On Friday the 22 August, around eighty of our Year 8 students participated in the Vinnies School Sleep Out as part of their Touching Hearts program.

This event allows students and school communities to get a glimpse of the realities of homelessness on a personal level by ‘sleeping rough’ for one night.

The Vinnies School Sleep Out encourages students and teachers to gain a deeper understanding of homelessness, raise awareness of the realities faced by people experiencing homelessness and raise funds to support Vinnies homeless services in our local community.

Throughout the night the students reflected on the types of homelessness that some people in our area experience. This led to some fruitful discussions among our students on what this experience would be like, as well as what we can all do to support those facing homelessness today.

Dinner on the night was a typical meal for someone sleeping rough, a cup of soup and small bread roll made by our wonderful canteen staff.

Along with these eye-opening experiences, the students enjoyed time together, expended energy through ping pong, four square, colouring in, bracelet making, Jenga and quoits and tried their best to sleep outside in the cold conditions.

Not only did the students have great fun and learn about an important issue, they also responded practically by raising $2,063 along with donations of food and items to support Vinnies homeless services in our local community.