Classroom Activities
Get creative with classroom activities! These activities give students fun, hands-on ways to learn about homelessness and the work of Hutt St Centre.
Inspire creativity, critical-thinking and empathy in your students with Hutt St Centre's classroom activities.
Homelessness can be a tricky topic for young learners. Our activities are designed to combine fun and compassion, helping ensure that homelessness isn't too confronting or too hard to understand.
For a teamwork activity, build a city of compassion using the template below. Or, for a quiet time activity have your students write a Message of Hope for someone in need.
The activities are designed primarily with an upper-primary audience in mind. However, they can be adjusted up or down to cater for years R-12.
Cards of encouragement
Follow our helpful tips and guidelines for writing thoughtful cards of encouragement to people at risk of or experiencing homelessness:
Keep messages simple and warm. It’s okay if you don’t know much about homelessness.
Avoid overly religious or spiritual language. Keeping in mind that visitors at Hutt St Centre have diverse beliefs and backgrounds, consider writing a card that someone of any worldview can feel encouraged by even if they don't share your beliefs.
Don’t mention family or loved ones. This is a difficult topic for many people experiencing homelessness, family and relationship breakdown is one of the primary reasons for homelessness.
Share a fun fact about yourself. People at risk of or experiencing homelessness have hobbies and passions too, and might enjoying reading and relating to your fun fact.
Sign your first name only. For privacy reasons, don't share your full name. But, if you feel comfortable, do share your first name instead of signing off as "friend" or "stranger". It will make your card more personal for the person who receives it.
Ending homelessness takes the support of a community, build a city of compassion to capture that spirit. Print and cut out the house outlines, then write one way you can help people experiencing homelessness on each house. Stick these up in your classroom to build a city of compassion.
Test out your trivia with Hutt St Centre's 10 question quiz. Questions cover Hutt St Centre and homelessness in South Australia, helping give students a quick overview of the need-to-know key facts.
Download the Messages of Hope template to write a simple, heartfelt message of hope for someone doing it tough. Trim off the instructions, and then post or drop it back to Hutt St Centre at 258 Hutt Street, Adelaide.
Can you find all 26 words? After completing the word search discuss any common themes you notice from the list of words. What words stand out to you? Learn how Hutt St Centre helps people experiencing homelessness.
Help and Support
For school-related questions and enquiries, reach out to Hutt St Centre's school liaison, Jacinta, at schools@huttstcentre.org.au
For all other enquires, please call us directly on 08 8418 2509 or email us at fundraising@huttstcentre.org.au
