Christian Service Learning forms part of our school curriculum. It is an educational activity that contributes ‘to the development of students as followers of Jesus Christ’ (Mandate para. 35). It seeks to integrate Catholic Social Teaching more fully into the school’s educational programs through education, action and reflection on social justice issues within the community.

There are three elements that are essential for Christian Service Learning:

1.  The fact that it is Christian and Servite means that the Gospel informs the service and the learning. Jesus’ proclamation at the beginning of his ministry underscores action on behalf of those in need: ‘He (the Lord) has sent me to bring the Good News to the poor to proclaim liberty to captives and to the blind new sight, to set the downtrodden free’ (Luke 4:18).
2. The term service means that students are actively involved in outreach to the community.
3. The learning on the part of the students involved in the service is drawn from lessons of experience in performing the service work. Key to the learning process is the practice of guided reflection for the students before and after the activity. 

1. Christian Service Learning provides students with the experience of ‘service’ in the charism of the Servite Order as a way of learning and living that permeates all aspects of life rather than an activity that is isolated from the rest of their lives.

2. Servite College supports and challenges students to explore and reflect on justice issues as part of an integrated and articulated school plan which actively seeks to promote justice and has a commitment to the common good.

3. Christian Service Learning provides students with opportunities to acquire the knowledge and understandings of love, compassion, justice and service as articulated in the Gospels and to apply their knowledge and skills to real situations in society.

4. Christian Service Learning challenges students in developmentally appropriate ways to think and act in ways that reflect values that are consistent with the Gospel. 

Christian Service Learning at Servite College will encourage young people to contribute to the development of ‘the kind of world envisaged by Christ’ (CEO Mandate 6). Our community is called to contribute to the common good by promoting and assisting public and private institutions dedicated to bettering the conditions of human life. The ministry of service has the potential to open the hearts of students, to sensitise them to the human dignity of the poor, build compassion and to awaken and deepen their awareness of the sacred and social nature of the human person (Gaudium et Spes #26, 27, 30) and of creation.

For students it can be an experience of transformation or conversion that is a sign of the Kingdom of God. Christian Service Learning provides an opportunity for students to experience not only giving service to others but their own personal growth. True Christian Service Learning is not only about giving, but about encountering others, about the dignity and needs of others and about God reaching out to and through each person. 

 

Year 7 – 9 students	Year 10 and 12 students
Students actively participate in the outlined Christian Service Learning projects each calendar year.	Students must either complete: a Certificate Course in Year Ten or between 1 and 4 Endorsed Units in Community Service over the two-year period to be completed by the end of Term 3 Year Eleven.

 

Expectations – Year 7 to 9 completion requirements

All students must plan, participate and reflect upon their allocated Christian Service Learning tasks each year. Project requirements:

• Service Learning Projects undertaken are in the spirit of the Christian Service Learning Philosophy and Rationale. Alternative projects may be organised in consultation with the ADP: Service and Justice Education.
• Payment for services cannot be accepted. Work in a business situation for free, does not constitute service.
• Service Learning Projects are planned prior to commencement. This includes the completion of all "paperwork", including management of risks, consent forms and authorisation by a suitably qualified representative of the College.
• Once completed ‘reflections and evidence’ of the Christian Service Learning must be completed within the student's CSL OneNote Portfolio as proof of completion.
• Christian Service Learning Projects (Year 7 - 9 students) are conducted throughout the year.
  • Year 7 students engage in service at home and school during Lent (Lenten Calendar) and co-ordinate their Homeroom class' Vinnies Christmas Appeal.
  • Year 8 students engage in projects to support the Salvo's work with the homeless.
  • Year 9 students engage in an immersion programme where they spend a full day at either the Emmanuel Centre (self-help drop in centre for people with disabilities), Kora (child-minding conducted by the Servite Sisters for Aboriginal, Migrant and Refugee families in need) or one of several Aged Care Facilities (Servite Villas, My VISTA, Armana Living).

Each programme includes

• Educational session on social justice issues to raise awareness and promote a call to action.
• Experience with the issue on a Christian Service Learning opportunity.
• Reflection on that experience.

