Toowoomba Grammar School hosts Sony Foundation Children’s Holiday Camp
Children living with a disability were invited to a holiday camp at Toowoomba Grammar school where they were cared for by a cohort of year 11 students.
Education
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While most teenagers could not wait to get away from school to start their holiday, Toowoomba Grammar School students Anuk Fernando and Ned Sullivan were different.
The year 11 boys, along with 70 of their fellow students from TGS, The Glennie School and Fairholme College, volunteered the first weekend of the spring school holidays to be companions at the Sony Foundation Children’s Holiday Camp.
They spent three days playing, entertaining, minding and mentoring children aged 7-14 who lived with a range of disabilities and difficulties, from autism, to Down syndrome.
“They can’t always get away and do things like this, we thought it would be nice to give them a fun weekend,” Ned said.
TGS has hosted the camp for the past 18 years, which is open to young people from across the Darling Downs.
Each child is assigned two companions who look after them 24 hours a day.
The children participate in a range of activities including playing in the junior school grounds, swimming at the aquatic centre, dancing, playing music, reading and exploring arts and craft.
Importantly, it gives the children’s parents a break, and teaches the companions important skills around resilience and compassion.
Ned said it was eye-opening to experience caring for someone for an extended period of time.
“This was my first time working with children with disabilities and we have taken it on with great care,” he said.
“Our guest Hunter has loved his weekend and loved us.
“There were a lot of kids who wanted to run and play, while a lot cannot speak so you have to be persistent to make sure they are happy.”
TGS deputy headmaster John Anderson said the program was hugely beneficial to a rounded education.
“It is an opportunity for their personal growth,” he said.
“They find out things about themselves that they did know before, about their tolerance level, their resilience.
“Just totally caring for someone else and less about themselves, it is a good experience.
“You hope that in the future typical thoughts of ‘poor me’ come into play, they might hold that thought. Their clear focus is on their guests.”
Sony Foundation Australia is the charitable arm of the Sony Group of Companies operating in Australia. Since Sony Foundation’s inception in 1998, more than $39m has been raised for youth causes.
To apply for a place in next camp visit sonyfoundation.org
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