A number of McAuley College students recently got an insight into what it is like to be homeless.
The students engaged in a St Vincent de Paul’s (SDVP) Sleepout on school grounds where they slept on cardboard or thin inflatable mattresses, ate pumpkin soup for dinner and carried all their belongings around the school.
The students were lucky enough to have the chance to listen to Peter Wilson, the President of the St Mary’s SVDP Conference, along with Trish Dunn and Margaret Timms, volunteers at SVDP.
Peter, Trish and Margaret shared their personal stories of helping those who needed it in the community, emphasising the great reward they get from being welcomed into someone else’s life and being able to have a positive impact.
SVDP supplies assistance in the form of fuel cards, grocery cards, advice, organising showers with BeauCare and more.
In the past twelve months, the Beaudesert branch has completed 227 visits, assisting 725 people in need. Of those, 382 were youth aged between 0 and 16. The total expenditure was $24,118.
The group also listened to stories from David Harris, McAuley College Assistant Principal of Religious Education, and McAuley College Principal Jason Pacey.
David shared an emotional story of three young boys who had been left homeless for varying reasons.
In his twenties, David lived with these boys, acting as not just a caretaker, but a father.
Jason, member of the Rosies group, shared his experience with helping the vulnerable. He was a Rosies team leader for five years before moving to Beaudesert.
“I actually wanted to do something,” he said.
The day of the sleepout, the Year 12 students held a bake sale in celebration of their last 50 days at school.
The funds raised from this event were donated to SVDP, and came to a rounded total of $500 (which was achieved in 20 minutes!).
