Service learning Reflection

Thinking back on the “Caring for Others” project has been eye-opening and quite an experience. This project, which included a sock drive and an anti-bullying campaign, had a positive impact on the school community.

The sock drive was a success. It allowed the school to show its gratitude to Samaritan’s Feet, an organisation that donated shoes to the learners. The learners were excited to give back by collecting socks. This taught them the importance of generosity and community support. In the first and second weeks, there were not many socks donated because learners could not bring new or clean socks. So, I encouraged learners to bring R2 or R1 every second day or on Fridays. Since there were many learners in my admin class, I was able to collect enough money to buy 24 pairs of socks at the end of the week. Other teachers started to do the same with their classes and began collecting money in the same way to buy large packs of socks. This is how the socks came in. The anti-bullying campaign was also effective. It helped raise awareness about bullying and promoted a culture of kindness and respect. Through educational sessions and activities, learners and parents learned about the effects of bullying and how to prevent it.

Personally, this experience has been transformative. It has made me more empathetic and aware of the needs in my community. Seeing the positive changes in the school has reinforced my belief in the power of kindness and collective action. This experience has helped me grow as a person, making me more committed to helping others.

Professionally, this project has taught me a lot. I have developed my leadership and organisational skills by planning and managing the project. I learned how to work with different people, from learners and teachers to external organisations (such as the shops where I bought the socks). My communication skills have also improved, as I had to explain the project and motivate learners to participate. Additionally, I gained a better understanding of positive reinforcement by seeing how rewarding good behaviour can create a supportive environment.

The benefits of this initiative to the school were clear. It addressed the important issue of bullying, making the school a safer and more inclusive place. This project brought learners together, fostering a sense of unity and collaboration.