Over the past two years the Mount Carmel Catholic College Youth Ministry team has been raising money for the Reiby Youth Justice Centre. In 2021 a group of Year 10 students came together to help with a fresh juice station. Over $200 was raised in order to help young people coming out of detention. After the success of 2021, the Youth Ministry Leaders opened the juice stall again in 2022. The initiative revolved around raising money to fund daily needs such as sanitary items and stationery for young people. The stall opened on a LIVE day at lunchtime in the Champagnat Centre so students could have a refreshing healthy fruit drink after vibing hard to the music played by the LIVE band. With nearly $400 raised, the collective funds were used to purchase four backpacks. These packs were filled with stationery, diaries, pens, soap, opal cards and much more. Our Year 7 students also contributed to this initiative by using a pastoral lesson to write affirmations to these young people.  On Wednesday 7 September Mr O’Connell and the Youth Ministry Leaders handed over the packs to the Chaplain of the Justice Centre, Lee Bromley. These will be given directly to four young people who will use these items to get back on their feet.

Thanks to Ms Toogood, Year 7 Pastoral Advisors and Year 7 students for their contribution to this initiative. Thanks must also go to the 2021 Year 10 students and 2022 Youth Ministry Leaders for their efforts in making this initiative a success.

Karthik Kumar