Service

Students at The Friends’ School are strongly encouraged to engage in service activities either through their own community links or through structured service activities and initiatives offered at school.

Key Contacts

Head of Service – Karina Churchill

Giving Back to the Community

Students are strongly encouraged to show leadership in service, and are able to approach student leaders and service coordinators for support with new or existing service initiatives.

Service Opportunities

Students can approach Student Leaders to contribute their own service ideas and to help plan and run service-based events, including those with wellbeing and environmental focus, both in and outside school hours. The Student Leadership Group meet with Esther Hoggart.

The Service Committee meet once a week on Tuesdays at lunch time in C121. Students can learn about upcoming service opportunities and can choose to take on various levels of responsibility for service events. Students can count 30 minutes of each meeting towards a Service Award if desired. This group is facilitated by James Wright and Liesa Winkler.

This committee is for students in Years 9 to 12. Students meet at recess once a week for half an hour to discuss, plan and organise service projects for the Senior School. In addition, they work with other sections of the School to facilitate service initiatives that have a whole school theme. The Senior Student Council Service and Environment Representatives are responsible for the running of the Committee, including organising minutes to be taken and distributed to all members. All Years 9-12 students are welcome to join the Committee and they are encouraged to initiate, plan and participate in service events that are school-based or based in the community. The hours they accumulate can count towards their Service Colours and/or The Friends’ Certificate. The Committee convenes on Tuesdays at recess time in W209.

Karina Churchill

Relay For Life is an overnight community event organised by the Cancer Council. Thousands of Tasmanians relay in their team as they celebrate cancer survivors, remember those lost and fight back against the disease by raising important funds. In 2024, the Hobart Relay for Life is calendared for the weekend of Saturday 24 – Sunday 25 February at the Domain Athletics Centre. Each year, Friends’ students, staff and parents enter a team called the ‘Friendlies’, have a lot of fun and raise money for cancer research and support services. 

Coordinators: Simone Summers, Greg Downes

For students interested in the impacts of Climate Change on the world leading to actions for change. The group researches issues of climate then drafts letters to community and government leaders in action for change. Students also write letters on behalf of prisoners of conscience, on behalf of Amnesty International. Occasionally, members of the group are encouraged to attend rallies and the Justice Action Network group meetings. Students may work with the Senior Student Council leaders to organise a Battle of the Bands/Talent each year in Term 3 to raise funds for Amnesty International. This group meets at lunch time once a week.

Kate Sinclair (Years 9-12)

Mathu Martin (Years 7 & 8)

The Sustainability group focusses on actions that can develop, promote and enact reduction in negative environmental impacts. This student-led group engages with a range of interests and concerns, and seeks to enact sustainable practical means for carbon-offset and waste reduction, such as the bus-buddy system, the worm farm on the Primary School campus, or the recycling bins across campuses. This year it will also include a focus on the kitchen garden on the Commercial Road Campus, making Boomerang bags from recycled materials and supporting the foundation of the Indigenous Garden outside the WN Oats Centre via the Landcare group, and various other student-initiated projects.

Boomerang bags / Kitchen Garden:

Jane Smith  (Years 9-12)

Kate Carlin  (Years 9-12)

Environmental Sustainability Group:

Jilliam Ramm  (Years 9-12)

Beverley Carr  (Years 9-12)

The Diversity Group is for students interested in a forum for students to discuss topics around the inclusion of all members of our school community and to celebrate the diverse range of people at The Friends’ School. The group promotes the recognition, respect and valuing of students with differences based on ethnicity, gender, religion, disability and sexual orientation. This group meets once a week at lunch time.

Casey-Rae Mullen, Kate Baldry  (Years 9-12)

James Wright  (Years 7 & 8)

The Smith Family’s Student2Student Buddy reading program matches an older student (Buddy) with a younger student (Reader) who is behind in their reading. The Buddy provides support and reading assistance to the Reader so that they can improve their confidence and skills in reading. Each Buddy will be reading for 18 weeks with their Reader.  Buddies receive appropriate training and the resources required to fully participate in the Program. Buddies call their Reader 2 or 3 times a week and read for 20 minutes per session. Buddies need to have their phone (landline, mobile phone or on a website called ‘Chatty Kids’ using a tablet or computer) and books (these are posted out in the mail or on the Chatty Kids website) ready at the agreed scheduled times and days they are working with their Reader.

Interested students can download copies of the Student2Student flyers and student2student Buddy Application Sheet or contact Karina Churchill

Young Leaders of Tasmania Ltd is a community, not-for-profit organisation whose vision is for every young Tasmanian, including those living with disability, to reach his or her full potential. Interested students in Years 9-12 apply in Term 1 for the ‘school buddies’ program and will visit classes at the Southern Support School fortnightly between mid Term 1 and the end of Term 3. Participating students need approximately 2 hours for their visits so need appropriately placed study periods. There are opportunities for visits to Dark Mofo and helping in the holiday buddies program.

Karina Churchill

The Young Leaders of Tasmania – All Abilities Programs (YLOT) runs in conjunction with the staff and clients at Southern Support School. In addition to the YLOT Program, a social is generally planned for students and parents of the Southern Support School. This is organised through the Years 9-12 Stewardship Committee or as an IBDP Year 11 CAS project.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, commonly known as the Duke of Ed, offers students at The Friends’ School a transformative experience. Through this voluntary, non-competitive program, young participants aged 14 to 25 engage in practical, cultural, and adventurous activities. By setting and achieving goals across various sections, they earn internationally recognised certificates, fostering personal growth, skill-building and a sense of purpose. The Duke of Ed journey prepares these students to become world ready. To find out more, access the Outdoor Education –  Duke of Edinborough page.

If you are considering applying for a Service Award this year, you can find instructions about how to engage in Service on the Service Learning Site under Service Awards. Your hours must meet the Service Award Guidelines. 

Applications for Service Awards are due on 15 September 2024.

If you are considering applying for the Friends’ Certificate and/or Service Award, here are the links to the Friends’ Certificate Guidelines, the Service Award Instructions and the CAS Record template. You will need to submit your application through the relevant Google Form prompt on the Submission Instructions page of the Friends’ Certificate site.

Friends’ Certificate and Service Award applications are due on 15 September 2024.

For information on how to engage in a Service Learning Project, please visit the Service Learning site.