Could your school’s unused furniture change another classroom?
As principals, you see firsthand just how much the right environment and resources can influence a student’s education.
But when your school upgrades classrooms, replaces furniture or has desks and chairs it simply no longer needs, there’s often another question:
Where does it all go? That’s where Pacific Assist can help. A simple idea that grew into something much bigger Pacific Assist began with a simple idea: finding a new home for quality school furniture that was no longer needed and getting it into classrooms across the Pacific.
What started with Furniture for Schools has grown into Pacific Assist, an organisation supporting Pacific communities through education and other initiatives. Its work with school furniture continues to have an incredible reach. Since 2014, Pacific Assist has sent more than 200 shipping containers to islands including Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Kiribati and this is where the APF community can help.
Could something your school no longer needs be valuable somewhere else?
If your school is refurbishing classrooms or replacing desks and chairs, rather than disposing of quality furniture, it could potentially be donated through Pacific Assist and given a completely new life.
It's a practical opportunity to reduce waste while supporting other school communities.
Pacific Assist works with primary and secondary schools to coordinate the donation and shipping of quality second-hand desks and chairs. Shipping costs are met by sponsors, although donations towards those costs are also welcomed.
There are a few simple ways to get involved:
- Donate surplus school furniture such as quality desks and chairs that are no longer required.
- Partner with another school if you don't have enough furniture for a full container.
- Spread the word amongst other principals and schools in your network.
Start the conversation with Pacific Assist if you're planning an upcoming refurbishment or furniture replacement.
For Australian schools, approximately 240 double desks and 480 chairs makes up a container load. Schools with smaller quantities can explore partnering with other local schools or delivering furniture to a nominated container site. [pacificassist.org]
One school's surplus could be another school's opportunity. It’s such a simple concept.
Something that has reached the end of its useful life at your school may have years of life left in it somewhere else. So the next time you're walking past a storeroom full of unused desks, planning a classroom refurbishment or discussing what to do with old furniture, perhaps ask one more question:
Could Pacific Assist find a new home for this?
Every school that gets involved can play a part.
Want to get involved?
If your school has furniture available or you'd simply like to find out more, get in touch:
Richard McLean 0419 317 356 Richard@pacificassist.org.
You can also learn more through the Pacific Assist website.
Your school may no longer need it. Another classroom might.