practice. Each member of the Mercedes staff volunteered for a range of activities to serve our community both within the school and beyond.
Activities
A group of staff (including Principal Kerrie Fraser) worked within the Sisters of Mercy Convent and the Chapel of Immaculate Conception to keep these historic sites in sparkling condition!
Staff volunteered at OzHarvest‘s East Perth centre to pack donated food into hampers, ready for delivery to charities and people in need across Perth. Mercedes continues to work with OzHarvest, with Year 10 families leading the effort in generously donating hampers over Term 2.
On campus, staff volunteered to help keep our grounds pristine. Staff planted flowers around the bases of the statues of Saints Mary and Joseph, as well as giving the school buses a thorough clean inside and out!
Over in the city, a group of staff operated a fundraising effort in conjunction with the Citiplace Community Center, selling second-hand and ex-library books in a Pop-Up Bookshop – as well as discovering a few hidden gems themselves!
In the staff room, a group kept cosy knitting squares together to make blankets for the St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal. Staff are continuing their efforts over this term, donating non-perishable food items for donation over the holidays.
On campus, a group of staff potted indoor plants for donation to the St Bart’s Womens’ Service. The plants go to beautify the facility and create a welcoming environment for women in need.
Last but certainly not least, staff volunteered to donate blood or plasma through Lifeblood at the Royal Perth Hospital. Australian hospitals require over 1.7 million donations each year to meet demand. It was great to see a few staff who have signed up to give regularly!
Reflection
After completing their service activities, staff returned to campus for an online session to share their experiences. Later in the day, all staff attended an online reflection session run by Associate Professor Shane Lavery from Notre Dame University. The session examined service (servant) leadership and how that form of service is applicable to all members of staff. Key to this was the concept of “leading from the bottom” – that leaders can focus on uplifting and empowering those who work with or for them, and work together to ensure their wellbeing. Key references for this session were the Gospels and the Bishops’ Mandate for Catholic Schools.
The session then explored how service can be encouraged in the student body, with particular reference to service-learning. The session was concluded with exploring ways the College can build on its service outreach. Staff perceptions of their own service-learning experiences were built into the session.
