Social Justice

“We listen deeply to the cry of Earth heard most loudly in the cry of those made poor, and we are moved to attend with urgency to the woundedness of our global community…… Therefore we will address the root causes of poverty, especially by confronting personal and corporate greed which exploit Earth, her peoples and the whole community of life.” International Presentation Association Assembly 2007

At Presentation College Windsor, Social Justice is a vital and vibrant focus which integrates our ethos, curriculum and activities. The College Vision Statement invites “compassion for the world we live in”, calling for action, inclusion, awareness and responsibility.
Led by the student-elected Social Justice Captain and supported by an appointed staff member, the Social Justice Committee (SJC) which consists of approximately 40 students from Years 7 to 12, meets every second Friday at lunchtime to plan and organize a variety of activities aimed at raising awareness in the school community and making an active contribution.
When a student has demonstrated commitment to the SJC by regular attendance at Friday meetings and active involvement in at least one activity, she earns the right to wear the SJ badge.
There are also opportunities for selected members of the SJC to attend formation activities such as the Student Leadership Day organized by Caritas in March and the Student Social Justice Day in May at Australian Catholic University.

The SJC has identified 5 projects as its focus of attention in 2009.
Term 1 Caritas’ Project Compassion. Each Homeroom will have a collection box which will be passed around at the year level Chapel Assembly. The proceeds will support the people of Africa with an emphasis on environmental issues.
Maya School Madhaya Pradesh, India. The World Challenge Students visited this school in December 2008 and it was decided that the proceeds of the collection made at the Music Festival would go to support these people.

Term 2 Simply Sharing Mass takes place in the last week of Term 2. In the weeks leading up to this whole school Mass, baskets are put in each Homeroom and the students are encouraged to fill them with non-perishable food items and warm clothing which is distributed by St Vincent De Paul, Sacred Heart Mission and Malvern Emergency Food Bank to needy people in the local area.

Term 3 Supported by the SRC who provide a sausage sizzle, the SRC organizes a Coin Line at the end of term to support Amberley Edmund Rice Camps. This year we hope to hold this activity in conjunction with CBC.

Term 4 Our on-going commitment to support the work of the Presentation Sisters in Colachel India will be the focus this term possibly with a casual clothes day for which the students make a monetary payment.
The following reflection says something about our efforts in the SJC:

If you want to make changes in the world, you’re going to have to be working day after day, doing the boring straightforward work of getting people interested in an issue, building up a bigger organization, carrying on, experiencing frustration and finally getting somewhere.
That’s how the world changes.