Primary School Chaplain

National Student Wellbeing Program

The National Student Wellbeing Program (NSWP) provides:

·        pastoral care services

·        strategies that support the wellbeing of the broader school community.

The NSWP defines pastoral care as the practice of supporting the general wellbeing of students and the school community.

Chaplains must follow the NSWP Guideline and the service agreement between the school and provider. The guidelines include a code of conduct which must be signed by the chaplain or student wellbeing officer. The NSWP guidelines can be viewed at https://www.vic.gov.au/national-student-wellbeing-program. Chaplains must also abide by any requirements established by their NSWP provider.

Provider

ECHO Youth and Family Services Chaplaincy Program is a Christian service which exists to provide pastoral care in schools across the Eastern Dandenong Ranges via the National School Wellbeing Program (NSWP).

ECHO provides chaplains to five local schools providing a team of support in the local area. ECHO chaplains meet once a term to share resources and discuss issues. There is also an online forum for the chaplains to connect quickly for support and sharing information. Each ECHO Chaplain receives a professional development budget to undertake their own choice of external supervision or training programs.

School Environment

The Patch Primary School is located in the Dandenong Ranges. Its large grounds include student designed landscapes which provide nature-based learning and play opportunities. Students participate in regular and meaningful projects to improve biodiversity in the school grounds, reduce resource use and improve sustainability.

Our vision is to provide innovative learning that encourages excellence through high expectations. We aim to strengthen resilience, support deep creative thinking, recognise diversity, develop compassion, and respect our environment.  We want all our students to have the skills to fully participate in a sustainable global future.

Our school offers students a comprehensive education based on the Victorian Curriculum including Literacy, Numeracy, Physical Education, the Humanities, Auslan, Art, Music, and STEM.  In addition, students take part in Philosophy each week.  Our Respectful Relationships curriculum combined with the Berry Street Education Model help students to build healthy relationships, resilience, and confidence. We offer a Forest Classroom Program with the adjoining kindergarten. 

School Values

The Patch Primary School Community values respect, responsibility, and integrity.

·        Respect for the Wurrundjeri people as the Traditional Owners and caretakers of the land our school is on, and we recognise their continuing connection to it.  We respect one another’s achievements, views, dignity, privacy, and property and accept that everyone is different.

·        Responsibility through being accountable for our actions.

·        Integrity through high standards, open and honest communication, and trustworthy behaviours.

Role Purpose

A chaplain or student wellbeing officer engaged via the NSWP may:

·        work as a member of the school’s wellbeing team in the delivery of student wellbeing services.

·        contribute to improving student engagement and connectedness.

·        contribute to providing a safe, inclusive and supportive learning environment.

·        provide pastoral care and guidance to students.

·        operate within the school community and with external providers.

Responsibilities

The roles and responsibilities of NSWP chaplains and student wellbeing officers could include:

·        supporting student attendance, engagement, and mental health

·        supporting students in difficult or challenging situations such as during times of grief

·        providing students with referrals to specialist services when required

·        providing pastoral care and guidance to students about values and ethical matters

·        supporting physical, emotional, social, and intellectual development and wellbeing of all students

·        supporting an environment of cooperation and respecting a diversity of cultures and traditions.

NSWP chaplains and student wellbeing officers must not: 

·        proselytise, evangelise, or advocate for a particular religious view or belief.

·        enter compromising situations where confidentiality may be sought by the student.

·        behave in a way that impacts the delivery of their services under the program, including in a private capacity.

·        perform professional or other services for which they are not qualified.

·        visit students’ homes to work with students and their families.

·        conduct religious services or ceremonies or lead in religious observances.

·        provide religious instruction or religious counselling to students.

·        promote external events run by religious organisations. For example, camps, excursions, youth conferences, guest speaker presentations etc.

·        become involved in parenting disputes, family law matters or other legal proceedings.

Qualifications

Chaplains and student wellbeing officers must hold a Certificate IV equivalent or higher qualification that includes competencies in:

·        mental health and making appropriate referrals, and

·        providing pastoral care or working with youth.

Qualifications in the Community Services Training Package that meet these requirements are::

·        Certificate IV in Chaplaincy and Pastoral Care (CHC42315)

·        Certificate IV in Community Services (CHC42015)

·        Certificate IV in Mental Health (CHC43315)

·        Certificate IV in Youth Justice (CHC40513)

·        Certificate IV in Youth Work (CHC40413).

Information on training providers for these courses can be found at www.training.gov.au.

Other qualifications in psychology or social work may be suitable. See:

·        the Psychology Board of Australia approved courses of study

·        the Australian Association of Social Workers accredited courses.

All chaplains and student wellbeing officers must hold a valid employee working with children clearance.

Chaplains and student wellbeing officers must comply with the school’s child safety screening requirements.

Selection criteria

·        Experience supporting the general wellbeing of students and the school community.

·        Experience in providing services to improve student engagement and connectedness.

·        Ability to foster a safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environment.

·        Experience in delivering wellbeing services within a multidisciplinary team.

·        Ability to operate within the school community and with external providers, including providing students with referrals to specialist services when required.

·        Ability to support schools and teachers to identify and develop educational, social, and emotional programs to support students.

Other relevant information

A person engaged via the NSWP must be able to meet the following requirements.

Chaplain

A chaplain is an individual who:

·        has the skills and experience to deliver chaplaincy services to the school community.

·        has the endorsement of a religious institution.

·        meets the NSWP’s minimum qualification requirements.

A title other than ‘chaplain’ can be used to reflect different religious affiliations.

A religious institution means an entity that:

·        operates under the auspices of any faith

·        provides activities, facilities, programs or services where adults interact with children.

Education in government schools is required by law to be secular. Government schools engaging a chaplain must do so through an NSWP provider.

Chaplains and Student Wellbeing Officers

Chaplains and student wellbeing officers must respect other people’s views, values, and beliefs, including cultural and religious perspectives. NSWP chaplains and student wellbeing officers must not proselytise, evangelise, or advocate for a particular religious view or belief.

Chaplains and student wellbeing officers must comply with mandatory reporting obligations under the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005.

Terms of Employment

The role is for 13 hours a week (9am to 3:30pm – 2 days a week) during school terms only with four weeks paid leave to be taken during school holidays. This gives our chaplains the flexibility of all school holidays off, however we spread payments evenly across the year, so they receive a regular monthly salary.

Working days will be negotiated with the successful candidate. 

• Flexible hours available
• 1 year of relevant work experience required for this role
• Working rights required for this role
• Expected start date for role: 15 April 2024
• Expected salary: $20,280 per year