Year 8 Slum Survivor

Year 8 Slum Survivor is a two-day event designed to educate students about global inequality and the challenges of homelessness in Australia. During these two days, students participate in various simulations to comprehend the importance of education in enhancing the well-being of individuals in developing countries, the time wasted on activities such as collecting water, the complexities of daily life when water is scarce, collaboration in group activities, repurposing garbage into useful items, and gaining insights from a guest speaker from The St Vincent de Paul Society.

It is alarming that more than 122,000 Australians are experiencing homelessness, with over 58% of the homeless population being under the age of 35. Additionally, more than 17,600 children under the age of 12 do not have a stable place to call home. The face of homelessness in Australia is evolving, with women over 50 being the fastest-growing group experiencing homelessness.

In a symbolic gesture, students spent Thursday night sleeping in makeshift shelters made from cardboard boxes. Due to rain, students had to construct their sleeping quarters along the cramped corridors of the Wilkins block and cope with the constant lights that could not be turned off. The sleepout provides a unique insight into the complex issues that people experiencing homelessness face by “sleeping rough” for one night.

Slum Survivor also serves as the primary fundraising activity for Year 8. Kudos to Year 8 for raising over $33,000 for The St Vincent de Paul Society, and special recognition goes to Mr. Carritt for his outstanding leadership in driving this fundraising initiative with the Year 8 charity committee.

This initiative is only possible due to the support of staff who were willing to organise activities and sacrifice their time to supervise the students overnight. Therefore I thank all the staff involved for their enormous efforts over the two days.

Mr Chapman