ALWS Bootcamp Recap

ALWS Bootcamp

Recently Australian Lutheran World Service (ALWS) facilitated a two day ‘bootcamp’ in Melbourne. There were 16 participants from 7 LEVNT schools and the regional office.

The partnership between ALWS and schools, service learning and the variety of aid offered communities were the main foci of the two days. Through these presentations and subsequent discussion, participants were able to plan how they would raise awareness of the work of ALWS in their school; how to integrate this work into the curriculum, how to incorporate the messages into worship, how to use it to raise awareness and drive fundraising efforts. One of the underlying tenets of ALWS is to build capacity in those whom they support. All of these actions take place from our Christian worldview of serving others.

One of the highlights for me was listening to Sophie who is the program coordinator in Ethiopia. It was fascinating listening to the work which she coordinates but also learning of the culture of Ethiopia and of the Lutheran church in that country (did you know they have a completely different calendar to the western world!).

ALWS have developed many high quality resources to support an awareness and connection to them. These resources can be found at https://www.alws.org.au/discover-more/schools-and-churches/school-information/

The participants are all now ‘ALWS Ambassadors’, who can talk knowledgably about ALWS and the important work that it undertakes.

I would encourage you to explore this wonderful organisation and the resources which they have for schools. Over the next twelve months ALWS will be intentional in the way they communicate and work with schools – please welcome them.