Social Justice
Every year the College community – students, staff and families – supports and stands in solidarity with the marginalised in our local community, across Australia and overseas.
Social Justice at St Pius X College Chatswood is embedded in ongoing and mutually rewarding service, partnerships and reconciliation programs as well as fundraising and appeals that give practical help and hope to those in need.
Partnerships
The College has a number of ongoing mutually rewarding partnerships with schools in Australia, overseas and is a lead school for Edmund Rice Education Beyond Borders.
Partner Schools in Australia
- St Edmund’s Wahroonga, The Haven Terrigal and St Joseph’s Geelong (fellow EREA schools)
- St Mary’s Primary School Bowraville
- St Joseph’s Primary School Walgett
International partnerships:
- St Mary’s Grammar, Belfast
- St Anselm’s College, Birkenhead
- Cardinal Newman College, Buenos Aires
- Fe y Alegria 26, Lima
- Stella Maris College, Montevideo
- Callan Services, PNG
- CBC Mt Edmund, Pretoria
- St Kevin’s College, Redcastle NZ
Service
Students at St Pius X College are active in the local community every week. Students from the Edmund Rice Society (ERS) visit Willowood Aged Care facility in Chatswood weekly and “sit and chat” with residents and perform occasional musical soirees. Senior students assist at the Matthew Talbot Hostel for Homeless Men where they serve dinner to guests.
Immersion experiences provide an opportunity for students and staff to serve our partner schools – helping in classrooms, acting as mentors and carrying out repairs and building projects. ERS leaders also attend Edmund Rice Camps as mentors.
The College’s Community Involvement Program (CIP) for Years 10 and 11 sees our students involved in a range of activities to give service to the community
and especially those most in need.
Through the College’s Edmund Rice Society (Years 5 – 12) and Community Involvement Program (CIP) (Years 10 and 11) students are involved in a range of service, fundraising and and awareness initiatives including:
- Willowood Aged Care facility, Chatswood
- Matthew Talbot Hostel for Homeless Men
- Chatswood Meals on Wheels Mothers’ Day Lunch
- Annual Appeals: Project Compassion (Caritas), Vinnie’s Winter Appeal, 40 Hour Famine, Refugee Week, Vinnies Winter Appeal, Market Days, Christmas appeals, exercise books to overseas agencies, Daffodil Day, Red Shield Appeal.
- Edmund Rice Camps
- White Ribbon Day
- RUOK? Day
- National Day Against Violence and Bullying
Founder’s Day Festival
The annual Founder’s Day Festival in November is a student led day of celebration, raising awareness of social justice issues and an important fundraiser.
Reconciliation
Respect for Indigenous People
The College acknowledges the Cammeraygal and the Guringai people, their spirits and ancestors, traditional inhabitants of the land on which we stand.
The College believes in Indigenous Reconciliation and works for unity and solidarity with Indigenous people though a number of initiatives:
- Indigenous Reconciliation Artwork hangs in Student reception which depicts the College’s identity with our Indigenous culture
- National Reconciliation Week (NRW) ceremonies
- touring rugby jerseys, basketball singlets, football shirts and cultural tour shirts feature totems from the College’s Reconciliation artwork
- educational incursions with Indigenous cultural performers
- immersions
Social Justice Brochure
Social Justice at St Pius X College Chatswood is embedded in ongoing and mutually rewarding service, partnerships and reconciliation programs as well as fundraising activities that give practical help and hope to those in need. The program gives a living reality to the Touchstones of Justice and Solidarity and Gospel values in particular. Through Social Justice students see the value of a living community sharing in a Liberating Education.
Every year the College community – students, staff and families – supports and stands in solidarity with those in need in our local community, across Australia and overseas.
Download our Social Justice Brochure Here