About School chaplaincy

School chaplains

School chaplains provide social, emotional and pastoral support to school communities. They are in the prevention and support business: helping students find a better way to deal with issues ranging from family breakdown and loneliness to friendships and mental health.

They provide a listening ear and a caring presence for children and young people in crisis, and those who just need a friend. They also provide support for staff and parents in school communities.

​1:1 SUPPORT

Nationally, chaplains have 15,724 formal pastoral conversations with students per week.

These are the top 5 issues students seek a chaplain for:

  1. Peer relationships
  2. Mental health – anxiety, depression
  3. Bullying (F2F & online)
  4. Educational support & behaviour
  5. Family – Breakdown & parental separation

PROGRAMS

Each term chaplains run 7,025 programs supporting 313,109 students.

These evidence-based programs include, but are not limited to:

  • Social and emotional support
  • Mentoring
  • Educational support
  • Community development.

The SU Chaplaincy Difference

With over 30 years of school chaplaincy experience, SU Chaplaincy has built a strong reputation of professionalism and trust in hundreds of school communities, and is the largest chaplaincy provider in Australia.

School Chaplaincy is an effective means of meeting the holistic wellbeing needs of your students and your school community. SU Chaplaincy remains at the forefront in providing a chaplaincy service that fits your school.

1. Highly Qualified Staff

The minimum qualification for chaplains to serve in schools is a Cert IV in Chaplaincy/ Youth Work, however 77% of SU Chaplains exceed this government-mandated minimum qualification, holding a Diploma and/or Bachelor.

2. Rigorous Employment Process
We are committed to finding the very best chaplain for your school. SU Chaplaincy uses a multi-stage recruitment and screening process. The principal provides the final approval in the appointment process to ensure that your chaplain is a good fit for your school.
3. Policy Compliance

SU Chaplaincy has a strong track record of delivering appropriate social, emotional and spiritual support in state schools, and has processes in place to address any issues that may occur.

4. Training & Professional Development

SU Chaplaincy provides a comprehensive induction and ongoing in-service training and professional development for all our chaplains. SU Chaplaincy also provides regular mentoring and supervision to support chaplains in their roles.

5. Extra Hours
SU Chaplaincy is able to assist with community fundraising to extend your chaplaincy service beyond the program’s minimum hours. Almost 50% of SU Chaplaincy’s schools receive community funding towards their service.
6. Local Management
With a strong network of local Field Development Managers and a Help Desk accessible to you at any time, our people are there to support you, and our chaplains, every step of the way.
7. Hassle-free Financial Management
We take care of payroll, insurance, leave, Work-Cover and superannuation, freeing you up to focus on the things that really matter – how best to support students and their families in your school.
8. Chaplaincy Network

Our chaplains enjoy being part of Australia’s largest chaplaincy network.
SU Chaplaincy has formed strong connections with a number of counselling, welfare, and support groups, and our chaplains are trained in supporting struggling youth, and will refer to appropriate care when necessary.

SU Chaplaincy National Snapshot

SU has been providing social, emotional and pastoral support in Australian schools through chaplaincy for over 30 years. Throughout 2022 we collected information on their activities and impact. We are pleased to share our findings with you.

Read more

How do I get a Chaplain in my school?

Register your interest today to find out what school chaplaincy is and why it is such an effective resource in schools.

Our team will give you a call to discuss how we can work with you to find the right chaplain for your school community.

Expression of Interest