Other Service Activities

Service activities are a great way for pupils to broaden their minds, gain a more varied experience than that which they’d normally get in the classroom and learn how to commit themselves to a cause.

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Other service activities include the Charities Committee which is available to Form VI pupils and takes place on Tuesday lunchtimes. It effects real change through national and local charities such as Macmillan Cancer Research, Alzheimer’s Scotland and the Alloa Foodbank. The recent Sponsored Walk organised by the Committee raised in excess of £60,000 for good causes around the world. Also available are our various Community Service clubs which pupils from Form I to VI can join. These represent a number of projects that support people and places in Dollar’s local and wider community including computer training for the elderly, riding for the disabled and more.

  • British Heart Foundation

    Youth Volunteers

    Pupils will receive training in the issues surrounding heart disease and will then raise awareness in others by speaking to their form classes and/or year group assemblies. There are further opportunities to take this new skill out into the community. An excellent opportunity for those who hope to enter a medical profession, or for those who enjoy, or wish to develop, public speaking skills. Training times to be arranged but will be during the school day so suitable for all ages

  • Charities Committee

    Form VI Charities Committee

    Our Form VI Charities Committee takes responsibility for organising our programme of whole-school fundraising events and unifying us in the direction of their carefully considered and selected charitable causes.

    This is a very popular Senior School activity and, as such, places on the Committee are in high demand and pupils must go through a selection process.

    Over the years, the Charities Committee has been responsible for raising significant sums for local, national and international causes.  The committee also takes responsibility for organising discos for the younger pupils and supporting the work of local charities

  • Dollar Scouts and Brownies

    Brownie Club

    Our senior pupils can volunteer to help at the local Beaver and Cub packs or the Brownie Club.

     

  • Environmental

    Ochil Landscape Partnership

    Senior school pupils have the opportunity to receive training and experience in physical environmental projects such as dry stone wall-building and hillwalking leadership.

  • Events for the Elderly

    Computer Training

    This is a four-week course in which our pupils in Forms IV, V and VI provide basic computer skills training to elderly members of the community.  Pupils must tailor their tuition to the client’s needs e.g. sending and receiving e-mails, internet shopping, storage of photographs or simply how to use a mouse. This is an exceptionally rewarding experience for pupils who experience the joy that teaching can bring and appreciate how learning a new skill can change a life.  On our first course a pupil opened the door of Skype to a grandmother whose grandson was on a gap year in Australia.

     

  • Sporting and Musical Experience

    Hillfoots Rugby Club

    This is an opportunity for boys and girls from Form III to VI to be involved in the coaching of youth teams at the Hillfoots Rugby Club.  Training is provided, with the opportunity to undertake the Level 1 coaching certificate for those interested.

     

    Seamab School

    Seamab School is a residential school that provides positive sporting and musical experiences for primary aged pupils who are in the care of the local authority.  We encourage our Senior School pupils to volunteer in this rewarding activity.

    Seamab pupils travel to Dollar for a lesson run by members of our sports staff. Our Form VI pupils act as sports role models during these lessons. This requires a long-term commitment and the willingness to build trusting relationships with vulnerable children.

    Our senior school pupils can also volunteer to work as mentors, leading musical workshops for the children at Seamab.

  • Social Work

    Play Alloa

    Pupils in Forms V and VI can volunteer at this local youth club for young adults with mental or physical disabilities. Pupils attend the club to play games, use the iPads or just chat and make friends. There is also the opportunity to be involved in outings that the club organizes e.g. Bowling and Cinema trips. There is also a Saturday Play Alloa which provides play and social opportunities for children and young people with special needs.

    The Whins Resources Centre

    Pupils on Form VI have the opportunity to volunteer at this local day centre where people with physical disabilities or victims of stroke attend for rehabilitation.  Pupils can work with the photographic group to produce a calendar which is sold for fundraising. Pupils can also work with IT using iPads and the whiteboard – equipment that has been donated to the Centre by The Governors of Dollar Academy.

     

  • Teaching

    Strathdevon Primary School

    Any aspiring teachers in Form VI have an excellent opportunity for work experience provided by our local primary school.  Pupils can arranging to assist with sporting activities, assist during lunchtime play and offer academic support through paired reading.

    Timings can be arranged to suit.

    Study Buddies

    Pupils work in pairs and provide an hour of academic support a week to a teenager in care.  A high level of commitment is required as this is a school year-round activity, except during study leave and exams.  Transport is provided which leaves school at 3.30pm returning by 5.15pm. This activity is only on offer to our older senior school pupils and training is provided from social workers before undertaking this very valuable and rewarding task.