Whitney pupils make a house feel like Home
A group of middle school pupils helped to clean up a new shelter for homeless people as they boosted their community service hours.
The M2 students from Whitney Institute gave Home’s new shelter, on Parsons Road, a facelift that included landscaping and deep-cleaning the building.
Dorika York, a teacher at Whitney, said the move was done to let the students continue their yearlong volunteer work while also learning about the impact of homelessness.
She added: “Even though we went as a school, we definitely appreciated the parents’ permission to allow them to spend some time somewhere other than in school for a more hands-on learning approach.
“It was not only good for the tasks that we completed but the whole child.”
Ms York said that the school partnered with Home last year to donate towels for the transitional living programme.
This year, she said, the youngsters wanted to do something more hands-on with the charity.
Ms York said it was important for the children to understand the importance of giving to others without the expectation of getting anything in return.
She added: “Here at Whitney, we have the core values of respect, responsibility and resilience, so volunteering in the community surely comes back to our values.”
The students were split into small groups to perform several tasks under adult supervision.
The boys did much of the landscaping work, such as cutting the grass and trimming the hedges, as well as cleaning the patio and walkway.
The girls vacuumed and dusted each of the rooms, scrubbed the kitchen and organised the pantry.
Ms York said the youngsters learnt more about the role that Home played in the community.
She added: “In doing this, I feel like the students learnt more than just the tasks that they completed, but more about how homelessness can impact anybody at any time.”
The Royal Gazette, in conjunction with stakeholders including Home, has launched its Ending Homelessness campaign to remind the community that people affected by homelessness matter.
Home, and others, want to end homelessness. So do we. We want your support. We want you to change your perception of members of the unsheltered population. We want you to help lobby for simple changes. We want you to show compassion.
Homeless people want to work so that they can be self-sufficient. They did not choose to be homeless, and in many cases their plight was brought about by systemic failings in this country.
In 2010, the Bermuda Census identified 82 people experiencing homelessness. By 2016, that number had risen to 138.
According to Home, the Department of Statistics developed those estimates based on counting rough sleepers and the population housed in the Salvation Army emergency shelter.
As of December 31, 2023, Home recorded Bermuda’s homeless population as 811.
Ms York said the students were so invested in their work that by the end of the day they did not want to leave.
She said: “We had organised some tasks to be complete within a two-hour span, and when our time was up, the kids were like ‘what else can we do, what else can we help with?’
“So, we stayed a little over our time and they didn’t want to leave. They’ve actually asked if we could go back in the new year and do something else, so we’re looking at that and seeing how we can either take the same group of students or another group of students to help the establishment.”
Devray Denwiddie, a case manager with Home who oversaw the students’ work, said he was happily surprised by the effort they put in.
He said: “They were willing, they were excited and they really put in a great effort.
“It was an awesome thing to see.”
Mr Denwiddie added: “Advocacy is one of the biggest things that we are trying to push here at Home right now and the understanding that homelessness is wider than rough sleeping and every little bit helps.
“Their service, their willingness and their effort is truly, truly, truly appreciated.”
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