Stepping up to make difference

A new service club for young people which promotes leadership, international fellowship and volunteerism has been formed at Deception Bay Flexible School.

The Z Club was officially chartered on September 3 and will be the first mentored by the Zonta Club of Redcliffe Inc.

The club has 16 members, under the direction of School Staff Mentor Deidre Logan. It is one of the youth organisations of Zonta International, a worldwide advocacy organisation working to build a better world for women and girls.

Deidre says students have been inspired to do more after taking part in the Moreton Bay Says No to Family and Domestic Violence March every year.

“A number of our students have been deeply moved being part of this rally and from that we decided to form a Z Club to focus on world issues that the students are truly passionate about,” she explains.

“Last term, myself and another teacher spoke with the Year 11 and 12 students and 16 of them were interested in joining the group. We had a meeting and appointed roles to all the students and started brainstorming the events and fundraising the Z club wants to achieve.”

The club has already held its first fundraising event – cutting a teacher’s hair – to buy birthing kits at a cost of $5.50 each, which will be packed at the school and shipped to women in under-developed countries.

“The Z Club will be involved in community events such as International Women’s Day, the Moreton Bay DV march, they will assist the Zonta club with activism displays at libraries and run school fundraising events to donate to women’s and children’s charities,” Deidre says.

She says students will benefit from being involved in the club, attending monthly meetings, planning activities, working as a team and demonstrating leadership to their peers.

“Flexi schools are not as well-known as mainstream schools and at times may be seen as the school for ‘bad kids’. Having a Z Club shows the amazing young people that come from disadvantaged backgrounds who are truly passionate and can achieve amazing things,” Deidre says.

“Almost all my students have a background of family abuse or other barriers that they live with daily. For them to want to step into this group, and confront issues that directly relate to them, is incredibly brave. I am so very proud of every one of them.”

Zonta District 22 Area 1 Director Marie Stewart says Z Club members will undertake service projects benefiting their school, community, country and the world.

“They promote the development of leadership, strive for scholastic achievement and the improvement of international understanding through service and advocacy,” she explains.

“The Zonta Club of Redcliffe Inc. sponsors and will act in an advisory capacity for the Deception Bay Flexible School Z Club.”