7 April 2021
You helped Dean overcome his anger
Posted in Chaplaincy / School life / SU QLD / Youth issues
“You stuck by my side after I’d screamed at you, swore at you and pushed you away for weeks. You stuck by me.” – an excerpt of a letter from Dean to his chappy.
When Dean was in Grade 7, in his North Queensland community of the Burdekin, he found himself locked in a losing battle against anger and frustration. But in his corner, he had a constant source of support and someone he could trust – Chappy Jennie.
Your support meant Dean had a trusted and trained friend in those moments when he needed it most. Your support changes lives.
“I’ll never forget the day I met Chappy. I thought there was no getting better. I felt sadness, anger and disgust at myself,” says Dean.
“Chappy helped lift me out of the dark hole I was in after I’d been suspended. There were times I was too angry to talk or too sad to find the words, but she always managed to understand what I was going through.
“I owe her more than I can think of.” For adults it’s a struggle to control emotions, but for our young people that struggle can be overwhelming, and can lead to destructive behaviour
To help support young people in this space, chappies like Jennie are delivering the RAGE program in schools across Queensland.
“Our school has facilitated the RAGE Program a number of times. It’s about navigating and managing negative emotions.
“It opens up conversations where you can help students develop new ways of thinking and responding to the challenges and issues that confront them,” says Chappy Jennie.
“We look at the 4 T’s of anger (Triggers, Thoughts, Tantrums and Trouble). We talk about how anger can be like the loop of a racing-car track – you have to decide when to get off the road and work through your emotions or else things can escalate.”
From her background in youth justice to over a decade of experience as a school chaplain, Jennie has a passion to see young lives changed.
“There’s nothing better than encouraging young people and to walk beside them and tell them they can do it.”
“A lot of issues begin in the early years. If a young person isn’t given space to speak up and talk to someone, it can be a really slippery slope. That’s why I believe in chaplaincy.”
Thank you for supporting chaplains who serve in the early intervention and prevention space. Your support keeps this vital, life-changing ministry going in our school communities.
Visit suqld.org.au/donate
