Community Service (1982-2012)
Over the past three decades, Herschel’s community service programmes have grown tremendously. For most of the 1980’s, all community service was handled by a small group of girls running the Social Responsibility Club and today, community service plays a role in the lives of every single student at Herschel.
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The Grade 9 girls of 2009 transforming two bedrooms at The Place of Hope, a home for abandoned and abused mothers and children.
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Community service was in the hands of the Social Responsibility Club. They would choose a few organisations such as the African Scholars Fund and Beauty without Cruelty, whom the girls would raise funds for throughout the year.
Annual events included ‘Operation Easter Egg’, an Easter egg collection for various orphanages, the yearly Christmas Party for the children of the ground staff at Herschel and ‘One-to-One day’, a fun-filled day for handicapped children of the Western Cape. The Social Responsibility Club was also extremely involved in serving Lelieblom House, a children’s home and Haven Night Shelter. The girls also volunteered to assist at events like the Cape Argus Cycle Tour and the Community Chest Carnival.
The Interact Club was founded in 1987. It was a development from the Social Responsibility Club. Interact had a link with Rotary International and thus, aroused many more opportunities to interact with other community service organisations in the area. In the year 1990, the Interact Conference was hosted by Herschel. Over 300 ‘interactors’ from various organisations attended the conference. The establishment of The Interact Club saw tremendous growth in the number of volunteers for community service.
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Outreach Club hosts a party for learners from St Louis Primary, Kewtown Priamary and Rosmead Primary.
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The Environmental Club was established in 1991. At the time, The Bird Club and The Mountain Club existed too. These clubs focused on the conservation of birds and the ecosystems inhabiting our mountains. In 1992, these clubs decided to combine and were named the Outdoor Club. This club was involved in activities such as clearing alien vegetation from the University of the Western Cape and raising funds for various wildlife organisations. They concentrated on the conservation of the Western Cape.
1993-2002
Community service at Herschel was now thriving under the control of the Interact Club. There was a vast increase in the amount of projects that the girls took on. Projects that were brought forward from the previous decade included the annual Christmas Party, ‘One-to-One day’ and the Easter egg collection. The girls now had weekly interactions with handicapped and underprivileged children, as well as the elderly. Herschel was a regular benefactor of St Luke’s Hospice over this decade.
In the year 1993, recycling programmes were introduced to Herschel by the Outdoor Club. In 1996, the Environmental Awareness Club was established. This club was a development from the Outdoor Club.
The first Enrichment programme was established in the year 1999 and only catered for the Grade 8 learners at Herschel. The theme of the programme was ‘Our Mother City’, which explored Cape Town and its people.
The year 1999 also brought the Establishment of the Outreach Club. The Outreach Club branched out into various domains, including outreach computers, drama and catering. The girls also tutored the Matric class of Thandokhulu in Mathematics, Afrikaans and Biology.
The first Outreach Camp was in the year 2000. This camp concentrated on skill training and workshops for the Herschel Girls involved, as well as Grade 12's from Langa, Fezeka and Thandokhulu.
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Herschel Girls making sleeping bags for the homeless during Enrichment week 2011.
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2003-2012
At the beginning of this time period, Herschel’s community service initiatives show significant changes in the way this portfolio was organised. Many girls from the preparatory up until the high school have always supported the community whole-heartedly.
SMILE (St Mary’s Interactive Learning Experience) was introduced in 2003. It is organised and run by the senior head of community service, Mrs G van Blerk. It is a programme which oversees Herschel girls teaching English to primary school learners from various underprivileged schools. By 2010, Herschel’s Outreach portfolio at the senior school expanded to Outreach Art, Music and History. JUMP HI was an initiative started in 2006 to improve the Maths skills of children from underprivileged primary schools by having senior Herschel girls tutor them.
The enrichment programme has now been lengthened to a full week of community service projects and workshops to broaden the thinking of Herschel girls towards their communities and environment. By 2004, the Enrichment Week catered for grade eight to ten at the senior school. In 2007, the grade eleven girls were also included.
Meanwhile, at the junior school, learners are very instrumental in donations towards worthy causes. The grade sevens held their annual Grade Seven Fair and donated all of their profits to a worthy cause chosen by the Interact board.
The increased involvement in community service at Herschel has prompted leaders into initiating their own clubs such as Red Nose Chicken Club (a care-clowning club which visits Maitland Cottage weekly, and Golden Oldies Club (visiting the elderly in the community). Community service over the years has become a part of everyday life for the girls at Herschel and has equipped Herschelians with the tools needed to make a difference in their communities.
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