In the April school holidays, 26 school students who are blind or have low vision came to Vision Australia’s Sydney (Enfield) site to ‘Give Back and Get a Cookie!’
The initiative enabled the children (aged 5-17 years) to learn new skills while volunteering their time to support our vital work.
Enfield’s coordinator of volunteers led a team of wonderful volunteers to run three back-to back baking classes. With their help, the students followed recipes and baked some delicious Melting Moments with chocolate ganache centres.
The volunteering activity (Giving Back) was helping Vision Australia’s fundraising team to mail community and service clubs across the country, in the hope of raising approximately $30,000 for Seeing Eye Dogs Australia – nearly the full amount for a Seeing Eye Dog to be bred, trained and matched.
Over the course of four hours, the students (assisted by Children’s Services and Fundraising staff) diligently collated, folded, stuffed and sealed more than 1, 100 envelopes. To match up the address on the letter with the window in the envelope students used plastic folding templates to ensure the letters were folded “just right”, and met the strict standards set by the Quality Control Officer.
The students took a real pride in their work and they were determined to get the job done. They set themselves challenges to "fill this box", or "finish that pile" before they would leave to go and cook.
While the students were baking and working, parents were participating in an information session with two of Vision Australia’s Orientation and Mobility Specialists. The session demonstrated how to move through a space using your other senses and taught techniques to promote perceptual mobility (how to perceive the world around you and move within it). Parents also had the opportunity to practice how to assist or guide someone with dignity.
At the end of a terrific day the students were presented with Certificates of Appreciation for volunteering their time, along with recommendations they keep the certificates in their portfolios for future reference in resumes and other job hunting activities.
What the students said:
“This has been the best day of my life” (working, baking and taking the cookies home)
“I could do this all day”
“It’s quite soothing, once you get the hang of it”
Thank you
A big thank you to all the staff and volunteers who participated, supported, and enabled these students to obtain some cooking and work experience. It was a huge team effort. And, the work experience will hold them in good stead for the future when they start making decisions about their careers and working lives.