At All Saints High School, Grade 11 Interior Design students are embarking on an innovative project that blends creativity, community service, and sustainable design. Through their work on upcycling unwanted furniture, students are learning how to make a meaningful impact on Ottawa's unhoused community. By collaborating with local community partners, they are honing their design skills and embracing the power of giving back to those in need.
A Sustainable Solution with a Purpose
The Upcycled Furniture Design project empowers students to creatively repurpose discarded furniture into beautiful, functional pieces. This initiative provides students with a hands-on, experiential learning opportunity that promotes environmental sustainability and supports one of Ottawa's most vulnerable populations. By partnering with organizations like Matthew House and Operation Come Home, students will donate their upcycled creations to help furnish homes for youth and newcomers.
Working alongside Lisa Silfwerbrand, the proprietor of Recreated Designs, students are learning the fine art of upcycling unwanted wood furniture. Through a six-day workshop led by Lisa, students are introduced to the skills needed to transform discarded furniture into valuable assets for those in need. Lisa has a passion for community service and is eager to share her expertise with the students, inspiring them to view furniture in a new light one that aligns with both creativity and social responsibility.
Building Bridges with the Community
The project's success relies on strong community partnerships, and the response from Ottawa's residents has been overwhelmingly positive. Local families, churches, and school councils have generously donated furniture, providing the students with a diverse range of items to upcycle. In addition, the project benefits from the expertise of Emily MacLean, Housing Coordinator at Operation Come Home, and Basal Jalab of Matthew House. These community partners provide valuable insight into the realities of homelessness and share how these donations will directly improve the lives of unhoused youth and refugees.
The students engaged in virtual sessions with Emily and Basal to hear firsthand accounts of how community organizations support vulnerable populations. These conversations will serve as an essential part of the project, grounding the students' work in real-world issues and allowing them to understand the broader impact of their contributions.
From Classroom to Community Impact
Throughout this project, students are applying their design skills and learning essential life lessons in citizenship, creativity, and character. By taking action to help those in need, students will reflect on the significance of their work and how it can foster a sense of belonging and dignity. The project connects directly to Global Competencies, and students are developing key skills that will benefit them both in school and in life.
Creativity plays a vital role as students reimagine discarded furniture, giving it new life and purpose. Citizenship is at the heart of the project, as students actively work to solve a local issue by helping to address homelessness in Ottawa. Collaboration is also crucial, with students partnering not only with each other but also with local organizations and community members to ensure the project's success.
This initiative requires Character, as students learn the importance of perseverance, teamwork, and integrity while facing challenges. Most importantly, they are gaining a deep sense of pride and fulfillment from the knowledge that their efforts are directly improving the lives of others in their community.
Celebrating Community and Faith
The project also provides students with a meaningful way to connect their work to their faith. Through their service to others, students live out the value of Dignity of Persons, which is fundamental to both their school community and the broader Ottawa community. By seeing how their actions can create positive change, students gain a greater appreciation for the power of their individual and collective contributions.
As the project progresses, students are documenting their creative journey through digital portfolios. In these portfolios, they reflect on the process of upcycling furniture and share their experiences learning about homelessness and the organizations working to support those in need. These portfolios will be shared with the wider community, showcasing their hard work and offering inspiration for others who might be looking to make a difference.
A Bright Future for the Project
The community support for this project has been incredible, with furniture donations coming from as far as Carleton Place and Orleans. As the project continues to grow, additional supplies such as paint, sanders, and other upcycling tools are needed to keep the momentum going. The enthusiasm from parents, community members, and parishioners speaks volumes about the collective desire to help and create meaningful change.
This project stands as a testament to the power of design, creativity, and community spirit. Through the work of Grade 11 Interior Design students at All Saints High School, students are not only gaining valuable skills they are actively contributing to a cause that has the potential to make a lasting impact on their city. As they upcycle furniture, they are also upcycling their own perspectives, learning that design can be a powerful tool for social good.
