The annual Justice Matters Camp for Sandhurst secondary students was held in Beechworth earlier this month. The camp aims to inspire students to become agents of change locally, nationally and globally, by raising awareness amongst students of social justice issues and fostering advocacy and promoting action for justice. Students also had the opportunity to further understand their relationship with God, with themselves and with others, as well as make new like-minded friends.
Marian College students share their experience of the camp.
We would like to thank everyone for their enthusiasm and participation over the past three days. Also, a big shout out to Catholic Education Sandhurst and Caritas Australia for holding this amazing camp over the years.
Upon arrival at the camp, it was strange to be surrounded by so many unfamiliar faces. Then, through our ice-breakers and introduction activities, we came to learn others’ names, schools and the space upon which we would stay.
Through the musical band activity, we were given an insight to the other schools’ personalities and where they fit within a metaphorical band. We were the backstage crew, a fitting position for a smaller school, though an equally important role.
We were shown a presentation of ‘Just Images’ which gave us a taste for what was to come. Following that, our facilitator, Romina shared her story ─ a touching and insightful view from Caritas Australia’s Social and Ecological Justice Animator who inspired us to look at what problems the world is calling us to be part of solving. Thank you, Romina, for being a part of this camp experience. We ended the night considering our values, our people, our places, our language, and our culture; before losing our values and language and realising how this impacts all the areas of our lives. This simulation activity gave us the perspective of our First Nations people and made us consider the impacts of invasion.
Day 2 saw us participate in several workshops focusing on an area of interest, furthering our knowledge of social justice issues. It was eye-opening having others share their passions which further drove our own. Some truly astonishing facts we learnt are that worldwide food wastage currently equates to 7 billion dollars; many refugees are still held in prison-like detention centres; and, that even small groups can make big changes environmentally.
Next up was the Amazing Race, where CCW snagged the win with FCJ close behind. Not only was it nice to explore the beautiful town of Beechworth but, more importantly, it was also a good practice in finding and purchasing ethical items in town. With a little effort we can all make better choices and work towards change.
To conclude the day we watched the movie, ‘The Merger’, an enlightening tale of Australia’s multiculturalism, which posed the question of whether we, as a society, are truly egalitarian and inclusive. It taught us the values of learning about others and coming together to work with others for a better future.
Today we have taken all the knowledge we gained and used it to plan and help better our schools, homes and personal lives. It is now time for action, to put our knowledge and ideas into deeds FOR OUR FUTURE.