School Chaplain

School Chaplain

What is Chaplaincy?

The role of a Chaplain is to provide a safe and confidential space that allows students to feel comfortable voluntarily sharing their challenges and barriers to learning. The goal is to support students to build problem solving skills by working together to discover healthy ways to approach and overcome these challenges.

How?

1. Listening and building trust.
2. Providing a consistent, safe space to talk or rest from stress.
3. Support wellbeing programs/events.
4. Teaching new perspectives and skills.
5. Communicating with community service organisations/ making external referrals.
6. Discovering student values and needs to tailor a strategy for improved wellbeing and capacity to learn.

What does the first session look like?

1. Introduction to the chaplain’s role and wellbeing engagement.
2. Explanation of my responsibilities, privacy laws, mandatory reporting, and voluntary engagement.
3. Ask if the student would like to continue engagement.
4. Decide on session frequency.

Things Chaplains Can’t Do

1. Force religious beliefs on or instigate religious conversations with students.
2. Make a student change or force them to engage with supports.
3. Discuss details of sessions with non-wellbeing staff/services without the consent of the student, or the presence of an immediate wellbeing concern.