Service

Mt St Michael’s College strives to demonstrate and communicate Catholic beliefs and values which inspire and unify every aspect of school life. The practical commitment to the faith and spirituality of our students, and the importance they place on the value of service to the community, is best expressed in the actions of our students.

As a College, our commitment to social justice and to following in the tradition of the Sisters of Charity takes place under the umbrella of community service. Through participation in community service and justice groups with local, national, and international contexts, students engage, support and empathise with those who struggle or suffer. In the spirit of altruistic giving, students are provided many opportunities to become involved in a variety of service projects.

Community Action Network (CAN)

The Service/Justice groups of the Community Action Network (CAN) in the College are:

  • Missions of St Vincent
  • Social Justice Council
  • Interact
  • Environment Group

Community Outreach Programs

Our commitment to meeting the needs of those less fortunate include regular involvement and visits to: 

  • Rosie’s Homeless Programme
  • St Joseph’s Nursing Home
  • Mitchelton Special School

Appeals and Support of Downs & West

In the spirit of the Sisters of Charity, students and staff participate in a wide range of appeals throughout the school year, fundraising and giving to those in need and supporting the work carried out by the ministry.

In the spirit of giving, Mt St Michael’s College continues its long-standing relationship with Downs & West Community Support, a ministry of the Sisters of Charity Community Care, helping those in rural and remote Queensland affected by climatic changes or circumstances outside of their control. 

As described by Downs & West, they too are a ministry close to the heart of Mary Aikenhead, foundress of the Sisters of Charity. ‘Like Mary Aikenhead, who responded to the needs of the poor in her time, we too are motivated by a sense of responsibility to communicate God’s love by word and concrete action through the provision of compassionate care and sharing available resources with those who are deemed to be amongst the neediest.’

Under the stewardship of Mary Aikenhead Ministries, and in the tradition of the Sisters of Charity, Mt St Michael’s College proudly supports their work.

Immersion Experiences

Providing students with a new perspective on the way others live, students gain the opportunity to immerse themselves in a cultural experience outside their typical comfort zone. Learning from the people they meet and opening themselves up to the difficulties faced by others, students find themselves challenged yet empowered, forming memorable experiences which have a profound and long-lasting impact. Recent and up-and-coming immersions include:

  • 2019 - Alice Springs 10 day immersion experience
  • 2020 - Cape York immersion experience

MSM Job Pledge Program

Living our mission imbues everything we do; the richness of our liturgical life, our many and varied forms of social justice outreach, our commitment to our immersion programs and relational culture are testament to this. Many Mt St Michael’s College staff further illustrate their mission-centred values through supporting the MSM Job Pledge Program, a long-standing partnership the College has held with Multicultural Development Australia (MDA) for more than a decade. 

Staff involved with the MDA program make financial contributions to the MDA program, allowing a recent immigrant to Australia the opportunity to gain valuable job experience through paid work placement at the College. Through this relationship we have provided employment opportunities at the College for refugees and new migrants from Burundi, India, Afghanistan, Iraq and Brazil.

Multicultural Development Australia is committed to delivering a ‘Welcoming Queensland’ where all new arrivals have the opportunity to fully contribute to and participate in a multicultural society.