About Us
The St. Bernard’s College Social Justice Network (SBCSJN) is a parent group at St. Bernard’s College, Essendon, established in May 2012. The network is made up of parents who believe that to encourage and facilitate their own son’s interest and involvement in social justice, they must also seek to actively participate, offer and characterise themselves as role models.
As a Catholic school in the Edmund Rice Tradition, we are committed to justice and peace for all, grounded in a spirituality of action and reflection that calls us to stand in solidarity with those who are marginalised and the Earth itself. Social justice as a goal, but also as a process, is everywhere. As parents, we recognise that the gospel duty and relevance of helping others is one of the most important reasons for sending our boys to this school.
The Network believes that this message of the significance of parental involvement requires the support of those already notably immersed, working and active in the social justice community and who we believe could potentially impact the most with parents.
To this end, we hold an annual information evening/event for the community. The series was launched in 2013 with a Q&A panel “How Can I Foster Social Justice Values In My Son?” with Francis Leach, Moira Kelly and Brigid Arthur amongst other excellent panelists.
This was followed by, “Walk A Mile In My Shoes, An Insight Into Homelessness.” The format was a conversation with experts. The most compelling insight from the evening was from Tony Nicholson, CEO of the Brotherhood of St Laurence. He told us that stopping domestic violence would put an end to most homelessness and that the best thing we could do as a college was to teach our boys to handle conflict and promote positive relationships.
That inspired us for the next year’s event “Raising Our Boys To Be Good Men.” With Patrick McGorry as one of the speakers on a Pecha-Kucha style panel, we filled the school auditorium (400+) and were overwhelmed with positive feedback from the community.
In 2016 we turned to comedy for "It's OK to Be Different. A Great Comedy Debate on Diversity." Once again, it was a thought provoking night with powerful messages delivered from both sides. In 2017 we revisited the 2015 them with "Raising Our Boys To Be Good Men 2" with all of the speakers being St Bernard's Old Collegians. Last year's event No Place Like Home celebrated refugee journeys in Australia. These events are well received by the St Bernard's community and central to the groups mission.
VOLUNTEERING
The SBCSJN run a roster of volunteers for the St Vinnies Soup Van on Tuesday nights. The roster is now full but please feel free to express interest in helping when an opening becomes available.
In 2017 the group formed a partnership with the Brigidine Asylum Seek Project to support BASP by promoting the organisation to the SBC Community and providing information to those who are interested in volunteering.
As a Catholic school in the Edmund Rice Tradition, we are committed to justice and peace for all, grounded in a spirituality of action and reflection that calls us to stand in solidarity with those who are marginalised and the Earth itself. Social justice as a goal, but also as a process, is everywhere. As parents, we recognise that the gospel duty and relevance of helping others is one of the most important reasons for sending our boys to this school.
The Network believes that this message of the significance of parental involvement requires the support of those already notably immersed, working and active in the social justice community and who we believe could potentially impact the most with parents.
To this end, we hold an annual information evening/event for the community. The series was launched in 2013 with a Q&A panel “How Can I Foster Social Justice Values In My Son?” with Francis Leach, Moira Kelly and Brigid Arthur amongst other excellent panelists.
This was followed by, “Walk A Mile In My Shoes, An Insight Into Homelessness.” The format was a conversation with experts. The most compelling insight from the evening was from Tony Nicholson, CEO of the Brotherhood of St Laurence. He told us that stopping domestic violence would put an end to most homelessness and that the best thing we could do as a college was to teach our boys to handle conflict and promote positive relationships.
That inspired us for the next year’s event “Raising Our Boys To Be Good Men.” With Patrick McGorry as one of the speakers on a Pecha-Kucha style panel, we filled the school auditorium (400+) and were overwhelmed with positive feedback from the community.
In 2016 we turned to comedy for "It's OK to Be Different. A Great Comedy Debate on Diversity." Once again, it was a thought provoking night with powerful messages delivered from both sides. In 2017 we revisited the 2015 them with "Raising Our Boys To Be Good Men 2" with all of the speakers being St Bernard's Old Collegians. Last year's event No Place Like Home celebrated refugee journeys in Australia. These events are well received by the St Bernard's community and central to the groups mission.
VOLUNTEERING
The SBCSJN run a roster of volunteers for the St Vinnies Soup Van on Tuesday nights. The roster is now full but please feel free to express interest in helping when an opening becomes available.
In 2017 the group formed a partnership with the Brigidine Asylum Seek Project to support BASP by promoting the organisation to the SBC Community and providing information to those who are interested in volunteering.