Praise for chaplaincy

BERWICK Secondary College has been commended for maintaining its chaplaincy.

River Gum Ward councillor Wayne Smith told Casey Council that many schools had dropped the chaplaincy scheme and that Dandenong High School was well known for its chaplaincy.

I am pleased that Berwick Secondary College has continued the service.

The school is to be congratulated, he said.

Cr Smith was speaking to a report recommendation that the college be given a $5000 grant toward the cost of its fulltime chaplain.

Casey director of community services Jennie Lee said in the report that the council had set aside $10,000 in its budget for the chaplaincy grants program.

Ms Lee said the BSC was the only Casey college running a chaplaincy program in line with the Council of Christian Education in Schools model.

The program operates 40 hours plus a week to see six to 10 students a day, she said.

The program extends to students families and teachers.

She said the Narre Warren P12 College ran a chaplaincy but had not yet come under the chaplaincy grants program criteria.

The college is working toward formalising its program and is seeking community and college support to employ a chaplain.