Blood donation project helps students gain new skills

Year 12 students Chelsea Farrugia and Hannah Ciappara organised a blood donation drive for staff and students as part of their Personal Development Skills class project. This week, Chelsea reflects on the important work of the Red Cross and the skills she has gained through her work.

Did you know that 8000 litres of breast milk was donated to the Australian Red Cross in the past year, and 1.8 million people donated blood? One single blood donation can save up to three lives and 1 in 3 people will need blood or blood products in their lifetime.

That’s why for our Personal Development Skills (PDS) project, Hannah and I wanted to do something to help the community, so we organised a blood donation drive for staff and students at CRC Melton. We chose to donate blood as we are both passionate about helping those in the community and those in need.

The Red Cross is an organisation committed to providing life-giving essence to support the everyday wellbeing of all Australians. This includes blood, plasma, transplantation and biological products like breast milk.

In our PDS class, we are required to organise and plan our own projects. They can include fundraisers, activities around the school, excursions and incursions. It is also about conducting a project around a social, cultural or environmental issue that you’re passionate about.

This project has helped develop my communication skills, as I have learned to talk professionally on the phone and send formal emails. It also helped with my collaboration skills as I was required to work with Hannah every step of the way.

Although the school blood drive was unable to happen due to COVID restrictions, the Red Cross is still taking donations during lockdown. If you want to learn more about the Red Cross and blood donations, you can visit its website at www.lifeblood.com.au