VCE VM News
VCE VM Students Giving Back to the Community
Our Year 12 VCE VM students have been making a positive impact in the community through their recent volunteer work with the local Lions Club.
Throughout the month, students assisted with the setup and pack-up of the Lions Club’s weekly bingo nights, demonstrating outstanding commitment, teamwork and community spirit.
Through their efforts, students successfully raised $1000 to donate to the Lakes Entrance CFA, supporting fundraising efforts towards their new fire station.
As part of their Unit 3 studies, this project provided students with valuable opportunities to further develop their interpersonal skills, social awareness, teamwork and leadership capabilities, while also highlighting the importance of contributing to the wider community.
Following their fundraising efforts, the Year 12 VCE VM class visited the Lakes Entrance Fire Brigade to present their donation and learn more about the incredible work CFA volunteers do within our community.
A huge thank you to the Lakes Entrance Lions Club for providing our students with such a meaningful opportunity to give back, and to the Lakes Entrance CFA for welcoming our students and sharing their knowledge and experiences.
Below is a reflection from Year 12 VCE VM students Remi and Violet about their visit.
Student Reflection – Lakes Entrance CFA Visit
By Remi and Violet
On Monday 15th June, our Year 12 VM class had the opportunity to visit the local Lakes Entrance Fire Brigade. During our excursion, we met seven amazing volunteers: Phil, Ethan, Craig, Aaliyah, John, Chris and Bob, who generously shared their experiences and knowledge with us.
As part of one of our VM projects, we volunteered alongside the local Lions Club to help raise money for the CFA’s new fire station. During our visit, we were proud to present the brigade with the money we had raised. It was rewarding to see how our efforts as volunteers could make a positive contribution to our community.
Throughout the excursion, the brigade members spoke to us about the importance of volunteering and the many different roles involved within the CFA. We learnt about road accident rescue, where members respond to accidents using advanced rescue equipment that only a small number of brigades have access to. We also learnt about high and steep angle rescue, which involves rescuing people from difficult locations such as embankments and roadsides.
The volunteers explained the wide range of emergencies they respond to including structure fires, bushfires, grassfires and scrub fires, as well as how they work alongside other brigades locally and interstate during major fire events.
We also learnt about Fire Medical Response (FMR), where specially trained CFA members assist Ambulance Victoria with medical emergencies when ambulances may be unavailable or delayed. The Community Safety Team also plays an important role by educating communities about fire safety and supporting communities during bushfire season.
One of the biggest things we took away from the visit was the importance of teamwork. Every CFA member has different skills and responsibilities, and everyone works together to support each other during an incident.
During our tour, we were shown the different trucks, equipment and technology used for various emergencies. Many of us were surprised by how much specialised equipment and training is involved.
We also learnt that CFA members are volunteers, with many balancing their roles alongside full-time jobs and family commitments.
Phil spoke to us about the brigade’s upcoming recruitment evening and invited us to attend a training night to learn more about what the CFA does. It opened our eyes to future volunteering opportunities and different ways we can continue supporting our community.
Overall, our visit to the Lakes Entrance CFA was a valuable and enjoyable experience. It showed us the dedication, teamwork and commitment required within the CFA and reminded us of the importance of volunteering and giving back.
Thank you to the Lakes Entrance CFA for an informative and inspiring visit.
Miranda South
VCE VM Domain Leader & Teacher
Senior Sub School Leader Assistant
