Social justice reflection oral speech
I have always personally cherished how blessed everyone in our community is to go to such an amazing school and be open to so many opportunities. In our society it is so easy to take living every day for granted. This year has personally been incredibly rocky in all aspects, and I have found my strength by knowing that our lives can be so much more than for only ourselves. Our lives are an opportunity in themselves to impact others, assist, serve, and make someone else’s life a little bit fuller, easier or happier. Although I felt passionately about helping slavery and human trafficking, when the task was first received, there was not extended information available for human trafficking or how to help. Therefore when the class saw the video “can I borrow your bucket” on Facebook, we all grew passionate towards the idea of making a real difference.
Our whole class vote to decide on our issue made clear the two main topics of interest were human trafficking and homelessness. The class was torn in two, however after consideration slowly the class begun to cross sides to homelessness. Homelessness was both a worthy cause and realistic option within our time frame and resources. Homelessness itself is devastatingly high within Australia. Anything our class can do to aid the issue is a step forward, even if small. Australian’s are so aware about the harm, misfortune and devastating injustice arising overseas that they are blinded from the injustice in their own country. Until last year I myself had no idea how severe homelessness is within Australia. That’s why I thought it was so important to raise awareness and make a contribution towards homelessness in the community.
Homelessness is an injustice to human rights. No human being should be living on the streets, with constant insecurity. Work needs to be done, to give these people a chance of making their lives count, get out of the streets and being earning their way of living. Opportunities need to be invested, give these people a real chance of life.
I am personally a fairly active person, and I communicate well with teachers and students. Therefore I combined these three attributes and came up with facilitating a dodgeball match between teachers and students. Encouraging students to join by personally walking around at lunch time, getting names for the sign - up sheet and their payment (gold coin donations). The same for teachers, personally communicating and asking them to sign up for the cause. Signs were also made, to advertise around school. Partnered with a notification in both the students and teacher notices and a banner on eGrace to reach optimal student body thanks to other members of the class and our teacher.
Doing research on this topic, looking at the statistics and relevance of the issue really made it clear how severe homelessness effects Australia. Australian society is fully aware of issues in overseas countries, however are embarrassingly oblivious to the issue within Australia.

Goals
Way/s to evaluate outcome/s
Raise money via the dodgeball game
Raise awareness by discussing the issue with people at the dodgeball game.
Make a difference by personally buying resources with money raised.

Record names of students and teachers signing up – tick off names as they walk in door to record successfulness.
Evaluate activeness of game, ensure everyone is comfortable and being involved.
Steps of your plan
The Details
Timeframe/ Date of completion
Make most effective date and time for game.
Start of term; discuss with Mr. Reck any other sport events on, year level sport days and his recommendation on when the most convenient time for students will be.
1 week to confirm – 08/10/2014
Initialise system of game: rules etc
Discuss with group, create a base of rules and guide on how to run the event. Including costs, advertising, recruitment, teams, functioning of game etc.
Clear base by 14th October, 2014.
Gather names and