Australian International Islamic College (AIIC) teacher Sefina Hassam was instrumental in establishing the school’s Social Volunteer Project, where students take part in projects inside and outside of school on a weekly and monthly basis.

As a migrant, Mrs Hassam said she is particularly aware of the repercussions of social injustice, oppression, and poverty. She believes it is vital that students are aware of their responsibilities, not just as members of society but as global citizens.

During the early 2022 floods, her students worked on weekends to remove debris from the Redbank Plains and Rocklea areas of Southeast Queensland, to help those who had lost everything. They collected donations worth over $2000 and sourced over 500 bedding items as well as non-perishable goods for storage and distribution.

Mrs Hassam helped to set up a safe space in Inala for people experiencing homelessness, where students can assist in serving food and collecting clothing and other essential items.

She also supports her students to undertake a Certificate 3 Active Volunteering VET course, in which they engage with community organisations and charity representatives.

“As a migrant myself, I can empathise with the challenges my students face in finding a place for themselves in Australian society,” she said.

“As their teachers, we have a responsibility to guide and nurture them, and we must truly realise that their education is not limited to the classroom,” she said.

In a school where students speak over 40 languages and where English is a second or other language for most, Mrs Hassam is passionate about making sure they feel valued and progress academically.

Through her high standards of teaching, she took students from diverse EALD backgrounds from a 30% failure rate in Year 10 English to a 0% failure rate in senior QCE English.

In the school community, Mrs Hassam understands that many young people struggle with their own identities, inter-generational conflicts and developing positive relationships with others. She is driven to motivate them to participate in the community, find their place in the world and develop their linguistic and social skills.

For this reason, she set up youth wellbeing nights for girls from diverse backgrounds to foster their resilience, help-seeking and positive mental health.

“In the end, the teaching profession is all about their success, their conquering of their own challenges and seeing them grow,” Mrs Hassam said.

Following in her footsteps - and knowing they can make a positive impact in society - many former students have adopted her model and founded their own community organisations.

“It’s really rewarding to see our students, some who cannot speak English at all when they come to our school, finally leave school as autonomous individuals who uphold strong values and character in their adulthood,” she said.

Mrs Hassam is a finalist at the Queensland College of Teachers TEACHX Awards, in the Outstanding Contribution to School Community category.

Winners will be announced October 27th, on the eve of World Teachers’ Day in Queensland.