The fundraising efforts of schools, community organisations and churches in 2024 has enabled the fundraising of over $70,000 towards pastoral care work (chaplaincy) in schools across the Fleurieu.
The South Coast Schools Ministry Support Group (SCSMSG) held its first committee meeting of the year on January 20 and set its budget for 2025.
SCSMSG, who administer the funds with the help of their corporate partner Schools Ministry Group (SMG) and in collaboration with the Federal Government, support the work of chaplaincy across the Fleurieu’s four main state schools – Victor Harbor Primary School and high school, Goolwa Secondary College and Goolwa Primary School.
SCSMSG chairperson, Stephen Fowler said the local school chaplaincy voluntary committee’s role it is to work with the Schools Ministry Group organisation based in Adelaide to employ Pastoral Care Workers (school chaplains) in local schools, to provide pastoral care as required in their school.
Stephen said chaplains the region’s chaplains work with some 200 kids a day and about 35 families each week across four schools.
“SCSMSG significantly supports this work by providing direct local churches cooperative involvement, additional christian support where needed and importantly financial support to increase both the hours each PCW works in each school as well as resources need by them as they deliver their difficult role,” Stephen said.
While Stephen said its difficult to categorically say what a chaplain’s role is in the day-to-day, there are roughly six dimensions of school chaplaincy, they include school engagement, community engagement, extra-curricular support, spiritual support, social and emotional support and especially role modelling and mentoring.
Stephen has thanked the community for its contributions toward the work of SCSMSG, but said there are lots of opportunities for the local South Coast community to further help by either becoming directly involved in any of the group’s formal activities held in 2025.
Stephen also said there is a forthcoming Chaplains Commissioning Service which will be held on Saturday March 1, 6.30pm at the Victor Harbor Bayside Church.
But, if you’re unable to attend that event, “Maybe just buy a sausage at our next Bunnings BBQ!”
SCSMSG will also be launching a new website this year, with more detail about what the school chaplains are doing over the new year as well as a calendar of events.
