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Social Justice
Loreto Kirribilli students are women of courage who act justly by speaking up, speaking out and stepping up to make a positive difference in our world.
It is through the values of a Loreto education that our girls become ‘wise, loving, well-educated women’, who are socially just, ethically minded, and the women leaders our society deserves and requires.
Dr Nicole Archard, Principal
Social Justice Program
Loreto Kirribilli has a long tradition of challenging social inequity wherever it is found.
Justice, as Mary Ward describes it, involves personal integrity based on harmonious relationship with God, with other people and with the whole of creation. It is expressed in 'works of justice', in active participation in the struggle to bring about such harmony.
Mother Gonzaga Barry was profoundly committed to the support of those in need, and she urged her students to be aware of their surroundings and the situations of those less fortunate than themselves. In this vein, Loreto Kirribilli has a long tradition of challenging social inequity wherever it is found.
Mother Gonzaga Barry advised, “do not endeavour so much to please others as to be of use to them”. It is with this in mind that Loreto Kirribilli emphasises the importance of student leadership within the school community.
JPICD Council
One of Mary Ward’s most cited maxims, “Be seekers of truth and doers of justice”, articulates the call to action of the Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation and Diversity (JPICD) Council.
Committed to being women of faith and action, the JPICD Council gives due focus to those suffering injustices, marginalisation, disadvantage or impoverishment. While fundraising is beneficial to the communities or missions it supports, the primary imperative of the JPICD Council is to raise awareness and educate.
As a Years 7-12 Council, JPICD brings students together across year groups to work towards shared goals and equally gives prominence to matters of social justice from a student leadership point of view.
JPICD Human Rights Council
This Council promotes all the human rights enshrined in the ‘Universal Declaration of Human Rights’. Students send letters of appeal to leading figures and advocate for the release of prisoners of conscience.
JPICD Service Council
Service Council is committed to working together with local charities and initiatives, in addressing issues related to social justice.
Some examples include activities in support of:
- Mary Ward International Australia
- Vinnies Volunteer Work
- Buddies’ Days
- Winter Appeal Fundraising
- Clothing Bin
- Student2Student Reading Program
- Caritas Project Compassion
JPICD Environment Council
The Environmental Justice element of the JPICD Council is articulated as ‘Integrity of Creation’. In order to promote responsible and accountable stewardship of the planet, it is necessary to educate generation upon generation of the world’s citizens about how we can work together in harmony with each other and God’s creation.
Aims
- To define environmental justice and make it accessible for all students
- To promote awareness about local and global environmental injustices
- To model sustainable environmental practices
- To educate about the impact of lifestyle on our environmental footprint
- To identify and develop the positive practices of the school community regarding sustainable living
- To identify the gaps in sustainable living and create initiatives to address these
Social Awareness Live@Lunch
Since launching in 2022, our Social Awareness Live@Lunch sessions have hosted a number of impactful keynote speakers. For example, in the lead up to Refugee Week 2022, we heard from guest speakers Marwa Moeen, Farhat Nazari and Farhat Kohistani, who shared their recent experiences of life under the Taliban regime. In another session, students heard from Laura Vidal (Churchill Fellow 2017), a social work practitioner whose work includes identifying, responding to and preventing human trafficking, slavery and forced marriage. Read more
Since then, our Live@Lunch sessions have covered varied topics such as the war in Ukraine, domestic violence, breast cancer research, reconciliation, indigenous voices, volunteering and advocating for refugees.
SOCIAL AWARENESS LIVE@LUNCH
Fundraising Activities
There are a number of Kindergarten to Year 12 fundraising activities held each year on the social justice calendar. The generosity from the student and parent body is abundant. At the beginning of every year, each House nominates a charity or Foundation and raises funds for this program. Activities can include: cake stalls, raffles and food drives.
Term 1 - Caritas Project Compassion during Lent
Term 2 - Gari-uai Timor-Leste, Loreto Kirribilli’s sister school run and supported by the Loreto Sisters and Mary Ward International
Term 3 - St Vincent De Paul Winter Appeal
Term 4 - Christmas Hampers for needy families
The Smith Family Student2student program works by matching students who need to improve their reading with peer buddies who help and encourage them with their reading. Peer support is central to the program’s success. Students from Years 8 -11 are encouraged to volunteer their time.
All funds raised are transferred directly to the relevant charity or cause.
Annual Events
Red Shield Appeal
The Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal takes place on a Sunday in May and over recent years we have been a collection and counting centre for our students and the general public.
Ignatian Children’s Holiday Camp
Run by St Ignatius' College Riverview, this camp offers the carers and families of severely disabled young people a few days of respite. The camp runs in the first week of the Christmas holidays and graduating students in Year 12 are invited to apply.
UNIFEM Breakfast for International Women’s Day
Each year, UNIFEM holds a significant breakfast with a remarkable guest speaker to celebrate International Women’s Day and raise awareness of the plight of women around the world. Senior student leaders attend with two staff members.
St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal
JPIC run an appeal where funds and/or clothing are donated to the Winter Appeal.
MWIA (Mary Ward International Australia)
Yearly appeals are held to support the charitable works of the IBVM (Loreto) Sisters. The school celebration of May Day, a Loreto Kirribilli tradition, raises funds to support MWIA's projects in Timor Leste. With stalls organised by Year 6 in the Junior School and Year 10 in the Senior School, the whole school community contributes to the success of the day.
Immediate Concerns
On a discretionary basis, immediate concerns such as bushfires, cyclones etc., require a reactive appeal of either funds or goods (e.g. canned food, blankets, etc).
Emmaus Service Ministry
All Year 10 students participate in a week long ministry experience, with an emphasis on social justice and giving back to the community.
Mary Ward Service Program
‘Helping souls’ was a primary concern for Mary Ward, and came from her desire, like Jesus, to be at the service of those who are left out, ostracised, isolated and/or thought to be unimportant. It is these other people living on the margins of our society that Mary Ward chose to be with, and it is these same people that we are challenged to stand with and for today in the church's “preferential option for the poor”.
Our Ignatian tradition calls us to enter into solidarity with the poor, the marginalised, and the voiceless, in order to enable their participation in the processes that shape the society in which we all live and work. They, in turn, teach us about our own poverty as no document can.
By asking our students to engage in this service, we are striving to break down barriers of fear and prejudice. We want to reduce the impact of stereotypical images and bring a human face to those in our community who might not normally be seen.
The result of these initiatives are students with an increased awareness of injustice in the world, who will actively seek to transform it.
