For students at Carinity Education schools, their learning extends beyond the classroom. They are actively engaged in supporting and giving back to the community they live in.
Students volunteer in their community in a variety of capacities, from cleaning beaches and animal shelters, to reading to young children and packing food hampers for people in need.
Demonstration of volunteering and work experience also allows students to gain credit towards certificate courses undertaken at their school.
At Carinity Education Glendyne, the efforts of volunteering students have benefited people close to home – and those in need abroad.
It includes selfless acts achieved through a history of collaboration with the school and Rotary Club of Hervey Bay City.
The partnership has seen Rotary members and school students work together to disassemble disused pushbikes and make wheelchairs, which were then shipped to developing countries.
A sewing group at the school made sanitation kits for girls abroad, while the Helping Hands project saw students and Rotary members put together mechanical hands for people who had lost limbs.
Rotary Club of Hervey Bay City President, Elizabeth Beer, hopes the collaborative projects have fostered altruism and a “spiritual growth” amongst students.
“I think this is a great thing for the students because it helps them to feel confident, learn about themselves and be dedicated to a task,” Elizabeth says.
The collaboration between Glendyne and Rotary continues with the organisation sponsoring the school’s human powered vehicle team. The initiative sees students design, build, test and race pedal-powered vehicles.