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Outback towns need chaplains

1:00pm Sunday, 7th March 2010

Queensland’s largest school chaplaincy employing authority, SU Qld, says there are currently 130 school chaplains in outback Queensland, but they need many more.
SU Qld’s CEO, Tim Mander, says most of the 340,000 Queensland school students who still don’t have access to a chaplain are in regional and outback areas.
Tim is urging Christians to consider school chaplaincy in regional and outback areas as a ministry to thousands of young Australians.
SU Qld’s Area Manager for Central Qld, Tobin Hanna, says there is a real people drain from the country to the coast, and this includes many young Christians who are the next generation of chaplains and ministers.
“We need to make sure that we give back to these country areas so that today’s kids in the outback have the opportunity to be mentored and supported in their faith development,” he said. “As a school chaplain, you get to invest your time, energy and compassion in the next generation of influencers in our country, and you know that’s the kind of investment that will pay off!”
Tony and Billie Dodge arrived in the outback town of Alpha in October 2008 to work for SU Qld. Tony’s wife Billie is a District Coordinator, overseeing the work of school chaplains in the region, while Tony is a school chaplain.
Alpha is situated on the Capricorn Highway between Rockhampton and Barcaldine.
“We believed we had a strong calling to work in a rural and remote area,” says Tony, who was a member of a Baptist church in Townsville before moving to Alpha.
“The first year was really about connecting and building relationships within the school and community. We have held Kids Clubs at schools in Alpha and nearby Jericho. Activities included games, light refreshments, stories and craft. The older youth had some movie nights and we helped start the first youth group in town. We average above 90% local youth attendance on these nights.
“School chaplaincy in the outback is not a one or two year stay. When you are committed to the community, the community will commit to chaplaincy.
“In my case there are no ministers or pastors or priests who live within 130kms of the town. There are very limited student or community support services. So in a sense you do school chaplaincy work within the wider community. Wherever I go around town they call me ‘Chappy’. So it’s more a lifestyle than a job. You really are part of the community.”
“For many children in the outback, school chaplains will be their only connection with a practising Christian,” says Tim Mander.
“Many of these youth struggle with feelings of isolation, depression and loneliness… They are offering a hope that is only found in Jesus Christ.”
“We want to see more chaplains in regional communities making a tangible difference.”