Local runners are being encouraged to lace up their sneakers to support the work of chaplains in local schools.
Tish Harris, who works two days a week as chaplain at Gleneagle State School, will run 10km with husband Matt in September’s Bridge to Brisbane and wants other runners to join in.
Tish, who has been a chaplain for five years, keeps active and can run 5km but is gearing up to push herself to run double that distance.
The money they raise will go to helping keep chaplains in local schools.
Tish said chaplains filled an important need for social and emotional support.
“One of the biggest issues we find facing primary school kids is broken families, whether that’s divorced, separated, parents in jail. I find a lot of kids struggle to navigate a family being split or separated and the confusion that goes with that,” she said.
“I grew up in that situation so I can relate to kids who are going through the same things I went through as a kid. I think sometimes they don’t recognise it, but you can see there’s an unsettledness and confusion that affects how they communicate with the world.”
School chaplaincy is partly funded by a Federal Government grant, but the rest must be fundraised by local chaplains.
Tish said unfortunately all local chaplains were currently running low on funds and were therefore trying to raise money to remain in schools more than one day a week.
“People find our work valuable, and we want to continue being able to fill these roles, but we can’t unless that money is there,” she said.
“This is how these services work in the community, in our schools. It’s a bit of a unique situation.”
She said community support was crucial.
“Either people can join us to run on our team, fundraising and choosing us as their charity to donate to, or if people are just interested in learning more about chaplaincy and the needs that we have, they can contact us,” she said.
For more information or to get involved, email latishna.harris@suchaplaincy.org.au
