School Engagements

Our Street Retreats are a meaningful way for your students to learn about homelessness and poverty. Street Retreats are a collaborative initiative between Vinnies and your school, and we work with you to help meet the needs and learning outcomes of your students.  

Our Street Retreats are an immersive experience for students, and the goal is for them to build empathy and ‘walk in the shoes’ of people and families experiencing homelessness.  

Suited To: This program is offered to students in Years 9 to 12.  

Our School Sleepouts help students advocate and raise awareness for people in their community who are experiencing homelessness. School Sleepouts give students the opportunity to experience what it might be like to ‘sleep rough’ for an evening.  

The sleepouts are designed so that your school can host and run its own event. Our Vinnies Youth team are also available to support your sleepout by running a workshop or giving a presentation to students about homelessness.  

Suited To: The suitability for this program is at your schools’ discretion. 

Our Social Justice Workshops give students an interactive presentation about issues facing their local community. These workshops link to Catholic Social Teaching – they can be embedded into your classroom workshops to best meet your teaching and learning needs.  

These workshops are designed for both primary and secondary students, and can focus on homelessness, poverty, sustainable fashion, asylum seekers and refugees, volunteering, advocacy and social inclusion. Most workshops are a minimum 60 minutes in duration, but we are flexible with our delivery to meet your school’s needs.  

Suited To: This program is offered to students in Year 3 and above.  

Our Sustainable Fashion program is a way to support your local community by giving back to your local Vinnies op-shop and hosting a ‘Dressed by Vinnies’ event. These events raise awareness about people in need in your community and give students a way to truly make a difference.  

There are several ways you can host a Dressed by Vinnies event: 

• hold a Dressed by Vinnies-themed free dress day at school, 
• host a St Vincent de Formal, wearing formal wear found at your local Vinnies op-shop,  
• host a Fashion Parade and invite a member of the Vinnies Youth team along, 
• organise your local Vinnies Youth team member to run an interactive workshop on sustainable fashion, 
• ask your local Vinnies Youth team to help run a pop-up op shop in your school.  

Suited To: This program is offered to students in all Years and Grades.  

Our Student Service-Learning Opportunities give your schools a chance to visit one of our Vinnies warehouse and retail facilities. These visits give students a behind-the-scenes look at what happens to the donations we receive from the community.  

During these visits, students get to meet our dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers - they make what we do possible and volunteer their own time to help us in our warehouses and retail spaces (op-shops).   

Suited To: This program is offered to students 16 years or older.  

Our Youth Roadshow reaches schools across regional Queensland who may not always receive the same opportunities as those schools located closer to the major cities and towns. Our roadshows are scheduled throughout the year and we visit schools during a nominated week.  

Your school can select either a morning or afternoon session, which runs for up to 2 hours. Our Youth Roadshows are themed on social justice and community engagement, and are very interactive. 

Suited To: This program is suited to primary school students across Grades 4, 5, and 6.  

Our Secondary School Conferences give students the chance to become advocates at school and in their local community, by putting their faith into action.  

Conference groups meet regularly to discuss, and raise awareness about, social justice issues like homelessness and poverty, and organise ways to help people in need in their school community and beyond.  

These groups are a great introduction into the St Vincent de Paul Society, helping students to develop their leadership skills, coordinate volunteer-driven projects, and share their passion for bringing awareness to social justice issues affecting their community.  

Suited To: Groups are made up of committed teachers and students, ranging from Year 7 to Year 12. 

Our Teacher Service-Learning program gives teachers, and other school faculty staff, the opportunity to provide a solid grounding to students in understanding the complexities around homelessness. It also focuses on other social justices linked to people experiencing homelessness including poverty and multiculturalism.  

Our teacher service-learning opportunities are underpinned by our Vincentian charism, values, mission, and vision, and call to put faith into action.  

Suited To: Teachers and faculty staff of all Year levels.  

To learn more about our School Engagement Program and to get help getting started, reach out to the Vinnies Youth team.