Mini Vinnies
Helping Year 5 and 6 students to become compassionate leaders in their community.
About Our Mini Vinnies Social Justice Groups
At St Vincent de Paul QLD, we run Mini Vinnies social justice groups which are made up of primary school students and teachers, who meet to discuss and raise awareness of social justice issues. Together, they organise ways to help others in need in their school community and beyond.
Mini Vinnies is a great introduction to the St Vincent de Paul Society ethos of compassion, empathy, and helping those in need. The groups also give students an opportunity to help, grow, and develop leadership skills by taking part in coordinating volunteer-driven projects, events and initiatives to best serve the needs of their community.
Mini Vinnies is underpinned by our values, mission and our call to put faith into action.
Who is Eligible?
Mini Vinnies groups are largely facilitated by schools and their teachers, and the Vinnies Youth team are always here to offer you additional support. We can visit your school to:
- run a workshop,
- talk to students about social justice issues in their community; or
- support your school with your Vinnies Winter or Christmas Appeals.
Mini Vinnies also works alongside the Young Ozanam Leaders Program. You can learn more about this program below.
About Mini Vinnies and the Young Ozanam Leaders Program
The Young Ozanam Leaders Program is a leadership program for primary school students in Years 5 and 6 and can work alongside with your Mini Vinnies program. It is a skill and value-based initiative of Vinnies Youth and encourages students to become compassionate servant leaders for their community.
The program runs across the school year and includes:
- Term 1 – students connect and build relationships.
- Terms 2 and 3 – students develop their leadership skills through activities on values, privilege, personality types and leadership styles.
- Term 4 – students coordinate their own community advocacy and participation activities.
How to Get Started?
To learn more about our Mini Vinnies groups or Young Ozanam Leaders Program and for help getting started, reach out to the Vinnies Youth team below.
If your school already has a group, please let us know here how we can continue to support your group.