 

Expectations – Year 10 and 11 completion requirements

With service being a core charism of the College, the Christian Service Learning (CSL) Programme is a compulsory component of every student's life at the College. With a rich history and tradition, Servite College is unique in that it is not named after a person or a place but an action … to serve.

Our Christian Service-Learning programme is inspired by our Vision statement, which urges us "to become all that we are created to be". Made in the image and likeness of God, how can we not but use our Godly capacities to seek justice for all and serve others within our human family who are in need.

Our Servite community is called to contribute to the common good of all by promoting and assisting public and private institutions dedicated to bettering the conditions of human life. Christian Service Learning has the potential to:

• open our hearts,
• sensitise us to the human dignity of the poor,
• build compassion and
• to awaken and deepen our awareness of the sacred and social nature of the human person and of creation.

The Christian Service Learning Programme contributes to the rich educational experience offered by Servite College; it compliments and extends the traditional classroom curriculum offered by schools. Through it, students develop values, attitudes, skills and personal attributes that help form the person they were created to be.

For Servite students, it can be an experience of transformation or conversion that is a sign of the Kingdom of God. Christian Service Learning provides an opportunity for students to experience, not only giving service to others, but their own personal growth. True Christian Service Learning is not only about giving, but about encountering others, about the dignity and needs of others and about God reaching out to and through each person.

 

PATHWAYS FOR SENIOR STUDENTS

Building upon the Christian Service Learning experiences of Years Seven, Eight and Nine, all senior students are called to broaden and deepen their commitment to Christian Service Learning. This is a compulsory and integral part of each Servite student’s schooling. There are two pathways being offered in Year Ten from 2019.

1: Endorsed Unit Pathway

• SCSA Endorsed Unit in Community Service
• Completed from Term 1 in Year 10 to Term 3 in Year 11

Each student is expected to plan, participate in and reflect upon at least two different Christian Service Learning Projects, with a main focus on addressing those disadvantaged or marginalised in our society. These can either be an established College CSL Project or another project, registered as an Independent CSL Project. 

In this pathway, all students, over the course of Year Ten and Eleven, MUST complete sufficient CSL Projects to satisfy at least one SCSA Endorsed Unit in Community Service. Students are credited with a C Grade for each completed Endorsed Unit. Students may complete up to four Endorsed Units. These will be reported on the students' Western Australian Statment of Student Achievement (WASSA) and contribute directly towards their WACE graduation.

In order for this to be recorded with the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA) in time, all CSL Projects must be completed  by the stipulated due date in September when the student is in Year Eleven.

To complete each Endorsed Unit, the student must complete at least:

50 hours of  approved “Community Service" (CSL) across Years 10 and 11

o   All service MUST be approved prior to participation

o   Service Learning Projects are planned prior to commencement. This includes the completion of all registrations; including           management of risks, consent forms and gaining authorisation by the College.

o   Logged by the student

o   Validated by an unrelated adult supervisor (Validation and Signature Sheet)

o   Verified by the school (signed by ADP Service and Justice Education)

 

5 hours of induction, planning, preparation and post-reflection which is completed on the student CSL One-Note portfolio with evidence of:

o   Knowledge and understanding of the relevant Catholic Social Teaching/s, work and values of any Charitalble/Service Agency supported and the need/s being met.

o   Abilities, skills and/or techniques

o   Participation and engagement

 

Once the Service is completed, ‘reflections and evidence’ of the Christian Service Learning must be finalised through the student’s CSL OneNote as proof of completion.

To complete each unit, the student must satisfy the following conditions.

