Stockland caring for kids – Corporate Volunteering Day

April 2009| Joe, Stockland corporate volunteering participant

The Stockland IT Project team spent the day volunteering at a school for children with special needs. The school caters for 63 students aged between 4 and 18, with varying levels of intellectual and physical disabilities. Students arrive from all over the Sydney thanks to a complex system of buses and taxis that run like clockwork to get the children to and from the school on time.

We were eager to get involved with the volunteering program after hearing about the school and its students. Upon arrival, we were greeted by Ian, the school principal. We were blown away by the positive atmosphere created by teachers and students at this little school. We were fortunate enough to meet Dominic, a young student with Down syndrome. Dominic was quite energetic and eager to meet our team, he was tasked with showing around a former teacher of his whom recently joined the school. We also got a chance to meet Micky, a young girl suffering from Cerebral Palsy. With great enthusiasm she told us about her recent yacht ride around Sydney harbour hosted by Sailors with Disabilities. Micky had to be one of the happiest kids I had ever met and it was really heart warming listening to her story.

Some of the tasks involved cleaning the school bus, putting up mobiles in the yard, preparing the school newsletter, fertilizing the plants around the school ground and cleaning out the gym and art room. A lot of these tasks were put aside due to how busy the teachers are. Caring for 63 children can be tough so you can probably imagine the challenges faced by the teachers at the school each day.

Helping out and volunteering was a gratifying experience. Meeting these young people, who regardless of the challenges they face, still retain such a positive outlook on life really put things into perspective.

Find out how The Centre for Volunteering can help you. Phone 02 9261 3600 or email info@volunteering.com.au