Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese REPORT
19 Apr 2012
Over the past several months, 200 students from Catholic high schools across the Sydney Archdiocese have trained to be the eyes and ears of their schools and communities as well as the city's future leaders.
An initiative of the Sydney Alliance, the two day leadership building courses were specially tailored for the senior high school students by the Archdiocese of Sydney's Justice and Peace Office in conjunction with the Catholic Education Office (CEO).
These unique introductory leadership training sessions have involved students from 24 Catholic high schools, and included students from Caringbah's De La Salle College, Aquinas College at Menai, Ryde's Holy Cross College, Domremy College at Five Dock, St Claire's Waverley and St Mary's Cathedral College.
Fifty students took part the first of the courses held last year, with a further 150 participating in the courses in February and March this year.
"The courses have been a tremendous success and the feed-back we received has been extremely encouraging," says Chantelle Ogilvie-Ellis, Justice and Peace Promoter for the Archdiocese of Sydney and the Archdiocese's representatives on the Sydney Alliance Action Council.
Chantelle adds that each of the participants in the leadership training courses is now receiving individual support and mentoring.
Training in community leadership is a key feature of the Sydney Alliance as a way to bring communities, schools and groups together and for their voices to be heard in shaping the future and the type of city in which they live.
A non-political citizens' coalition, the Sydney Alliance was established in a bid to create a safer, better, more inclusive, equitable and sustainable city. Made up of more than 50 partnerships between organisations, religions, communities, educators, universities, schools and unions as well as ethnic and cultural groups, the Alliance is committed to working for the common good.
Although the Alliance was officially launched in September last year with an inaugural assembly at Sydney's Town Hall attended by more than 2000, a dedicated team had spent almost four years planning the agenda, details and vision for this unique venture.
The initial meeting of a loose group of partner organisations who were keen to create the Alliance and give Sydney's citizens a voice, was held at the Archdiocese of Sydney's Polding Centre in 2008.
"Everyone there contributed ideas and what came up again and again was that we must work for the common good, that we must respect the dignity of the human person and that we must join together in solidarity," recalls Dr Steven Lovell Jones, Associate Professor and Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at the University of Notre Dame, and member of the Sydney Alliance Board as well as being Cardinal Pell's representative on the Sydney Alliance Leaders' Council.
Several years of meticulous research, "listening campaigns" and planning followed.
Today, just seven months after its public launch, the Sydney Alliance has more than 500,000 members from 54-plus participating groups and organisations.
Already the Alliance has trained more than 1300 adults from communities, unions and religious groups and organisations in civic participation, leadership and relationship building. This is in addition to leadership training undertaken by the 200 students from Sydney's Catholic high schools.
"By giving people the organisational tools and skills, they can help their communities or schools tackle issues that concern them and make a difference," Chantelle says.
In addition to helping tailor the courses for students at Catholic high schools, Chantelle has been part of the Alliance "listening" campaigns over the past two years, uncovering issues of concern among the city's many diverse communities as well as issues that affect us all no matter what our age or walk of life.
"One listening campaign I was involved with canvassed 18 different schools and by taking teachers out of the mix, we encouraged students to talk freely. What amazed us is how switched on they are. Two of the issues of concern for many were job security for their parents, and the lack of bulk billing at medical clinics," says Chantelle.
At another recent "listening" campaign at St Brigid's Parish, Marrickville, she says racial and ethnic stereotyping by the media and the police was another major issue for many young people.
"One young woman of Pacific Islander descent told me that when she went out with her brothers and sisters, people automatically assumed they were part of a gang," she says.
The Sydney Alliance intends to use its wide-ranging "listening" campaigns to learn about the concerns everyday Sydneysiders, and then take action. Among the issues the Alliance is expected to tackle over the coming year include public transport, access to quality health care, social inclusion. Other issues of concern such as bullying, aged care, unemployment, homelessness, domestic violence, gambling and the city's often crumbling infrastructure are likely to be part of the Alliance's future action agenda.
The first series of "listening" campaigns which began just over two years ago are now almost complete and the Alliance will shortly present a detailed agenda over this and coming years. The agenda announced for 2012 will also signal the beginning of negotiations between the Alliance and the city's decision makers at both a local, state and federal level.
