Hawke's Bay school students give back to community for Servant Leadership Day

Iona College Year 13 student Caitlin O'Haga (front left) mucks in at the Leg-Up Trust in Hastings as part of a Servant Leadership Day. Photo / Duncan Brown

Giving back to the local community was the aim of an annual student-led event last Friday.

Year 13 students from Iona College, Woodford House and Lindisfarne College helped schools, community groups and other facilities during Servant Leadership Day.

Iona College deputy principal David Trousdell said the event, which was created by Lindisfarne College almost a decade ago, was a good way for senior students to help out.

"The three schools are hopeful that each organisation and all students will benefit from the work, engagement and experience."

"The event is so important because of the scale of community benefit as a result of the positive contributions from so many students. Often the physical work alleviates backlogs or burdens for organisations which rely on volunteers. Otherwise, students connect with people who are marginalised and disadvantaged, brightening their day and contributing to feelings of connectedness and community belonging.

"Students themselves benefit from developing leadership skills and by serving others. They are exposed to organisations which serve others and are motivated to do more themselves, especially within the Hawke's Bay community. Students grow by experiencing the different lives that others live."

Prefects from each school organised 150 Year 13 students into 11 groups to help at different places in the district for the entire school day.

About 15 students spent the day at the Leg-up Trust in Hastings, stacking firewood, mucking out paddocks, weeding, grooming and walking horses, and cleaning rooms among other things.

Leg-Up Trust founder Ros Rowe said they were very enthusiastic and "got through an awful lot of work".

"We just love to see young people who are perhaps a little more privileged than the children we work with giving up their time, effort and energy for these kids who may not be as fortunate."

It is not the first time they had students helping and Rowe said it was "always a successful day".

"I want to thank them for doing it so cheerfully. They were having fun but they were getting on with the job."

Lindisfarne College deputy rector Campbell Howlett said it was a valuable day for the students.

"It is about giving back to the community but it's also about grounding the students in how the community operates and we have a whole spectrum of people within our community."

"The students get a huge amount out of it as well."

The activities and organisations were quite diverse; including environmental initiatives with DoC, the Lowe Corporation and the HBRC; engagement with residential facilities and schools for people who have intellectual disabilities; musical performances and engagement at rest homes; work to improve facilities in schools, charitable organisations and surf lifesaving clubs, and contributions to organisations providing meals for disadvantaged communities.