13 September 2024
Last Thursday 5 September, 30 students and staff including Mr Browning, represented SPSC at the annual Puddle Jumpers Breakfast. We now have a number of boys at SPSC who volunteer for Puddle Jumpers in a variety of ways, including helping with the weekly food hubs, packing groceries for people who are struggling to feed their own families at home, and of course volunteering on camps held each holiday break for kids living in ‘out of home care’.
The breakfast was an opportunity to interact with those within our community who are doing great things for those less fortunate, especially children. It was inspiring to be able to chat with people and organisations who are making a difference in Adelaide. We were also able to meet a number of young adults who are now giving back to the organisation having found Puddle Jumpers such a huge help while they were in care themselves.
The breakfast was also an opportunity for Puddle Jumpers to share their newest short film, ‘Where the Wild Flowers Grow’. This was a follow up to ‘Growing Up Tough’, a short film produced by Puddle Jumpers last year. Boys from Year 7 to 12 watched this first documentary in their mentors last year. It gave us insight into what living in care is like in South Australia for kids our age.
This year’s documentary follows a similar format, and we hear from children and teenagers who are now in care. They talk about how hard it is to move to a new home or care facility and then being forced to move school over and over again, and often mid term. They talk about how traumatic it is to be separated from their own brothers and sisters and not have any way of seeing them for months. (Bringing siblings together for a few days is one of the main focuses of the Puddle Jumpers Camps.) They talk about the trauma of having to change social workers without warning and what that means to them. (A social worker may be one of the only adults who are a regular influence in these kids lives. They may be the only adult a child/teenager has shared their own personal struggles with.)
Thankfully, organisations like Puddle Jumpers are making a difference for these kids. Puddle Jumpers’ mission is to work to build resilience in kids to enable them to believe in themselves, to believe that anything is possible and to help them ‘jump over puddles’ that they have in their own lives. Puddle Jumpers aim to engage the community, to promote social inclusion and to encourage respect within our own communities for social diversity.
How lucky we are to be part of the SPSC community. How different our lives have been compared to those kids and teens we heard from in the documentaries produced by Puddle Jumpers. They were important stories to tell, and so important for us to hear. I am thrilled to see so many boys at SPSC now involved with this wonderful organisation and know that we will continue to do all we can to support these kids and this charity in the years to come.
Archie
Year 12 student
Here are some other student reflections of the Puddle Jumpers Breakfast event:
Attending the Puddle Jumper’s Breakfast opened my eyes to the significant trauma that countless children experience throughout our community due to a troubling upbringing. The viewing of the short film, ‘Where the Wildflowers Grow’ helped me to understand the strength of each child experiencing hardship, being able to flourish in all different environments. This inspired me to become more actively involved in the Puddle Jumpers Organisation, namely, volunteering at their annual Christmas Party to play my part in helping every wildflower thrive.
Lachie
Year 11 student
The Puddle Jumpers Breakfast opened my eyes to how privileged I am to be who I am today. The statistic that 1 in 10 infants are brought to the attention of Child Services was very confronting and allowed me to realise the amount of awareness and work needs to be done to help the situations of these children.
Oliver
Year 12 student
I was glad to witness the collaboration of so many people willing to help vulnerable children thrive in a social setting that was new to them and helping them find confidence and self-worth through new relationships, during the camps they set up. A positive was to witness the ever-growing awareness regarding the wellbeing of challenged parents through initiatives such as Thriving Families that helps build positive futures for the children involved.
Ben
Year 11 student
Attending the Puddle Jumpers Breakfast was an extremely eye-opening experience. When listening to individuals talk about their work, and watching the short film Where the Wildflowers Grow, I was struck by the positive impact that small acts of kindness can have on those in need. In particular, the film highlighted the pivotal role that service can play in ensuring that everyone has access to the same opportunities, regardless of their circumstances. Inspired by this experience, I am eager to work more closely with the Puddle Jumpers Organisation, perhaps by volunteering at the annual Christmas Party, which brings joy and hope to children during the holiday period.
Anirvan
Year 11 student
The Puddle Jumpers Breakfast was an eye-opening experience for me, that allowed me to learn about the struggles many young people my age deal with on a day-to-day basis. It reminded me just how fortunate we are to be part of such a supportive and caring community, as well as the importance of serving others who aren’t as fortunate as we are. Having attended this event, I now feel compelled to involve myself more in service and organisations such as Puddle Jumpers, who do life-changing work for those in need.
Damon
Year 11 student
Engaging with other stakeholders and community members, such as the CEO of Puddle Jumpers, Melanie Tate, I learnt about the struggles many children face in SA and how Puddle Jumpers tries to combat this through their multifaceted support system, including camps. The event’s theme was ‘Where the Wildflowers Grow’, demonstrating the positive impact we can all make. Even in the toughest times or hardships, with the right support, children can still thrive and grow to be unique, independent and powerful young people.
I am very appreciative of the opportunity to attend the breakfast and now look forward to putting our thoughts into action to make a difference ourselves.
Archie
Year 11 student
The Puddle Jumpers breakfast was a great experience which opened my eyes to different ways that people can give back to the community and can help the less privileged, especially as kids. Many different experiences were shared throughout the breakfast of both being a part of Puddle Jumpers, and helping out as a volunteer, which showed what a great opportunity and community that Puddle Jumpers is for any ages.
Charlie
Year 11 student
A special thank you to Archie (Year 12) who has volunteered with Puddle Jumpers for a number of years at their children’s holiday camps, and who was the inspiration for SPSC to attend this breakfast event. Thank you also to Head of MacDermott House Mr David De Lacy for organising SPSC students and staff to attend the breakfast, and Mr Tim Browning for joining us. We look forward to continuing to grow our partnership with Puddle Jumpers.
Ashleigh Day
Service Learning Coordinator