Last week, our new Year 12 cohort were inducted into their leadership positions for 2020-2021. It was an encouraging service and I am confident the students will achieve much in their new roles. I am confident because I have already seen something of what they can accomplish together.

Immediately after the Induction Service the Year 12 cohort got down to business. They partnered with Anglicare in packing 500 hampers to be distributed this Christmas to families who were affected by the recent bushfires on the South Coast and in the Southern Highlands. Our students love to make a difference and this service event was an opportunity for them to show their genuine care and concern for others.

Partnering with Anglicare is a great fit for us as an Anglican School. We share the same values: a desire to serve others in the way God has served us in Jesus – selflessly and sacrificially. Leadership is service; Jesus is our model and exemplar.

TIGS has an extensive community service programme. It is suited to the developmental needs of our students. It begins with fundraising for charities and causes in the Junior School and leads into hands-on service in the Senior School. We have a focus on serving locally. Most of the service we provide for students is undertaken in Year groups and within the timetable.

In Year 11, we have a special programme where students choose a service initiative that resonates with their interests and passions. This service is then undertaken in their own time. Service partners include The Disability Trust, Disabled Surfers Association, Anglicare, local churches and others.

Our current Year 12 cohort missed out on this opportunity in Year 11 because of COVID-19. The service we have just undertaken with Anglicare was a way of compensating them for the opportunities lost in Year 11. They were eager to grasp the opportunity.

While service is one way our students can benefit others, we also believe as a School that serving the needs of others is good for us – it is one of the ways God has designed us to flourish. Much has been made about the impact of COVID-19 on mental health, especially amongst young people. Service enables our students to think beyond themselves and their own needs to the needs of others. We find that when our students do this, it generally results in improved mental health for them. Looking at the fun our students had on Friday packing the hampers that was certainly the impression given.

I was delighted at the way our students embraced this service event. They gave themselves fully to the task and I couldn’t have been prouder of their attitude and achievement. They have made an excellent start to Year 12.