Community Engagement Program

VM Students and All Abilities: Cooking for Community Engagement 

VM Students and All Abilities: Cooking for Community Engagement 

Commencing on 14th August and extending through the first week of September, a cohort of 11 VM PDS students actively participated in community engagement programs at local neighbourhood centres. 

Their primary goal was to foster a better understanding of community cohesion and become integral members of our community. These engagement activities included cooking sessions at the Epping Community Centre, catering to people of all ability groups.

 In this role, our students played a vital part by providing valuable assistance to Dani and her team, fulfilling a wide range of important culinary responsibilities. These duties included session setup, ingredient distribution, aiding participants in food preparation, and ensuring the orderly cleanup of the workspace following each session. 

This excursion offered our students valuable insights, particularly in understanding the social dynamics of collaborative cooking.

 Below, you'll find feedback and reflections shared by both students and program coordinators.

 Chloe Stevala, Jaslyn Nguyen, Selena Pucakoski, Stefani Papiri:

 On Monday the 14th of August, five year 11 students attended Epping Community Centre. The girls found this excursion very eye opening as they all enjoyed the social aspects of assisting with cooking their Cheesy broccoli pasta bake with individuals and their support workers. From the moment the students got there, the project leaders were nothing but kind and respectful. They started with a little tour then started setting up tables and chairs. After setting up, the leaders welcomed and introduced the five girls to everyone and that they would be assisting and helping the individual and their support worker to cook their famous Cheesy Broccoli pasta bake, the girls then began to get to know one another with some conversation and fun facts about broccoli to spark some conversation. Once everyone had gotten to know one another everyone jumped straight into cooking. I know they all agreed that by the time they were ready to eat they were confident that this was fun, and a beautiful experience and admitted they would be more than happy to do this again. They made food, friends but most of all had a good time. The girls are grateful to have this experience with the individuals and their support worker because it gave the girls a good chance to recognise that we should be grateful with how life is for us, and this opportunity was an eye-opening experience.

 Jake TSIGROS and Lana PACE: 

On Tuesday, the 21st of August, Jake, and I went to the Epping Community Centre at 12 PM wearing our ESC uniforms to represent our school. Our day began with an introduction to the group's organizer, Dani, who would be our supervisor for the day. She provided us with a detailed explanation of the day's activities and our expected responsibilities. Jake and I started by setting up the room before the participants arrived. This involved arranging multiple tables, chairs, gathering the ingredients for the cooking activity, and organizing all necessary materials. At around 12:30 PM, the caregivers and participants arrived, and we greeted everyone warmly. They made Jake and me feel very welcome, and we quickly became part of their team, experiencing a strong sense of belonging. After a brief introductory discussion, we were paired with someone for the cooking activity of the day, which was making a dessert - a hedgehog slice. Our partners were actively engaged, making our job easier as we guided them through the process. Once we successfully prepared the slice and placed it in the fridge for a 20–25-minute setting time, we proceeded to clean up our area by washing dishes, tidying the tables, and returning bowls and utensils to their designated places. When the hedgehog slice was ready, we all gathered to taste test it, and everyone was pleased with the delicious outcome. It was a beautiful day filled with a rewarding experience that Jake and I are grateful to have been a part of. We highly recommend this opportunity to anyone who gets the chance.

 James GICEVSKI, Ethem ARIFOSKI, Isabella RAZMOVSKA and Owen MUAREM: 

On Monday, 4th September, at 12 PM, we had an enjoyable cooking session at the Epping Community Centre. Dani, the event coordinator, greeted us warmly. Our task for the day was to create a scrumptious Biscoff cheesecake. We were paired up with fellow group members and lent a hand in preparing the cupcakes. It was a collaborative effort that we thoroughly enjoyed. Overall, it was a fantastic experience filled with teamwork, cooking joy, and sharing our creations. We're excited about the possibility of doing it again in the future.

