CHAPLAINCY

YouthCARE Chaplaincy in State Schools is growing at a rapid rate with significant growth in Primary Schools as schools recognize the integral role chaplains play in meeting the needs of children.

All Chaplains aim to provide a sensitive Christian presence within a secular state school system. School chaplains work with students, families and staff in the school community to encourage an understanding of the range of human experience:

Social - The chaplain offers strategic support and training to develop leadership and citizenship skills for specific groups of students

Emotional - The chaplain provides pastoral care through pastoral conversations with individuals and groups experiencing personal or social difficulties enabling them to work through their difficulties and adjust to change.

Spiritual - The chaplain stimulates and challenges students to examine the big questions of life and meaning, helping them to formulate their own beliefs and values systems and works with staff to incorporate aspects of the core shared values into the educational program of schools.

Mental - The chaplain provides self esteem and social skill enhancing programs for specific groups of students that will enable students to participate more confidently and effectively in the educational programs of the school.

Physical - The chaplain creates networks between the school and welfare and other community-based services. The chaplain informs students of the services that are available to them and enables them to independently access those services.

YouthCARE Chaplains:
YouthCARE Chaplains are religious workers, employed on a full or part-time basis to work within the school as a caring adult as part of a professional student services team by:

• Building relationships with students, families and staff.
• Offering pastoral care.
• Being a mentor.
• Providing additional practical help for teaching and administrative staff.
• Offering input into spiritual and “meaning of life” questions.
• Being a positive role model.
• Providing a link between schools and local communities.