MARCH 5, 2020

Parents want to raise children who can get back on their feet after setbacks. Schools want to graduate students who can navigate the demands of post-secondary education and life thereafter without giving up when obstacles inevitably arise. There’s no downside to resilience. Young people only benefit from learning how to adapt and recover whenever their confidence or sense of equilibrium take a hit. An interesting feature of resilience, though, is that it develops out of uncertainty and discomfort. Like Goldilocks, children need to experience stresses that aren’t too hard and aren’t too soft, but are just right. They need opportunities for growth that take them out of their comfort zone—but not so far that they’re overwhelmed. Community service at RSGC had always provided exactly that opportunity. Volunteering in the community involves stepping into the unseen and unknown of other people’s lives. It requires leaving behind the familiar and habitual to share a space with people outside established boundaries of the self, the home and the school. This is why the College partners with organizations like Our Place Community of Hope, Friday Food Ministries, Lord Dufferin Public School, Heart to Hand and Vermont Square, to name just a few. Not only does volunteering build strong, vibrant, inclusive communities, but it also stretches the personal limits of our students, broadens their perspective and deepens their compassion. “Our goal is always to get our students out into the community and engaged with people they might not otherwise have a chance to know and appreciate,” said Emma Totten, RSGC’s Community Partnerships and Global Outreach Coordinator. “Service opportunities encourage the boys to connect with others outside their own life experience and see the world through different eyes. Serving others expands their thinking and develops their sense of competence and confidence, while also benefitting others.” Before our world took a dramatic turn after March break, RSGC boys would regularly deliver food and help prepare meals for those in the community, visit and share activities with seniors, collect clothes and other essential goods for organizations, engage with younger students in other schools, and so much more. Junior School teacher Brian Robinson has forged an especially strong connection between RSGC and Our Place Community of Hope, a safe and inclusive space for adults experiencing mental health issues. He describes the work and activities the boys usually engage in at Our Place as a natural fit. “Once a week, a group of Grade 7s and 8s, plus a few senior students, would head out after chapel to work in the kitchen and spend time with the guests,” he said. “They would unpack food orders, organize the pantry and help with the garbage. They would also play chess, cards, pool, take part in the art program and even join in karaoke. They often saw the same guests week after week and developed friendships. That close contact made a big difference in the lives of our boys.” The feedback Brian regularly gathered from the students revealed one dominant theme: that they have become more aware of people who lack their privileges and feel more connected to the larger community. Natasha Wakaruk, Senior Operations Manager at Our Place, says that the guests also benefit from spending time with enthusiastic and open-minded young people. “They see the boys working hard and helping out,” she said. “That means a lot to them. They also love playing games—more than a few friendly competitions evolved—and developing new relationships. With developmental disabilities, physical disabilities or mental health challenges, our clients are looking for a place free from judgment where they can access supports and socialize in positive ways. The RSGC boys help provide both.” This was so before the coronavirus pandemic arrived. Now that we’re in its midst, personal and social boundaries have shifted again. And, once more, our students have had to adapt to change and find creative solutions to new challenges.