Students at Court Grammar gave back last Friday night when more than 40 year 10, 11 and 12 students rugged up against the winter weather to raise funds for homeless youth at the Anglicare WA Sleepout.
Braving the cold at Optus Stadium, three members of staff supervised the students as they prepared for a night of sleeping on cardboard with a series of experiences to simulate the experience of sleeping rough.
“It’s not just about being outside and sleeping rough,” Deputy Principal Mike Jenzen said.
“On the night there are simulations put up all around the stadium – they go to a soup kitchen to get their dinner for the night, they go to Centrelink, they sleep on a piece of cardboard – it’s to try to put themselves in the shoes of those other young people.
“It’s pretty important for us to develop our service program for our older kids, it helps them to become better people.
“We’re a big believer in building relationships. As they become young adults, they begin to realise life isn’t all about them, it’s about what you can give.
“They seem to have really connected with that message.
“The kids all fundraised this term and last term with sausage sizzles and cake stalls for the school, they also fundraised individually.
“We raised over $13,300, and the event raised over $150,000.”
Funds raised for the Anglicare WA Sleepout go towards Anglicare’s Street Connect program, a daily outreach service that aims to make connections with marginalised young people and engage them in positive life changes.
