SMG along with its endorsed missions, help facilitate student groups in South Australian schools. Student groups are groups run by the local churches for the benefit of the students. These may include lunchtime programs, breakfast programs and after-school groups to encourage and provide support to the students of this state. Students may need parental consent to attend one of these groups.

What is a Student Group?

Student groups are informal support and development programs for students. They comprise of a regular event (weekly/fortnightly) run in the school by CPS Workers, students, local church volunteers, and teachers, with the aim to connect and build positive relationships with students in the school. Programs are open to any student interested and are designed to be welcoming and inclusive.

Why Run a Student Group?

A student group can positively contribute to the social, physical, spiritual, cognitive and emotional wellbeing of students by:

Providing constructive recreational opportunities for students to interact at breakfast, recess, lunch times, and after school when their time is unscheduled.

Providing nutritional meals for students that may not otherwise have access to them.

Providing opportunities to develop positive relationships with adults.

Providing opportunities for students to share their stories and contribute to the local community.

Providing opportunities for students to explore and ask questions about life, purpose, God etc.

Providing opportunities for students to be supported in their learning eg: homework groups.

Providing opportunities to engage and interact with people from the broader community.

Providing opportunities for students to interact with differing generations.

Student groups are planned to positively contribute to the life of a school. They contribute to student wellbeing and allow them to benefit from the regular presence and skills of caring and committed members of the local community.

What Does a Student Group Look Like?

A student group can take on a variety of forms and focus on different outcomes. Examples may be a once a week lunchtime activity/games based group, a fortnightly topical discussion based group, a breakfast program or a combination of these.

Some groups focus on a particular year level or interest group while others are more topically general and broader in their appeal.

As every school is different, what may work well in one school may not transfer easily to another school. A key to a successful and sustained student group is finding the needs that are specific to that school, and developing programs that help to meet those needs.

Relationship With the School

The school Principal and Governing Council are responsible for the oversight of any programs in operation within their school. Therefore, it is recommended that throughout the running of the student group, program leaders keep the school authorities informed of the progress of the program, update on any changes and provide feedback on its success.

It is also recommended that where a school CPS Worker is operating in the school that they are kept fully informed of all aspects of the program.

There are some specific guidelines that need to be adhered to when running student groups in government schools. The following is an extract from the South Australian Department of Education and Children's Services Administrative Instructions and Guidelines

Student Clubs or Groups

The principal can give permission for a student club or group to be held at school during non-instructional time. Clubs can be organised by staff and volunteers. The volunteer might be part of local religious or faith-based group. The activity might be recreational and inclusive and have no religious content, or it might be an explicit faith-based group.

Governing councils should be aware and supportive of student clubs and activities. Participation in such clubs is voluntary and requires the written, informed consent of parents.

The local Ministers' Association (or delegates) can provide advice about Christian clubs and activities and they or their delegates should be consulted by the principal to ensure any Christian activities are representative and inclusive of Christian perspectives.

If a local Christian group has employed a person to work as a Christian Volunteer in a school, and that volunteer is involved in student clubs or groups, the principal should ensure the employing group is informed about and supportive of the program and the Christian Volunteer's involvement in it.

Teachers retain over-riding duty of care for students during all school-based activities and must ensure the safe supervision of students.

For more information regarding student groups, please contact the SMG office.