Chaplaincy

Forest Hill College employs a Chaplain and a Youth Worker in co-operation with Crossway Baptist Church to encourage and facilitate the students in realising and stepping into their full potential. Ella Henry (Chaplain) and Ben Stephenson (Youth Worker) are passionate about seeing the students connected and happy whilst schooling.

The Chaplain is available to the whole community to provide pastoral care and support in spiritual and faith development. The Chaplain’s responsibility emphasises impartiality and is an advocate for students. The Chaplain focusses on the student as a whole person, encouraging them to develop an informed world view and to explore their spirituality.  In these ways, the Chaplain helps to strengthen student beliefs and value systems, equipping them with the ability to become positive and active members of the College and Whitehorse communities. The Chaplain works closely with the teaching staff to help the students be equipped and prepared for the learning process.

The Youth Worker is involved in a support and mentoring role to all students. The Youth Worker tries to maintain optimum approachability through an ‘open door’ policy, with recess and lunchtime spent out with the students. The Youth Worker is also involved in the organisation of indoor/outdoor games every Friday lunchtime with the assistance of young adult volunteers from the wider community who model positive attitudes and maturity.

Ella and Ben are available five days a week to support students in their growth and maturation. They offer mentoring and support to students, families and staff – including issues such as identity, self esteem, relationships (at school and home), and anger management. All issues are dealt with sensitivity and confidentiality.

They also offer a ‘Breaky Club’ every Tuesday and Thursday morning from 8am ( at a cost of fifty cents), providing a healthy, all-you-can-eat breakfast and a great time to connect with their peers and teachers in a pressure-free, supervised environment. This has proved to be an excellent way to begin a school day for all students and teachers involved, as they all head off to class with plenty of fuel to have another great day at Forest Hill College!