'Happy Chappy"

The  Miami LCC. Having moved to the Gold Coast six years ago, Lance is an active volunteer in a number of community organisations. He is supported by Robert Kelly on powerpoint – 40 years on the teaching-staff at Miami High and secretary of the Miami LCC. Both are grassroots supporters of school chaplaincy, in particular engrossed in upholding Shane in his enormous work role across the primary and secondary campuses.

 The 10 – 15 minute presentation titled ‘Happy Chappy’ focuses on a typical day in the life of school chaplain, Shane Scott. Shane is employed by not-for-profit Scripture Union Queensland. He works five days per week (on average 9 – 10 hours duration) for 46 weeks per year. In an ordinary school-day he engages in ‘30’ formal conversations with or about students and his caseload will likelyinclude everything from incidents of bullying, mentoring students to deal with volatile peer-friendships, coping with family-breakdown, grief and loss and life-balance (coping with anxiety and its debilitating impact on mental health).Few of us would have the coping skills to deal with these ‘school lunchbox’ issues; let alone the emotional fortitude to go back and face the same recurring issues all over again the next school day.