Community Connections - Sacred Heart Girls' College Oakleigh

Sacred Heart Girls’ College is committed to educating young women for life. Among our strengths is our sense of community, both within our College and in the broader community, through connections with arts, music and cultural organisations, sporting associations, industry, government and other schools. Our community connections enable us to live our faith, contribute to social justice and embrace intergenerational engagement locally and globally.

Our industry connections see our students participating in a range of STEM related activities and our Business Management students deep dive into advanced manufacturing through our immersion excursions at local industry organisations such as the Yakult factory in Dandenong.

We actively encourage our students to explore leadership and provide a connection to community leaders including our local Members of Parliament. We know that intergenerational engagement supports both the young and old, so our outreach programs with local organisations such as Oaklea Aged Care benefit both our students and older members of our community immensely.

We have many sporting connections including with local associations, and the Catholic Girls Sports Association of Victoria (CGSAV) and a partnership with Wheelchair Basketball who each year train our Year 11 students.

We understand that we exist in a plural society and fostering our students ability to relate within this society prepares them well for the world they will enter beyond secondary college. We broaden our students' networks and support them to navigate topics such as respectful relationships through our connection with Salesian College. The ability to collaborate while appreciating our similarities and differences is nurtured through our working partnerships such as our joint Arts Festival with Minaret College. Our connections with the Islamic Museum, Jewish Museum and Jewish Holocaust Centre ensure our students have an understanding and respect for history, an appreciation for humanity and are encouraged to contribute to a harmonious society that respects and values all.

Social justice takes many forms at Sacred Heart Girls’ College. It is the manifestation of our values, our faith and our hope for the future. Among many other organisations, we connect with Children First Foundation (facilitating life-changing and life-saving surgery for disadvantaged children from developing countries), Australian Catholic Religious Against Trafficking in Humans (ACRATH) and throughout each year we develop our learning by listening to refugee speakers, through Catholic Care.

Our faith practice and commitment to social justice, extends to include our staff who participate in bi-annual Mission & Ministry Liturgy and Retreats. Our staff hear from a range of organisations including St Vincent's Health; ACRATH; Calvary Care; Mackillop Family Services; Jesuit Social Services; Sr Brigid Arthur's Brigidine Asylum Seeker Project; Fareshare; St Joseph's South Yarra Outreach; Wear for Success; Sacred Heart Mission; Ozanam House; Aboriginal Catholic Ministry; and Caritas.

Hand in hand both locally and globally, our College's demonstration of living our faith is closely aligned with the RNDM sisters and their missions. Local connections to Rotary Club of Oakleigh, Clayton and Huntingdale help support our fund raising efforts for the Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions (RNDM).

Sr Madeline Barlow, a Sister of Our Lady of the Missions is a much loved and valued part of the pastoral team at Sacred Heart Girls’ College, supporting the Mission and Ministry team, keeping the College’s links to its Founding Sisters alive and holding the charism of the RNDMs in the College. Sr Madeline’s presence also links our College to the broader RNDM community in Melbourne and Perth. Five of the RNDM’s Australian Sisters are foundation pupils of the College. The sisters connect our College to the RNDMs' mission across the world - Peru, Bolivia, Canada, England, Ireland, Rome, Kenya, Senegal and South Sudan, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Taiwan and Philippines. The RNDM community considers our College as their “partners in mission”.

Other examples of the College’s social justice program includes our outreach programs to the Monash Oakleigh Community Support & Information Service (MOCSIS) where our students volunteer fortnightly. Our College Vinnies Group works on Project Compassion and closely with the Jordanville Vinnies Conference in fund raising and support for their local clients. The Vinnies Year 11 Sleepout connects our students with homeless people with visits by a Vinnies Soup Van, Vinnies volunteers, and people who have experienced homelessness. Four Year 9 students each year are appointed Friends Igniting Reconciliation through Education (FIRE) Carriers, charged with bringing awareness of reconciliation and justice for Aboriginal people in the College. Each year our students host a Community Conversation with Calvary Care where they prepare and serve food and refreshments and engage in lively conversation with Calvary Home Care clients who receive assistance at home due to illness or incapacity and are vulnerable due to loneliness.