My Service Learning journey at St Peter’s College has been incredibly rewarding. I guess like many boys, I was looking to help others, but wanted to do something I would also enjoy.
I sing in the St Peter’s Cathedral Choir as a volunteer, but I love this too much to be able to really class it as ‘service hours’, so I was looking for another activity to help others less fortunate than myself. I am hoping to become a teacher when I leave school, so thought working with children would be a good fit for my interests. After researching child-focused charities and speaking with friends who foster two young boys, the Puddle Jumpers organisation stood out for their strong focus on supporting children in foster care.
Puddle Jumpers provide opportunities and support for at-risk children and families through recreational activities and holiday camps designed to promote personal, social and cultural growth. Kids attending the camps are given opportunities to build their own selfesteem and confidence.
Over the past two years I have volunteered on seven camps. You (like I did), may assume the kids who attend these camps would be ratty, hyper, noisy or even naughty given their circumstances, but I’ve found them to be shy, very quiet and very unsure about everything. Each child has a one-on-one Buddy and a backup Buddy and we work together to help them settle and feel safe and secure from the minute they arrive at camp.
One of the most impactful aspects of the camps is ‘Ripple Time’, a nightly gathering where children drop a pebble into a bowl of water, symbolising the ripple effect of their actions, thoughts and ideas. We discuss how happiness is a choice and how their perspectives can influence their lives and those around them. The simple act of a smile can start a ripple effect, encouraging acts of kindness that helps build new relationships and confidence.
Many of the volunteers have personal experience of living in foster care and attending Puddle Jumpers camps. They return as a Buddy to give back because they know what a difference they can make in another child’s life. It is this kindness, from these volunteers, who themselves had difficult childhoods, that I have found to be the most humbling part of my time with Puddle Jumpers.
So many of us have had fortunate, stable childhoods, and lots of opportunities… attending St Peter’s College for our schooling for a start! Yet, most of the volunteers on these camps have never had the opportunities I have had, and still, they are the ones giving back most often. They tell me it is because they know firsthand how much a camp like this can mean to a child who is struggling in life through no fault of their own. Puddle Jumpers builds them up and encourages them to stay positive despite their circumstances.
On the last couple of camps I have attended, I have been the only male volunteer. Half the kids on the camps are male and many do not have male role models in their lives. Many do not see their father – there may be a court ruling stopping this, their father may be in prison or he may have chosen not to be part of his child’s life. Puddle Jumpers (and all charities that help families) really need both male and female volunteers, who can act as a positive role model for these children.
I can’t begin to explain how much I have learnt and been given in return as a volunteer. I have new friends, new skills, new knowledge of the people living in my own community and many new experiences I would not have had without volunteering. Surprisingly, volunteering with Puddle Jumpers has also helped manage my dyslexia and struggles with writing. I’ve discovered that if I am passionate about a topic, such as the foster care system, I can write persuasively and freely without my usual difficulties.
Volunteering with Puddle Jumpers has been one of the best decisions I ever made. I also enjoyed volunteering for the Sony Foundation Holiday Camp held at the School. My advice to other students who are exploring their service learning options is to spend time researching charities to find one that matches your interests. Then choose one that you are passionate about, something you can relate to, and it will change your life.
Next year I am heading to the United Kingdom for a gap year to teach at a primary school in Surrey for children aged two to 12. Upon my return, I look forward to starting my early childhood studies and resuming my volunteer work with Puddle Jumpers. One day, I hope to be in the position to support the organisation financially, but until then I am more than happy to volunteer my time each holiday. They are so grateful, appreciative and welcoming, that you can’t help but be happy to put your hand up to help kids in need.
Archie Young | Year 12 Student