What do school chaplains do?
A school chaplain is a safe person for young people to connect with at school, providing a listening ear, caring presence and a message of hope. A chaplain provides pastoral care for students struggling with a range of issues, within themselves or their family networks, which may include family problems, peer pressure, friendship difficulties, low self-esteem, bullying, depression, drug and alcohol issues, and or/physical, sexual, and emotional abuse.
Chaplains run positive, fun activities for young people both in and out of school, and foster a supportive, caring school community. This includes support for at-risk students, support for staff and families from the wider school community, and spiritual support and direction for the school community.
The partnership between the school and the chaplain, supported by local churches, businesses and community organisations, provides a network of local support and assistance. These positive relationships help young people to face issues, and provide hope, connection, meaning and purpose.
Who is Scripture Union Queensland (SU Qld)?
Su Qld is an interdenominational Christian organisation, that is officially endorsed by Education Queensland as an accredited employing authority for school chaplains. SU Qld has worked in schools for more than 75 years, in partnership with local churches and community groups. Since 1990, SU Qld has been the leading supplier of school chaplains in Queensland state schools, currently training, supporting, equipping and overseeing more than 500 school chaplaincy services.
Our school chaplaincy service
The Mount Crosby State School chaplaincy service seeks to provide an engaging and transformational pastoral care program that is available to the entire school community.
Our chaplain role models positive behaviour and builds mentoring relationships with students by being involved in many of our school events, classroom activities and year level excursions, as well as being available to play games, sports, dance and sing during lunchtime breaks.
The chaplaincy service also proactively seeks to build emotional resilience, leadership potential and life skills in students through delivering the fun friends and friends for life. Our chaplain is a trained facilitator in these programs through pathways health and research centre.
Our chaplain is also available to provide confidential one-on-one pastoral care to students who are struggling with life issues. One-on-one pastoral care is often initiated by parental and teacher referrals and requires written parental consent.
Our chaplain is at our school Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8:00 - 3:30.
Chaplaincy access permission form (PDF, 48 KB)