Service-Learning is an integral part of the IB curriculum as well as an important aspect of the culture and education at OSC, where service is a requirement at all grade levels. With a robust service-learning programme embedded into the curriculum and a designated time for students to concentrate on their service work, the School offers students mutually enriching connections and opportunities to impact the local and global communities. Students are encouraged to identify specific needs within the community, plan suitable responses, and design relevant actions to meet the needs of the community.

In MYP 1-5, students are required to serve for one semester, participating in projects organised by the School or engaging in service outside of school, and many opt to serve all year. In the DP, the commitment is year-long. We believe that student leadership, regardless of age, is essential when proposing and initiating each service project.

Our students are involved in the following service projects:

Care for Paws works with two local community groups, Adopt a Dog in Sri Lanka and the Association of Veterinarians for Humane Management of Animal Population, to provide two local free sterilisation and immunisation camps. Care for Paws raises funds to cover the costs of sterilisations and immunisations for families who bring their pets to the camp and for local street dogs. Students in Care for Paws work hands-on during the camps to care for animals and do necessary administrative work.

Cultural Exchange interacts with students from four local schools in Colombo. Each Thursday, students meet to learn about each other’s cultural similarities and differences. The participating schools are attended by Muslim, Tamil, Catholic, and Sinhala groups. With the aim of enhancing students’ English proficiency and building bridges between the various communities, the Cultural Exchange Programme is an essential group in bringing about cultural awareness and intercultural understanding.

Justice and Equality envisions a future where consent is understood and respected and every individual, regardless of background, is empowered to thrive. Through the members’ combined efforts, the club aims to create lasting societal change and contribute to a more just and equitable world. Students build understanding around positive body image, healthy masculinity, inclusion, and consent.

SOS Village opens the minds of everyone involved by working with orphaned children. Through swimming and other interactive experiences, we create memories for a lifetime for them and us. We break down language and social barriers, nurturing a safe environment for the children with whom we work.

Hope for Kids supports the children and their families at the Maharagama Cancer Hospital. Our activities include public awareness campaigns, food ration drives, the OSC community cricket game, and the collection of educational resources.

Eco-Club, formally known as Eco-Schools, is a dynamic group that focuses on decreasing the School’s environmental impact through education and action. Examples of the types of activities that Eco-Club is involved with include gardening projects and composting while also tackling environmental issues in the local community. The Foundation for Environmental Education has accredited OSC with the Eco-Schools Green Flag, and the Eco-Club works towards continual accreditation.

OSC’s Room to Read helps develop libraries in the local communities, making reading for pleasure and learning available to many people by spreading our passion for books. We have created a strong partnership with two schools in the community: Vidyaloka Maha Vidyalaya and Vidyawardhana Maha Vidyalaya. Our recently opened second-hand bookstore near the reception is one way we continue raising funds to support these two libraries in building and furnishing their library buildings. We are planning to complete the library for Vidyaloka Maha Vidyalaya this academic year. Our English language programme is up and running, with 15 students from Vidyaloka Maha Vidyalaya coming to OSC each week.

Recycling and Sustainability investigates potential solutions for our School’s ecological footprint and trains the community to do their part to aid our service, their school, and Colombo. Recycling is our role, and sustainability is our goal!

Gecko Inc. focuses on helping Sri Lankan children from the local area develop basic water safety skills. Considering that Sri Lanka is an island, a child’s ability to feel safe around water is critical to preventing drownings. We hope to invite students back to the OSC campus this year.

Gecko Network serves as the publishing arm of the service programme. We focus on publicising and promoting OSC’s many service events and initiatives. Our students are reporters and photographers who cover the latest news in the service programme. While reporting, Gecko Net students actively engage in the other service groups. The Gecko Net remit also provides valuable services to its members by helping them develop their writing and photography skills for use in various media tools and platforms.

Housing and Habitat improves our school and the surrounding community by building sustainable elements at OSC and local schools. As a very hands-on service group connected with the Eco-Schools programme, the group is engaged building raised garden beds, benches, and trellises around OSC and at a local school close to our campus. We aim to remain financially self-sufficient by holding an annual Home Run fundraiser to help us purchase the necessary equipment for our ongoing projects.

Mandala Music 108’s mission is to help disadvantaged schools build a music programme and to supply them with the instruments they need so that children can learn music and connect through the power of sound.

Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE) service group is part of an international journalism competition involving 43 countries and more than 500,000 students. The OSC Young Reporters take action to improve the local environment and to report on what they achieve. They focus on environmental issues at OSC or surrounding areas. Last year, the OSC Young Reporters won the international award in the 11-14 year-old Article category.

Gecko Gear is redefining the OSC attire world and supporting the “Kids on Campus” service programme. Each week, Gecko Gear works together to create OSC designs and merchandise items, and through the sales of these items, we support “Kids on Campus”. Many kids from the local community visit OSC on Thursday afternoons as part of our service programme. “Kids on Campus” share the OSC swimming pool and learn valuable swimming skills. Other students join each week to improve their English language skills. Gecko Gear will provide resources to help these young people thrive in the service programme and beyond.

Hands for Humanity is a new service focused on creating awareness and taking action against various forms of human rights and modern slavery, including worker exploitation and the ethical concerns surrounding the fast fashion industry. The group focuses on SDG 1, No Poverty; SDG 8, Decent Work and Economic Growth; and SDG 12, Responsible Consumption and Production. Providing opportunities for student activism through activities such as the A21 Walk for Freedom, the Dressember Campaign, #WearBlueDay for human trafficking awareness, and #MyFreedomDay, students liaise with local Union Groups here in Sri Lanka while actively contributing to a more just and equitable society.