The Simon Community

            





          This year in religion we are writing and preforming our own dramas. In my group we chose the topic 'War'. Roisin and Orla are writing the main body of the script and the rest of us are helping change it around and spice it up in school. I think it is coming along very well and it will be really good when we are finished writing it! The other group are doing their drama on 'homelessness'. As part of their preparation for writing their play they needed inspiration. Mrs. O'S a teacher in our school does volunteer work with homeless people and decided to hold a talk about 'The Simon Community' for all TY's.

      On Thursday the 22nd of November , Mrs.O'S kindly held a talk about the Simon Community in our school library. We all went down to the library at the start of the day and a power point had been set up by Mrs.O'S. We sat down and she gave an introduction highlighting what she would be talking about during the presentation. 
      She described firstly how she got involved with the community. The Simon Community were looking for artists so she decided to get involved. Her task was to go to a house that the Simon Community had provided for a group of men and create a work of art on a huge canvas. At first , she said the men weren't too keen on the idea , they didn't know where to start. One day she left the canvas in the house and the next morning when she arrived it had been covered in different colours of paint. It turned out that one man had done this to start it off. All the men needed was a bit of inspiration. 
         Soon afterwards all the men were involved writing poems on the canvas and sticking on things that were important in their life. A lady in the house that Mrs.O'S had died just the year before she did this project with the men , so they stuck on a tiara and a wand in memory of her. There was also many other houses taking part in this task and in the end they has many wonderful , unique canvas'.
          She also took part in a task that involved each member of the household to describe something they treasure and love dearly. I have attached a video with all this information above. Hope you enjoy!
           The talk really inspired me to want to care for other people in the future and get involved in volunteer work!