AUSTRALIAN NEWS 28th March 2007

AUSTRALIAN PRAYER NETWORK NEWSLETTER

* VICTORIAN STATE SCHOOLS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF GOVERNMENT SUBSIDISED CHAPLAINS

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VICTORIAN STATE SCHOOLS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF GOVERNMENT SUBSIDISED CHAPLAINS

More than 120 Victorian state schools are thinking of installing a government-subsidised chaplain, according to the Council for Christian Education in Schools. The deadline to apply for the subsidy of up to $20,000 is April 2, and the council has had to hire extra staff to cope with the flood of applications, according to chief executive Evonne Paddison.Dr Paddison said more than 180 people had also asked about becoming a chaplain under the scheme. The council’s director of chaplaincy services, Reverend David Fuller, said there were now about 75 chaplains in Victorian state schools. Mr Fuller said most state chaplains were in high schools, but he predicted a sharp rise in part-time primary school chaplains as many religious education teachers who had established a long relationship with their schools moved up. He said many chaplains also shared the teaching load as well as running welfare programs such as drug education, pastoral care and counselling. He said the council worked closely with school chaplaincy committees, which would include the school principal, teachers and parents.

Source: Compiled by APN from media reports

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