On Friday night, 37 Year 10 students and 4 staff braved the rainy weather to take part in the annual Anglicare WA Sleep Out at Optus Stadium. This marked St James’ 7th year supporting this important event.

Leaving school at 5pm, students headed to Optus Stadium to ‘sleep rough’ and gain insight into the harsh reality faced by 3000 young West Australians who experience homelessness every night. Our students took part in simulations navigating crisis accommodation, food access, clothing needs and the challenges of obtaining ID to get support.

Despite the cold and little sleep, our students showed remarkable resilience and empathy. With stadium lights shining through the night and exhaustion setting in, everyone finally rested around 3am—just to rise again a few hours later, committed and inspired.

A huge thank you to the dedicated staff who sacrificed their own comfort to support our students throughout the night. Their care and energy made this eye-opening experience possible.

Thank you to all those who donated to the cause and to our students who showed compassion, resilience, and a willingness to make a positive impact on their community.