 Dani Calcagno (Program coordinator): 

The students were very keen from the "get go", polite and most helpful from setting up, helping the participants, taking turns cooking and packing up. They paired up with a participant of which most already had a support care worker, sharing the role of helper and taking responsibility to aid in the cooking for themselves as well as for the participant. The group did not hesitate to ask for help when needed and worked extremely well independently. They were most respectful to each client’s needs and to the diversity of the cooking group. Thank you for a tremendous community engagement program. It has been a complete pleasure so far having mindful "youths" amidst our group.

Connecting Generations: VM Students' Community Engagement program 

At Thomastown's Community Activity Centre, VM students had the opportunity to interact with seniors and staff to gain insights into intergenerational connections and better comprehend their life experiences and the challenges they face. Our day began at 10:00 am with a casual breakfast featuring sliced oranges and Tim Tams, accompanied by a choice of tea or coffee. During this morning gathering at tables, we had wonderful conversations with the seniors, where we talked about our school experiences and aspirations, and in return, they shared their valuable life insights, stories, and advice. These interactions created a beautiful bond between us, showcasing the power of intergenerational connections.

 After breakfast, we gathered in another room where we formed a circle of chairs with an instructor in the centre. As background music played, we engaged in mobility exercises, including movements for the legs, arms, and shoulders, which lasted about 15 minutes. Afterward, we enjoyed singing along to beloved 60s songs that resonated with the older generation, like 'Country Road.

 To wrap up the day, we enjoyed a recreational game that featured two connected tables, each measuring 2 meters in length. Positioned at one end of the tables, we had the task of tossing 6 balls into small doorways, each marked with a numerical score. These doors were distributed across the table, ranging from 1 to 10, and were strategically placed with both high and low scores close to each other. This setup challenged players to aim precisely to achieve high scores, as inaccurate throws would result in lower points.

 Spending time at this community centre provided us with a valuable opportunity to recognize the inevitability of aging and the importance of community. We expressed our heartfelt appreciation to our VM PDS teacher Mrs Chahal and Thomastown Program coordinators, Gavan Leonard, Diana Sterjovska, and Jagoda Koteska, for facilitating this wonderful opportunity to connect with the seniors. We cherished our moments with both the residents and staff members who were incredibly warm, friendly, and inspiring individuals, motivating us to make the most of our lives. Our time spent with them was truly enjoyable and enriching. 

By: Youseph ALSALAMAH, Bom SUTHAM, Paul DIMAKIS, Lukas PARIC and Amir CHERAGH

Exploring the Lalor Library: VM students’ day of learning and connection 

On August 21st, five Year 11 VM students went on an excursion to Lalor Library to gain insights into its operations. We started our day by familiarizing ourselves with the general library tasks. Lochie and Kate, the library staff, did an excellent job guiding us through the library and demonstrating how to find and return books. They took us on a tour, showcasing books for all age groups, including young children and adults, as well as books in different languages. They also highlighted the availability of old CDs for borrowing and showed us how to organize books on the shelves. We had the opportunity to put some books away ourselves. During our visit, Lochie and Kate generously shared their personal career journeys, providing valuable insights into how they arrived at their current roles in the library profession. Lochie discussed the various career paths within the library field and shared with us the significance and his experiences of male engagement in community-oriented work. 

At the end of the day, we participated in a 2 pm session called the English Conversation Café and Tech Help, specifically tailored for non-native individuals seeking employment opportunities. We joined a table with people from diverse cultural backgrounds, introduced ourselves by sharing our names, discussed our weekly experiences, talked about our backgrounds and cultures, and shared our hobbies. We also engaged in fun games where we had to come up with a place, object, and a person's name, all starting with a given letter.

 We had a great time on our library excursion, and we signed up as library members. We'd like to express our gratitude to our VM PDS teacher Mrs Chahal and the Lalor library staff, including Sarah Schmidt, Lochie, and Kate Ferguson, for arranging this informative library tour and providing us with the opportunity to participate in library activities. The English café is a fantastic initiative by the library, aimed at assisting non-native speakers with their English skills and job prospects. It was an enjoyable experience, and we look forward to visiting the library during our free time to further engage with the community. 

By: Cyrus ANTONIOU, Diesel BORG, Brady FAURE, John LIAPIS and Aaron FISHER

Harman Chahal

VM PDS and Numeracy Teacher