A desire to bring God’s love, hope and good news to children and young people led Josiah Spiers to write ‘God is love’ on a Welsh beach 150 years ago.

His simple act drew a small group of children that day, but it also birthed an organisation that now, through your persistent prayers and ongoing financial support, spans more than 130 countries worldwide.

It is that same mission, 150 years later that helped save the life of Caboolture’s Trent Cooper, who is now paying it forward to the next generation…

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by Michelle Mitchell – founder of Youth Excel

Firstly, I’m not a health expert. I am, however, the founder of Youth Excel’s Counselling Centre which helps young people make positive life choices during difficult times.

One positive life choice we encourage is healthy eating. In short, we see a strong link between mood and food.

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What began as a side note in a conversation between Randall and his school chaplain has become a tangible positive in the young man’s life.

Randall first met school chaplain, Nick Warren, in 2015 – Nick’s first term as the Kedron State High School chaplain, on Brisbane’s north side.

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Congratulations James Nash State High School chaplain, Kylie Read (pictured, left) and the equally amazing Ruth Polley for taking out this year’s Gympie Chamber of Commerce Community Organisation of the Year Award!

Kylie and Ruth received the award for the life-transforming work they’re doing through the Hope Reins program, which seeks to partner broken horses with broken people from the community to help unlock their full potential in life.

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“Of all the days to forget my shell, it had to be today”, are words Chappy Jules Neri almost never got to hear.

Moments earlier nine-year-old Jaziya attempted to jump off a school building to escape his struggles at home, ongoing anger problems and another trip to the principal’s office.

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Children and young people matter! It’s why SU QLD exists. It’s why faithful supporters like you invest in school chaplaincy, at-risk and camping programs.

Biloela State High student, James, believed he didn’t matter. He was shy, rarely attended class, and family life was tough – often a combination that causes young people to leave school for a bleak future.

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In four years, Chaplain Jenny Wallin has witnessed the remote central Queensland town of Dysart plunge, from coal mining boom town, to a community struggling under the weight of social and economic change.

“We’re in the middle of an economic changeover because one of our coal mines closed and house prices have fallen,” Jenny explains. “The young people [here] have known Dysart as a town where there’s lots of money and freedom, and now that’s changing.”

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Artist, community role model, father of seven children and foster father to four more, Bowen dad Gary Prior, was recently awarded the 2016 Queensland Father of the Year.

Passionate about teaching his children the value of giving back to the community and educating them about their Indigenous heritage and culture, the doting father and grandfather has dedicated his life to helping young people find their purpose in life.

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When you’re a teenager, you want nothing more than to feel accepted, part of the crowd. So what happens when you’re made a social outcast… rejected because of a physical condition?  

Senior Pastor of Bribie Island’s Transformation Centre, Rob Henry, knows this feeling all too well… because this experience almost cost him his life.

And if it wasn’t for Chappy Christian, he’s certain it would have.

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This year marks the beginning of an exciting new fundraiser for regional school chaplaincy programs, in the inaugural Backing Our Youth campaign.

This is a chance to raise the profile of, and funds for, school chaplaincy across regional Queensland. And it is being led by renowned agricultural machinery business chain, Vanderfield.

Bruce Vandersee, CEO of Vanderfield, has been a long-term supporter of school chaplaincy.

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