The children have been talking about homelessness as part of their current religious education unit on 'how can we help others in our community?' and have chosen to work on areas they feel most passionate about.

As a result they've come up with a series of projects to support organisations supporting homeless people across Ballarat.

Among the projects is a plant sale, which teachers, parents, grandparents and the students themselves have helped organise.

From tomorrow, until stocks run out, they will run a $2 plant sale from the front of school to raise money to buy Backpack Beds for the homeless.

"We are raising money to buy backpack beds for the homeless so they can have some shelter and it will keep them warm," said grade one pupil Cohen, who also donated $22 from his own pocket money to the cause.

Teacher Leonie Leviston said the children had been eager to help in any way they could.

"They worry that homeless people might be cold or sleeping in unsafe conditions. Currently there are over 500 people experiencing homelessness in Ballarat. COVID has dramatically increased numbers of people experiencing homelessness as well," she said.

"Our grade one and two students have decided to do something to help people experiencing homelessness in Ballarat and are raising money to purchase Backpack Beds to be distributed to the homeless. Backpack Beds cost $110 each. To do this the children are collecting cuttings of succulents to pot into recycled disposable coffee cups so that we can have a 'contactless' plant sale out the front of our school."

Many in the school community have donated succulent cuttings, seedlings and other plants, with Formosa Nursery and Bunnings also contributing to the sale stock.

Other groups of students have collected non-perishable items for Ballarat's Soup Bus, and gathered donations to create care packs for the One Humanity Shower Bus.

Some children had written letters and made gifts for lonely residents in a local nursing home, while others wanted to care for the environment and help pick up rubbish.

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And next week the entire school will have a casual dress day with a gold coin donation to go toward helping people experiencing homelessness.

The plant sale will be held from 11am Wednesday at the front of the school. Visitors will need to QR code sign in. All plants are $2, no change available.

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