Kits offer people hope during crisis

Gilmore College students have been busy creating crisis kits for the region’s most vulnerable.

A class of Year 12 students studying children, family and the community have made toiletry bags for children and adults to be donated to Rockingham’s Lucy Saw Refuge Centre.

Teacher Rebecca Tennant said the project was about learning skills, recycling and giving.

“It’s part of the course outline that they have to produce an item that will help others, so when talking to the kids and what they would like to do and through the topic of helping people through crisis, they thought it would be a good idea to make a product they could give that would contain toiletries and helpful items,” she said.

“Some put socks in, others a teddy bear and some lollies — we set a goal to create 30 bags in total and got 35 in the end.

“It teaches them selflessness and compassion for other people — it’s such a good feeling to give to others and they need to understand that there are people who have less than them and feel pride for what they have themselves.”

The bags were made by ironing together plastic bags to create a thicker plastic before zips were added and filled with toiletries.

Gilmore College staff donated funds to help cover costs of the items and Council Avenue Dental and Implant Centre gave toothpaste, toothbrushes and floss.

“We wanted to keep it local and we also looked at what families go through and their challenges,” Ms Tennant said.

“For me, it gives me great joy giving to others, so I wanted to pass that on.”