Senior students advocate within their community after volunteering at JRS Foodbank

Three year 12 students at St Ignatius’ College in Riverview came to JRS Australia’s office in Parramatta to volunteer with our Foodbank for the day. Sam, Austin and Sean spent the day supporting our volunteers, meeting with staff from our Schools and Community Engagement team, and learning from Idrissa, a seasoned leader with lived experience from JRS Australia’s Refugee Leadership program.

Afterwards, Sean and Austin made a speech to their school about the impact this day of service had on them – and the impact it could have on others in the future.

We have reproduced this speech below, with permission.

Sean:

Today, Austin and I have the privilege to talk about how our experiences of service are such a vital part of who we are as students and people holistically. During the holidays, Austin, Sam and I alongside Mr John Gilles visited the Jesuit Refugee Service centre and food bank in Parramatta. Our ambition was to actualise the education that we have received on the plight of refugees and Asylum seekers across the world by seeing what this looks like in action. As we arrived, we were briefed on the immensely generous services of JRS that are centred around the vision that every human deserves protection, opportunity and participation.  

We then began working to organise the food bank, a program run to support men women and children with daily essentials, alongside employment services, financial assistance, community integration and media engagement for refugee advocacy that JRS offers.  

Austin: 

After Sean and I finished working, at lunchtime, we had the pleasure of conversing over a shared meal with an inspiring man called Idrissa Dumbuya. He is an Asylum Seeker from Sierra Leone, living in Wagga Wagga after he was forcibly displaced due to his political views and advocating for safety in women’s health. When Idrissa arrived in Australia he was offered support from the Jesuit Refugee Service, showing how the JRS mission fully encapsulates the transformative power of compassion and support in the lives of refugees, and illustrating how a welcoming spirit can foster healing, resilience, and integration. Idrissa states on the JRS website that“This welcoming spirit heals me a lot and keeps me going” showing how impactful an organisation such as JRS is in fostering a commitment to humanitarian aid and service for and with others.  

But the true impact was felt in our conversation with Idrissa, as he educated Sam, Sean and I on his journey and life story which was truly inspiring and eye opening. It was clear to us how much this conversation meant to him, as he took the 7 hour train ride to meet us, voicing the importance of “carrying his message” to spread awareness about the struggles of Asylum Seekers and refugees alike.   

The transformative power of small acts of service and compassion cannot be underestimated. Whether through organisational support from groups like JRS or personal interactions like our conversation with Idrissa, these gestures create a ripple effect that fosters healing, resilience, and integration. They highlight the importance of human connection, empathy, and the commitment to making a difference, no matter how small, in the lives of those who need it most. 

Sean: 

With the calamity and stress that comes with our lives, it is easy to pay little attention to such detail. But the opportunity that service presents to pause, create a difference, and reflect on that impact is invaluable.  

Austin, Sam and I have all been fortunate enough to visit Cambodia on immersions in year 11, and witness the depths of human suffering that can be alleviated through enormous acts of generosity and empathy. But what we did not understand until our visit 20 km away in Parramatta on a Thursday morning is that the opportunity of service is a door that is found where one looks for it. To step inside of another’s life with the ambition of making a positive change can be done anywhere.  

No, a day of service does not guarantee you a life-changing experience, and no, neither might it be for the people that you serve. But what service does guarantee you is the experience of creating meaning in another person’s life, and equally inspiring meaning in your own.  

So boys, put action to the words that you hear today and everyday at school, and feed your curiosity to find how service might ignite your flame.  

For Service is love made visible 

Thank you.

Do you want to get involved?

Our Schools and Community Engagement program provides opportunities for your school, parish or community group to volunteer at JRS Australia, host community advocacy and fundraising drives, or even welcome a refugee leader to speak at your next event.

These opportunities provide a meaningful way to come together in the spirit of service, education, and social justice.

Click here to learn more about how your school, parish or community group can get involved and support refugees and people seeking.