Faith & Mission
Social Justice
At Assumption College, we are incredibly proud of our heritage and tradition. Faith and community is our lived experience.
Our approach to social justice is grounded in faith, action, and a strong sense of responsibility to others.
We follow our motto, Quae Supra Quaere, seek the things that are above. For our social justice program, that takes on many meanings. It calls students to look beyond themselves and to consider how they can contribute positively to the wider world.
Social Justice
We provide students with creative and competitive outlets that define a celebration of talent, skill, perseverance and fellowship.
In every form of expression and in every sport, we reach for the things that are above. We continually grow and meet new challenges. Side by side, we learn from every defeat, victory and breakthrough. These experiences help students build resilience, empathy, and a strong sense of shared purpose.
From within, we look beyond ourselves and our community to attain an understanding of society as a whole, not as passive observers but as active participants.
That is social justice at Assumption College. Students examine issues in both rural and urban areas, with opportunities to take part in initiatives that benefit society. Students are encouraged to reflect, respond, and take meaningful action.
Our goal is to prepare students for life beyond the Assumption campus. Social Justice is integral to achieving this, instilling young thinkers and doers with a sense of community and societal responsibility.
The result is an engaging platform that fosters compassion, confidence, and character.
Raising Funds & Awareness
Each term, our students strive to make a positive impact on the world, raising funds and awareness for causes close to our hearts.
Term 1: Caritas Project Compassion
As we prepare our hearts for Lent, we reflect on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. Moved by a deep compassion for humanity, Christ chose to ‘lay down [his] life for [his] friends’ – the ultimate expression of love.
In Term 1, we are invited to mirror the sacrificial love of Christ through our participation in the annual Caritas Australia Project Compassion Appeal. More than 1.1 billion people are facing acute poverty globally, with children under the age of 18 most affected.
Through our donations to Project Compassion this term, Caritas Australia will continue its work with local communities around the world to end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity.
We invite you to give generously by donating through the Project Compassion donation boxes in each Learning Mentor Group and through your House fundraising projects.
More information available at: www.caritas.org.au/project-compassion
Term 2: Vinnies Winter Appeal
As winter grips Victoria, we turn our attention to those in our community facing financial hardship, domestic violence, and homelessness.
According to the latest Census data, more than 30-thousand Victorians will be homeless tonight. Alarmingly, 23% of Australians experiencing homelessness are youth, aged 12 to 24-years-old, driven out by family violence.
In Term 2, we join hands with the St. Vincent de Paul’s Winter Appeal to create awareness and raise funds for those in need. Every day, Vinnies Victoria’s volunteers provide relief to vulnerable people in times of crisis. Their assistance helps cover basic needs such as food, fuel, education, utility bills, and medical expenses.
Together, we can make a difference. Learn more at: https://donate.vinnies.org.au/appeals-vic
Term 3: Australian Marist Solidarity/Timor-Leste
Assumption College, in conjunction with the Australian Marist Solidarity, has undertaken a series of educational projects in Timor-Leste since the early 2000s.
Through our contributions, we have been able to build schools such as St Terezinha Primary School in the village of Quelicai and training of teachers in the district of Baucau.
The physical construction of buildings facilitated and sponsored by Assumption College is a symbol of a deeper and more important building of relationships, values and beliefs between the two nations.
We are currently fundraising to build new classrooms in the village of Kulugia, in the mountain regions of the Baucau district, and we heighten our focus on this cause in Term 3. The dilapidated classrooms have been identified by the educational leaders in Baucau as the greatest need of all the schools in their region. Our aim is to help this village provide their children with brand new school classrooms and toilet facilities.
Your generosity, support and awareness will help shape the lives of many children in Timor Leste.
Term 4: Vinnies Christmas Appeal
In Term 4, as the festive season approaches, we turn our hearts to raising funds for the St Vincent de Paul’s Christmas Appeal. Every year, hundreds of families across Victoria face a Christmas without the comfort of family, gifts under the tree or a traditional dinner on the table.
Through the generosity of our Assumption College community, can strive to help make Christmas a little more merry and bright, collecting and assembling hampers for families in need, and various fundraising initiatives.
Together, we can make a difference. Learn more at: https://donate.vinnies.org.au/appeals-vic
Watch the video: https://youtu.be/N5ipNH2mtB4
Sustainability
We all have a responsibility to think about the way in which we use the Earth’s natural resources. Pope Francis guides our actions in his 2015 encyclical letter, “Ladauto Si” where he comments, “The urgent challenge to protect our common home includes concern to bring the whole family together to seek a sustainable and integral development”
The College is committed and united in minimising our wastage of resources. Working together as a community, we can achieve incredible results through our everyday small actions. Student-led initiatives include minimisation of recyclables going to landfill and planting trees in participation of National Tree Day, as well as raising awareness about food waste and the impact of technology such as AI.
Staff at the College have equally committed to making positive change, including recycling of highlighters and pens, and minimising printer use.
FIRE Carriers
FIRE Carriers stands for Friends Igniting Reconciliation through Education, bringing together people from different backgrounds and cultures to foster understanding, healing, and reconciliation.
To be a FIRE Carrier is to exercise an important leadership role in the school community. FIRE Carriers are students and staff that share a passion for learning about Aboriginal culture and history and are committed to sharing this knowledge and promoting reconciliation within and beyond the school community.
FIRE Carriers recognise important days and events and hold incursions and excursions that promote intercultural understanding and dialogue. FIRE Carriers has also become a support network for our Indigenous students. We have built partnerships with Melbourne Storm, the NRL ‘School to Work’ program for Indigenous students and the Richmond Football Club, who run a Indigenous Leadership program.
In 2026 we are excited to be introducing Digeridoo lessons for our Indigenous Boys.
