Chaplain News

Welcome to another term. I hope you all had a safe and restful holiday break.

During the holidays I had an amazing opportunity to take part in the annual SU Chaplaincy Conference on the Sunshine Coast. I had the honour of speaking in front of 700+ other Chaplains from across the country about what was happening here at RVSSC. 

Love Bites

Both our Youth Worker, Alicia and myself will be delivering the Love Bites program to selected students in Week 9 & 10 of Term 3 and Week 1 & 3 of Term 4.

What is Love Bites?

Love Bites is a highly regarded program that aims to provide young people with a safe environment to examine, discuss and explore respectful relationships. The Program takes a strengths-based approach and views young people as active participants who are able to make choices for themselves and their relationships when supported with information and opportunity for skill development.

Love Bites education is focused on three critical areas for learning; knowledge (youth-led collaborative learning), attitudes (critical thinking and decision-making) and behaviours (problem solving and communication skills). The overall aim of this program is to equip young people with the knowledge needed to have respectful relationships, encourage and develop their skills in critical thinking and assist them in being able to problem solve and communicate effectively. When equipped in these areas, we believe that young people can make the right choices for themselves and their relationships that are free from violence and abuse.

Alicia and myself will be the facilitators of the sessions and have received specialised training in the Love Bites program. Alicia and I will also be available to provide support and assistance to students before, during and after each session if required.

If you wish for your child to attend these workshops please send an email to myself or Alicia. Once we have received your email we will be in touch with further information and a permission form.

Mentoring Program

A program that the Chaplaincy Service is looking to start up is the mentoring program. The mentoring program will include community people who will spend 1 hour a week, 1 on 1 with a student within our community in an open space on the college grounds. The mentor is a life mentor and will undergo child safety training by the College as well as SU. The mentor must be over 21 years of age and have a blue card to participate. 

This is a great way for the wider Ripley Community to be involved with the college and to help support students. If you want to be a mentor or if your child is someone who you think would benefit from this program, please contact me.

Chaplaincy Committee

The Local Chaplaincy Committee is the supporting and guiding body behind the Chaplaincy Service helping shape it to meet the wellbeing of the school community here at RVSSC. If you would like to attend and be a part of the committee, we have our next meeting on Thursday the 11th of August at 4 pm here at the College.

Spiritual Support

One of my roles as Chaplain is to provide spiritual support. One of the ways I do this is to connect students to a local youth group. If you feel as a parent that this is something your child needs, please contact me and I will find local youth groups that are around where you reside.

Breakfast Club

Breakfast Club starts up again this coming week and will continue to operate on Tuesdays' & Wednesday's from 8:15am until Access. If your child has already registed to help out they would have receive confirmation of this by now. If your child is interested in helping out but have not registered their interest as yet, all they have to do is check Daymap and sign up by following the link. I want to thank all the students who helped out last term.