Community Outreach

Dili International School has a strong commitment to supporting the people of Timor Leste. We achieve this by connecting students, staff, and parents to community organisations through:

Community Action and Service (CAS) 

In 2023 we launched our CAS program whereby secondary students will all participate in a year long project that benefits both our DIS community and beyond. The program is aimed at developing student skills and understandings of team work and community. We believe in the respectful and ethical engagement with local organisations that are built on solidarity and collaboration. 

Events

We participate in a wide range of different events throughout the year, such as: 

• Annual primary and secondary theatre productions;

• Conferences such as the UWC Youth for Peace and the Dili Model United Nations;

• Inter-school sporting competitions with local and international schools, including futsal, basketball, volleyball,  and athletics;

• Disability based sporting events in association with Bali Sports Foundation, such as wheelchair rugby and basketball; 

• First Lady’s Cup 10km run;

• Xanana 10km run;

• Community service events like beach clean ups.

Speakers

We invite community members to come and share their experiences and knowledge. Our Grade 10 students gain excellent insights on possible future career pathways through a Careers Carousel. Each week the students explore different career possibilities by listening to representatives from the government, business, international non-government organisations and the national charity sector. For example, we have had local members of parliament speak to students to explain the political system in Timor-Leste, health specialists share their experiences of issues pertinent to youth, such as smoking and healthy living.

Internships

DIS forms partnerships with local community organisations, such as Casa Vida, World Vision and RAEBIA, to provide students with structured internships that support their career pathways while at the same time benefitting the organisation significantly. DIS VCE students have worked with NGO Casa Vida to assist them with marketing and promotions of their social enterprises including the use of social media, design of brochures and order forms, setting up a computerised library system at the Casa Vida preschool, and designing a stock control system that tracks inventory and calculates profit and loss for individual items.

Sharing resources with local schools

Staff and students alike this year are committed to creating innovative teaching and learning resources to share with local public schools around Dili as well as further afield. We are working closely with a local primary school level having invited students to DIS to partake in lessons and activities with DIS students. Over the next few years we will continue to build these relationships and continue to exchange cultural, social, and academic/vocational knowledge.

Voluntary activities 

Many of the DIS staff and students participate in a range of regular voluntary activities, such as running conversational English classes and running activities and games for local children. 

Pantai Kelapa community

Assistance with electricity, water and out of hours use of facilities is provided to local families. Where possible we recruit employees from the local community.

Fundraising

Our Student Representative Councils (SRC) raises funds to assist with worthwhile projects.

Families from the Pantai Kelapa community are treated to movie nights run by the junior SRC.

Collections of food and essential items from the school community are conducted annually and distributed to the districts. 

Charles Darwin University (CDU) 

We work closely with Charles Darwin University to provide expansive experiences for our students, including through our university scholarship for Timorese nationals. We are a certified site for CDU students to complete their practicums with us.