The Schools Ministry Group

SMG coordinates, resources and pastorally cares for over 340 Christian Pastoral Support Workers in Secondary, Primary and Community R-12 Schools. SMG works in partnership with 86 employing groups, which represent over 1000 churches in South Australia.

SMG works closely with representatives from the Department of Education and Children's Services, within the context of the Christian Pastoral Support Program Management Group (previously known as the Chaplaincy program), to encourage the spiritual, social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development of students. SMG supports the Department of Education and Children's Services in its efforts to create educational environments that value cooperation, excellence, fairness, integrity, respect, and responsibility.

Pastoral Support

The CPS Program (previously known as the Chaplaincy Program) is a rapidly growing support program. CPS Workers complement school support and care programs by specifically addressing students' spiritual & emotional needs.

CPS Workers can provide pastoral care and support, help 'students at risk', run holiday camps & activity programs, coach sport and much more. Most importantly though, CPS Workers provide a personal point of Christian contact and care for all students, staff and their families within each school community.

As representatives of the local Christian Communities, CPS Workers provide an invaluable connection between thousands of volunteers from local churches throughout the state. They also act as conduits to other local support services & programs offered by local churches.

Seminars

SMG and its partner organisations have run seminar programs in schools for over 15 years. Students in over 320 South Australian government schools have the opportunity to be challenged to look at life in a new way.

Seminars are provided as a resource for churches and schools. Gifted youth communicators and youth workers from around the state, present the seminars.

Our seminars aim to be highly entertaining, interactive and thought provoking by including: personal stories, interactive games, large screen video and multimedia presentations reaction cards, question and answer time, live music

Student Groups

SMG along with partner organisations, help facilitate student groups. Student groups are any groups run by CPS Workers and volunteers from local churches for the benefit of the students. These may include lunchtime activity programs, breakfast programs and after-school groups. The programs aim to support, encourage and inspire young people.

School Breakfast Programs

This service provides meals and essential life skills training in food preparation and hygiene for students of families in recognised need. Run within schools before class begins, healthy breakfasts are provided for young people who may otherwise go without, in order that they have the energy needed to stay alert and focused during the school day.

Camping Programs
Detour: Taking a new direction

Detour is a new initiative of SMG. The aim of the camping program is to assist the development of young people who are at risk in South Australian schools by providing outdoor adventure camps in regional settings, which are run in conjunction with the school CPS Worker. Detour helps young people to take a new direction in life that is positive and beneficial to both them and the community they live in.

Detour extends beyond just the camps. The program works with young people throughout the term by providing both one on one and group mentoring, which assists in helping young people develop positive attitudes and values, problem solving skills, communication and social skills, improved self-esteem, and essential life skills. Detour provides an excellent basis for fostering a mentoring relationship with students, as it is an intensified shared experience.

Training

Throughout the year, SMG offers different training opportunities for people wanting to work within schools in a variety of roles. Some of the training programs and courses include: CPS Worker Orientation, Mandatory Notification, the Annual SMG Conference, Seminar Presenting, Camp Facilitation, Leadership, and Employer Forums.

SMG Leadership Awards

SMG aims to support and encourage children and young people across South Australia and one of the ways we achieve this is through the SMG Leadership Awards. The SMG Leadership Awards are all about supporting and rewarding students who are making positive lifestyle decisions, and who are great role models for their peers. It's a fabulous way to encourage tomorrow's leaders today, and at the same time help lift the profile of the CPS Worker within the school community.

SMG Community Support

Increasingly over time CPS Workers who SMG represent have been responding to the needs of the school community by broadening their pastoral support to include more practical and social justice oriented services, which in 2006, has seen the formal introduction of SMG Community Support Services.

SMG is committed to providing relief of poverty, suffering and distress amongst young people and their families across South Australia and consequently through the SMG Community Support , we are responding to the real needs of the community through the relationships forged with students, their families and school communities in South Australia.

Through a professional yet relational approach, SMG Community Support aims to serve the needs of the community through the provision of a range of services and programs supporting students and their families in the creation of stable and healthy environments. The services provided include breakfast programs, food parcel assistance, home maintenance help, emergency relief, counselling support and referral services, educational seminars and workshops, and leadership awards.