Year 12 Sleep Out for a Cause

Matilda Dehne and Lana Tran, Year 12

On 20 June, Year 12 students had the opportunity to take part in Sleep Out for a Cause in support of 300 Blankets, our charity partner. 300 Blankets is a volunteer-run organisation dedicated to supporting people who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness in Victoria.

The event kicked off with Pickleball 300, organised by Mr Bustin, where Kilvington staff took turns playing pickleball with the aim of reaching 300 hours of playtime to raise funds for 300 Blankets.

Then we headed down to the Sports Centre carpark to set up our cardboard tents, and braced ourselves for a cold night ahead. For dinner, we had a soup style kitchen – thanks to Ms Bryce, Mrs O’Toole and the Food Tech students who volunteered to make it!

During the evening, we heard from three different speakers.

First was Harry Sanders, CEO of Studiohawk, who shared his lived experience of youth homelessness. We had the chance to ask him questions, and his answers gave us greater insight into the reality of youth homelessness. 

Next, Peter and Veronika, two volunteers from 300 blankets, organised various activities and games for us that simulated homelessness experiences, allowing us to gain a better understanding and awareness of the stereotypes and stigma around homelessness.  

The last speakers of the evening were Jesse and Josh who came and shared the ‘Power of Music. We discussed how community can be found within music, and ended the night with an impromptu group singalong, with Jesse even bringing out his saxophone and playing a student's guitar.

The group of students involved in the event made everyone feel included and comfortable enough to share their thoughts, which prompted more people to speak up. We had banter amongst the hard-hitting conversations, and even Mr Brinson’s dogs joined us for the fun!

We wrapped up the night with hot chocolate and cookies, but we ended up staying up past our bedtime. 

While the night was fun, we had one of the worst sleeps of our lives. We struggled to fit in the narrow cardboard tents, it was cold, and the motion-activated lights stayed on the entire night.  

Even though no one got a good night's sleep, this helped us empathise with the experiences of many homeless people who sleep in these conditions every night. 

We'd highly encourage all future Year 12s to take part in this event. Not only was it one of the most fun nights we’ve had, it was an enriching and educational experience. It deepened our understanding of homelessness, and also strengthening our collective bond.

Our thanks go out to our supervising teachers, Mr Brinson, Ms Locco, Ms Soler and Ms Valentine, as well as to Ms Goldenberg, who organised the event.  

It's not too late to donate - please follow this link to show your support.