Next Thursday and Friday will see the Werribee Baptist Church host Heathdale’s second participation in the Ping-Pong-a-Thon. A vital cause, that I will let the founders explain in their own words:
We live in the most technologically advanced era the world has ever known. And yet, there are 45.8 million slaves in the world today, more than at any other time in history. Despite the best efforts of abolitionists across the centuries, the buying and selling of human beings for profit is booming. It’s typically the poor who are targeted. Yet, anyone in the wrong circumstances is vulnerable to being trafficked or exploited. Exploitation is no respecter of gender, age, race or status.
While the majority of trafficking and exploitation takes place in third world or developing world settings, (there are an estimated 18 million slaves in India alone), slavery still exists in some of the most developed nations in the world (there are an estimated 4,000 slaves in Australia).
With two-thirds of the world’s slaves living in the Asia-Pacific region, The Pong are strategically partnering with seven stand-out partner organisations who are combating slavery in Thailand, Cambodia, The Philippines and India.
People can be exploited or trafficked for many purposes, including:
- Forced or bonded labour
- Commercial sexual exploitation (including online sexual exploitation)
- Domestic slavery
- Forced marriage
- Child labour
The majority of The Pong’s partners are focused on sexual exploitation. In 2017, we introduced our first labour exploitation project in partnership with IJM Australia. Our partners tackle the issue in a variety of ways. The Pong prioritise working with partners who are prevention-focused because we believe prevention to be the most strategic method of bringing modern day slavery to an end. Many Pong Partners are also involved in identifying and rescuing children and young people and supporting those who have been rescued with rehabilitation, aftercare, education and alternative vocational training programs.
(Taken from pingpongathon.com)
It’s an honour to recognise the huge effort of the dedicated student organising committee (ably organised and led by Alexander Richardson from Year 11) who have raised over $14,000 so far this year and in previous events. We’re looking forward to seeing what the total is by the end of next week.
VCE Examinations
Our Year 11 and 12 examinations are nearly upon us.
I know that seems like a strange thing to say in August, but the fact is that there are only four weeks left of this term — and, once Term 4 begins, we will be straight into revision two weeks or so before the examinations begin. Therefore, the way that your Year 11 or 12 child is using their time now is very important. Some key things to consider are:
- Am I up to date with all of my work?
- Are there any gaps which I need to fill in?
- Now that I’m up to date, do I understand it all?
- What can I ask my teachers to improve my knowledge?
- Which skills should I be practicing in preparation for the exams?
- Have I built time to revise into my weekly schedule?
- Have I made myself free to sit the Unit 3-4 Trial exams in the September Holidays?
- If I can’t, what alternative arrangements have I made?
These are just a few questions to get you started. Please feel free to contact us if there’s any way that we can support you or your child as they prepare for their examinations.