Damascus College has had a long association with the St Vincent de Paul outreach agency. Last year, the college signed up as a member of the Young Vinnies Conferences for students. The first conference has just taken place. A group of Year 7 and 8 students were our first group of students to represent the college at this forum. Students from all over Ballarat gathered to share their ideas and school experiences. Each school prepared a presentation to demonstrate how they were able to live and embody the mission to care for others.

The student representatives from Damascus College were:

Felicity Handreck, Ruby Townsing, Alira Wallesz, Polly Dawson, Grace Boyd and Tom East.

The students shared their insights from the day:

St. Vinnies Conference Ballarat

Who did you meet? At the St. Vinnies Conference, we had the opportunity to connect with students from various schools across Ballarat, as well as members of the St. Vincent de Paul Society from both Ballarat and Melbourne.

What was something you enjoyed? It was truly inspiring to learn about the initiatives other schools are undertaking for St. Vinnies. They offered valuable suggestions on how we can enhance our current fundraisers, and we were able to reciprocate with ideas of our own.

What was your presentation about? Our presentation focused on showcasing how we fundraise for St. Vinnies and other local charities, as well as sharing some of the projects we are currently working on.

What did you learn about Vinnies that you didn't know before? We discovered just how active Vinnies is in our local community. It was enlightening to hear directly from those involved in distributing clothing, toiletries, Christmas vouchers, and everyday food vouchers that we’ve contributed to.

What did you learn about social justice? It’s incredibly rewarding to know that our efforts are making a tangible difference in people's lives.

Is there anything that surprised you? We were amazed by the impressive projects undertaken by some primary schools! Their creative approaches to fundraising and their ability to build connections with local businesses were inspiring. For example, one project involved raising funds by selling hot chocolates. They secured donations of milk from Inglenook Dairy, and hot chocolate from Grounded Pleasures. Both local businesses contributed to the effort, helping to raise money for the local community.

What would you say to someone to encourage them to attend next year? Be sure to document the year with plenty of photographs and plan each fundraiser carefully to ensure a successful and rewarding experience.