“Give to the poor in handfuls” - Blessed Edmund Rice

Social Justice is a central part of school life at St Edward's. As a Catholic school in the tradition of the Christian Brothers and Edmund Rice, we seek to engage every student in programs of Awareness, Advocacy and Action which will become a life-long commitment to the values of service and outreach to the marginalised in our world. The Charter (2004) outlines this commitment for Edmund Rice Schools.

The Waterford Project is a compulsory requirement for students in Years 8-11. It requires each student to complete a minimum of 15 hours of service to others. Students can achieve this in a variety of ways, from supporting people in their own lives who are in need and as students progress at the College they are expected to develop their role in the local community and wider world. Common activities include the 40 Hour Famine, Red Cross, homeless support (soup kitchens), Caritas with many other opportunities to pursue. The titles of our programs are meant to reflect the purpose and function for each year group. The Year 8 program is titled “Charity Begins at Home”; Year 9 is titled “Think Locally”; Year 10 is “Working for Justice”; and Year 11 is titled “See, Judge, Act”.

Edmund Rice Outreach is the name of the volunteer Social Justice program at the College. St Edward's seeks to support local, national and international communities in a range of ways. It is wide-ranging in nature and includes scope for staff and students to be involved in support of Yarran Pre-School , East Gosford ; the Autism School Terrigal; Donnison Street Outreach Centre Gosford; St Vincent de Paul Society; the Edmund Rice Centre for Justice Croydon and many others. Students can be challenged to make a practical and significant difference in the lives of others, particularly those on the margins.

St Edward's offers an immersion program designed to connect students with a range of Social Justice issues. All Year 11 students take part in a Sydney street retreat titled “Step Out of Your Comfort Zone”. It deals with issues of homelessness, Indigenous Australians and drug education. Other immersion opportunities include St Edwards' ongoing relationship with the Edmund Rice Centre for Justice at Croydon in Sydney whereby some senior students are given opportunity to travel to isolated towns such as Walgett in north-western NSW and to engage in issues of Reconciliation with our Indigenous people.