COMMUNITY PROJECT

Community Project

To complete your 3 credits to go towards your Service Band, you must complete one activity. There is no time frame for this activity -  6 weeks or a Term, all timeframes are acceptable. Work to your own schedule to complete the task.  All work must be to a high personal standard. A plan must be submitted and a diary to record your progress and outcomes.

A community based project is identifying a need around our school or the community that you would like to make a difference to or change for the better. This project can be done in pairs or on your own. It is up to you to come up with an idea you would like to do. See Mrs W.

Olivia Sharpe's love of knitting is keeping the noggins of Taranaki newborns warm. Whether it's in front of the tube, on the bus or just in her spare time, the 13-year-old Highlands Intermediate pupil keeps her needles clicking. As part of her Services and Duties school badge she's donated 65 colourful handmade hats to the maternity ward at Taranaki Base Hospital. "The newborn babies that I've given them to, I'd like to see a couple of hats being worn around town. It would be really cool to see," she said. "My favourite is the red and purple ones." Olivia began stitching up the hats in August last year.  "I had an interest in knitting, which has made me want to do a service to the community." Her mother would get her started on each hat by knitting the band, then Olivia would take over. "I can knit in a short amount of time if I'm watching something. If I'm in a room by myself and it's silent, it feels like it's taking a long time." Each hat takes about a day to make, and even though she's finished her school badge she wants to continue her project for the babies. Highlands principal Mark Luff, who was previously principal at Vogeltown School, has known Olivia since she was five. He said her latest project is outstanding and describes her as a community-minded young lady. "She's this kid who does so much for the community. Here's a kid who works really hard and does the very best she can all the time and this just kind of epitomises who she is," he said.

Some other examples of community projects are below.

Trying to get signage to reduce the Speed of  traffic going past our school to reduce the risk of accidents

Litterless lunches

Playground  - Investigate and plan how we could make our playgrounds even better! E.g. items to practice Police Competency Challenge

Orchard or a garden project - something else environmental

Collect food, warm clothing, toys, or personal care items for the someone/people in need.

Organise a garage sale or book sale etc, donate money to a worthy cause. e.g. Little Fighters Trust

Find a way to promote walking or biking to school to promote exercise to and from school and reduce traffic outside school.

Find out what ways you could help at an home for the elderly, e.g. visiting, playing games, taking along pets etc.