• Service Learning Projects are undertaken in the spirit of the Christian Service Learning Philosophy and Rationale. Alternative projects can be organised in consultation with the ADP: Service and Justice Education.
• Payment for services cannot be accepted. Work in a business situation for free, does not constitute service.
• Registration and approval for must be obtained prior to participation in any Service Project.
• Service Learning Projects are planned prior to commencement. This includes the completion of all paperwork, including management of risks, consent forms and authorisation by a suitably qualified representative of the College.
• The 50 hours of Service must be:
  • logged by the student on the CSL OneNote Summary Page
  • validated by an unrelated adult supervisor on the Validation Sheet
  • demonstrated with evidence
  • verified by the school
• The 5 hours of induction, planning, preparation and post reflection, must be included with the CSL OneNote with evidence of:
  • knowledge and understanding
  • abilities, skills and/or techniques
  • participation and engagement eg:
    • publicity or advocacy materials that have been prepared (eg: iServi article, media release, article for local paper, announcement at school assembly)
    • annotated photographs of a product created or prepared (e.g. posters raising awareness of food security issues, promoting participation in the City to Surf)
    • planning documents that have been developed (e.g. business letter, budget for service activity)

2. Certificate Pathway

• Certificate II in Active Volunteering
• Offered to Year 10 students (1-year duration)

The Certificate II in Active Volunteering is offered in partnership with ACTS 2 College of Mission and Evangelisation and is delivered over a one-year period. This qualification reflects the role of entry-level volunteer workers. Volunteers develop the skills and capacity to work with agencies and ministries with young people, under two streams: Youth Ministry or Community Social Justice Advocacy.

• Students studying the Youth Ministry stream will explore and develop skills in Youth Ministry. Practical work will be completed in the College Youth Group 24:7 SERVE, supporting the delivery of Primary School and Parish Sacramental Retreats and supporting work in their Parish.
• Students studying the Community Social Justice Advocacy stream will work in partnership with Caritas Australia in delivering Justice Education in Primary School and Parish settings and supporting community-based programmes. This qualification may also be used as a pathway for workforce entry.

Students completing this course will fulfill the requirement of the College’s CSL Programme.

The Qualification consists of the following Units of Competence (subject to change):

Course Structure

Certificate II in Active Volunteering will be offered to replace an elective subject. To achieve this qualification, the candidate will also complete at least 20 hours of volunteer work as detailed in the Assessment Requirements of CHCVOL001 unit of competency.

Core units

CHCDIV001                 Work with diverse people

CHCVOL001                Be an effective volunteer

HLTWHS001                Participate in workplace health and safety

BSBCMM201               Communicate in the workplace

 

Elective Units

FSKOCM07                  Interactive effectively with others

CYMDSL301                Develop Spiritual Life Plans

CYMPCF301                Promote the Catholic faith in interactions with others

 

Important Note:          

Students who withdraw from or fail to complete the Certificate II requirements will need to complete the Endorsed Unit.

 

Expectations – Year 12 completion requirements

It is a condition of enrolment that students must complete their CSL Programme (Endorsed Unit or Certificate Course) BEFORE they may enter Year Twelve.

We encourage all students to be actively involved in works of service in their community. Students in Year Twelve may continue to serve their community and many choose to continue to volunteer once they leave school.

It is a policy of the College that:

1. Staff actively promote and participate in Christian Service Learning (either through independent projects or curriculum integration), providing witness to the student body as to the value and importance of service to others.
2. All students meet the minimum requirements of the Christian Service Learning Programme.
3. Christian Service Learning projects are advertised throughout the community as they become available.
4. All College based / organised Christian Service Learning projects must be reviewed prior to commencement to ensure:
   • Suitability of the project in relation to the philosophy and principles as stated in this document.
   • Suitability of the project to the student’s age and ability.
   • All consent forms have been completed prior to commencement​
5. All projects and providers must be assessed in accordance with the College’s Risk Management Policy prior to commencement and after the completion of the project. Specifically:
   • Safety of the activity / provider in accordance with Risk Management Procedures and CEOWA Out-of-School Learning and Training Policy.
   • The activity / provider needs to be reviewed for its suitability into the future and for the review of the College’s risk assessment processes.​
6. All completed projects and consent forms are recorded on the students file in SEQTA and reported to SCSA for accreditation (if applicable).
7. Awards are distributed at the College Awards Night to recognise those students who have had the greatest impact through their Christian Service Learning on the community.
8. Completion of the Christian Service Learning Programme is an integral part of a student’s curriculum at the College. It is an expectation that all students, in consultation with the College’s ADP: Service and Justice Education, will fulfill the programme requirements.