"Being part of the Alliance and helping forge a future for Sydney and the common good is very exciting, and this is just the start," Chantelle says.
To find out about the Alliance, its training sessions and how you can become involved, log on to www.sydneyalliance.org.au
19 Apr 2012
Students from Mary MacKillop College Wakely participated
in the Alliance leadership training course
in the Alliance leadership training course
An initiative of the Sydney Alliance, the two day leadership building courses were specially tailored for the senior high school students by the Archdiocese of Sydney's Justice and Peace Office in conjunction with the Catholic Education Office (CEO).
These unique introductory leadership training sessions have involved students from 24 Catholic high schools, and included students from Caringbah's De La Salle College, Aquinas College at Menai, Ryde's Holy Cross College, Domremy College at Five Dock, St Claire's Waverley and St Mary's Cathedral College.
Fifty students took part the first of the courses held last year, with a further 150 participating in the courses in February and March this year.
"The courses have been a tremendous success and the feed-back we received has been extremely encouraging," says Chantelle Ogilvie-Ellis, Justice and Peace Promoter for the Archdiocese of Sydney and the Archdiocese's representatives on the Sydney Alliance Action Council.
Chantelle adds that each of the participants in the leadership training courses is now receiving individual support and mentoring.
Training in community leadership is a key feature of the Sydney Alliance as a way to bring communities, schools and groups together and for their voices to be heard in shaping the future and the type of city in which they live.
Chantelle Ogilvie-Ellis, Justice and
Peace Promoter and member of
the Sydney Alliance Action Council
Peace Promoter and member of
the Sydney Alliance Action Council
Although the Alliance was officially launched in September last year with an inaugural assembly at Sydney's Town Hall attended by more than 2000, a dedicated team had spent almost four years planning the agenda, details and vision for this unique venture.
The initial meeting of a loose group of partner organisations who were keen to create the Alliance and give Sydney's citizens a voice, was held at the Archdiocese of Sydney's Polding Centre in 2008.
"Everyone there contributed ideas and what came up again and again was that we must work for the common good, that we must respect the dignity of the human person and that we must join together in solidarity," recalls Dr Steven Lovell Jones, Associate Professor and Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at the University of Notre Dame, and member of the Sydney Alliance Board as well as being Cardinal Pell's representative on the Sydney Alliance Leaders' Council.
Several years of meticulous research, "listening campaigns" and planning followed.
Today, just seven months after its public launch, the Sydney Alliance has more than 500,000 members from 54-plus participating groups and organisations.
Already the Alliance has trained more than 1300 adults from communities, unions and religious groups and organisations in civic participation, leadership and relationship building. This is in addition to leadership training undertaken by the 200 students from Sydney's Catholic high schools.
"By giving people the organisational tools and skills, they can help their communities or schools tackle issues that concern them and make a difference," Chantelle says.
In addition to helping tailor the courses for students at Catholic high schools, Chantelle has been part of the Alliance "listening" campaigns over the past two years, uncovering issues of concern among the city's many diverse communities as well as issues that affect us all no matter what our age or walk of life.
Prayer area during training reminded students
of the principles of Catholic social justice teaching
of the principles of Catholic social justice teaching
At another recent "listening" campaign at St Brigid's Parish, Marrickville, she says racial and ethnic stereotyping by the media and the police was another major issue for many young people.
"One young woman of Pacific Islander descent told me that when she went out with her brothers and sisters, people automatically assumed they were part of a gang," she says.
The Sydney Alliance intends to use its wide-ranging "listening" campaigns to learn about the concerns everyday Sydneysiders, and then take action. Among the issues the Alliance is expected to tackle over the coming year include public transport, access to quality health care, social inclusion. Other issues of concern such as bullying, aged care, unemployment, homelessness, domestic violence, gambling and the city's often crumbling infrastructure are likely to be part of the Alliance's future action agenda.
The first series of "listening" campaigns which began just over two years ago are now almost complete and the Alliance will shortly present a detailed agenda over this and coming years. The agenda announced for 2012 will also signal the beginning of negotiations between the Alliance and the city's decision makers at both a local, state and federal level.
"Being part of the Alliance and helping forge a future for Sydney and the common good is very exciting, and this is just the start," Chantelle says.
To find out about the Alliance, its training sessions and how you can become involved, log on to www.sydneyalliance.org.au
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