Service is an importance element of what it means to be a Wellingtonian, and one particular aspect of the service programme is Community Service. Wednesday afternoons are the most common time of the week for pupils to undertake Community Service placements, with the upper school the most heavily involved group.
We actively engage with the local community who, in addition to the Wednesday afternoon programme, have been invited to join Wellington pupils on Summer Service Days. In the past couple of years these events have included “The Great Wellington Tea Service” and “The Wellington Wellness Games”, where local residents have exchanged ideas, undertaking sporting and artistic activities and become involved in a cake competition all supported and facilitated by our pupils. A flavour of our community service programme is given below.
Wednesday Afternoon Community Service
The Wednesday Afternoon Community
Service Programme runs throughout the year for the fifth and lower sixth forms.
Pupils choose the activities they would most like to undertake from a wide
range on offer, or are encouraged to suggest their own ideas to the service
team. Most recently the range of activities on offer included helping in local
primary schools; visiting residential homes for the elderly and vulnerable;
working in partnership with local Councils and Churches; working with
non-profit organisations locally, nationally and internationally; and managing
conservation of the local SSSI.
Social Apprentice Programme
We are particularly proud of the
Social Apprentice Programme which is divided into Junior and Senior levels.
Junior Social Apprentice is open to third and fourth form pupils and helps to
deliver leadership and planning skills whilst stretching pupils on an emotional
and physical level.
This year sees the Junior Social
Apprentice Programme being involved with The Umzingisi School, Port Elizabeth,
South Africa; conservation and working with local schools in Spain; working
with the Eden Project, Cornwall; helping the environment with the Outward Bound Trust in
Scotland; and art, drama and sports coaching and teaching in local schools.
Senior
Social Apprentice involves pupils researching and creating their own projects,
following their own passions. Recent groups have created a new garden for those
with life limiting illnesses, built a classroom for a school in Africa, and
provided fun, educational materials for orphans in Cameroon. This exciting area
of the service programme is truly pupil driven, providing many lessons in group
work and project management whilst delivering impressive projects.