By Kath Gannaway
CHUM Creek, Healesville and Badger Creek primary schools will have a chaplain two days a week thanks to increased funding under the National Schools Chaplaincy Program.
In an announcement made by local MP Fran Bailey last week, the schools will get $60,000 each over the next three years.
David Lloyd, a local pastor and chaplain at Badger Creek, said chaplaincy has a proven record in Healesville and Badger Creek where it has run one day a week for the past five years.
“In that time the students, staff and parents have come to see the value of a ‘God person’ in the school community,” he said.
Chum Creek will begin a chaplaincy program for the first time in term four this year.
New chaplain Stewart Barnard will work at Healesville and Chum Creek schools.
Pastor Lloyd said traditionally chaplaincy was a partnership between the schools, the local churches and the community.
“The grants will lighten the financial commitment from these three sectors although the churches will still contribute to make up the shortfall for the two day per week positions,” he said.
Tim Anderson, minister at St Johns Anglican Church, said the churches of Healesville were keen to support the welfare of students and families in local schools.
Ms Bailey said the Federal Government had added a further $25 million to its original $90 million program because the uptake has been so widespread.
“Almost 1400 primary and secondary schools have received first round grants across Australia,” she said.
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