SEVERAL schools across Collie are some of the 501 WA public schools to receive a funding boost for their chaplaincy programs.
The Liberal-National Government has announced it would provide $10.48 million to additional public schools for in-school chaplains in 2017 and 2018.
A further 60 public schools will receive chaplaincy support for up to one day per week, thanks to funding from a Grant Agreement between the Department of Education and YouthCARE.
Collie Senior High School relieving principal Dale Miller said chaplains provided support for students, parents and teachers.
“In country towns, they help to form the hub of a town and parents often come to schools seeking assistance and the chaplain is just one of the support team and they play a critical role,” she said.
“They support students, staff, families in many different ways depending on the need of the family or student involved.
“The chaplain adapts to a school community and works with lots of different people, it might be a quiet chat with a student, assisting a student with a test, a goal-setting program, a coffee with a staff member or a struggling family, the chaplain does it all.”
CSHS chaplain Stacey Munday said it was important to find the right person and that they work with the school to get the best outcome for the students.
YouthCARE chief executive officer Stanley Jeyaraj said chaplains greatly assisted schools across WA.
“Our chaplains play an important role in supporting the social, emotional, spiritual and mental wellbeing of the school community,” he said.
Education Minister Peter Collier said all schools that applied for funding would receive chaplaincy services.
"I am delighted State Government funding has secured in-school chaplaincy services for the start of the 2017 school year," he said.
"This means every public school that applied for funding will receive chaplaincy services in 2017 and 2018.”
