Chaplains listen to kids without judgement
Support, encourage, mentor and refer - these were the words chosen by four YouthCARE chaplains in the Rockingham-Kwinana area to explain the work they do within schools.
There are 12 YouthCARE chaplains working across 26 schools in the area, with 17 schools receiving Federal funding.
According to YouthCARE chief executive Stanley Jeyaraj, chaplains are in high demand.
"(Their role is to) care for the social, emotional, mental and spiritual wellbeing of students, staff and families," he said.
"They are trusted, trained adults who are there to listen non-judgmentally and refer to extra support where necessary."
YouthCARE South Coast Metro area chaplain Darlene Herbert agrees, saying it is important to remember chaplains are invited into a school and not mandated.
As a chaplain for 12 years, Mrs Herbert now oversees chaplains at 30 schools and said the role differed depending on the schools' needs.
She said the role could include anything from hanging out with students at lunch to organising breakfast clubs, support groups, community engagement activities and one-on-one chats.
Mrs Herbert said chaplains worked in a team structure with a psychologist, youth worker and nurse, differing school to school.
Gilmore College chaplain Riana Strydom said students came to her because they could let out all their burdens without worry of discipline or judgment.
Rockingham Beach and Bungaree primary schools chaplain Deb Cunningham said it was about being available to drop everything to help students with whatever troubles they were having at short notice. Mrs Herbert refuted the notion chaplains pushed their religious beliefs on students.
"We don't proselytise and we don't preach to the kids," she said.
"It is quite separate from Christian religious education.
"Primarily the reason why chaplains do what they do is because someone has impacted their lives and so they want to be there, even if it is just for that one person, to make a positive difference."
