Mission in Your Community

To get started, learn about your local schools and early childhood services, or simply pick the closest one. If your church or parish has established one, you may want to grow your connections with them.

If you have no existing connection to the school:

• Contact the school or early childhood service administration. They can direct you to the appropriate channel to offer support.
• Introduce yourself to the principal or director. It is critical they know who you are, what you are doing and that you want to help.
• Pray about how you can help and connect.

What can we do for you?

Go into the school or early childhood service without agendas or predetermined ideas about what is needed.

• Simply ask, 'What can we do for you?' or 'How can we help?'
• Be willing to listen.
• This question is important, regardless of how much you know or don’t know about the school or early childhood service. You may even be surprised at the answer.

Pray

One of the best things you can do is pray for your local school or early childhood service. If you are unable to do anything else, you can still pray. Pick up an event calendar for the month, term or school year if one is available. Below are some suggestions of things you could pray for.

You can pray for:

• the teachers, educators, staff and governing bodies
• the children and their families
• caring relationships to develop and grow
• the health and safety of children, teachers and other staff
• all the needs of students to be met (academic, social, emotional and spiritual)
• the safety of children and adults on excursions and camps
• special events.

Be wise

• See if programs already exist to support schools in your community, council area or ecumenical networks. Don’t reinvent the wheel if you can partner with another group or work through an existing channel. Partnering with other churches and organisations increases the effectiveness of your work, and it demonstrates you are not in it for yourself.
• Put child safety first. Learn and comply with the school or early childhood service volunteer guidelines and security protocols, plus any church policies regarding child safety.
• Ensure volunteers are prepared with adequate training. The school or early childhood service will tell you what is required.
• Start small. You might begin by focusing on just one thing rather than everything needed. Under-promise and over-deliver. Neither school nor church is well-served if you launch an overly ambitious plan but cannot deliver. Consistency and follow-through build credibility.
• Aim to be a positive and encouraging presence in the school or early childhood service.
• Work with and offer your support to the school chaplain or pastoral care worker if they have one.
• In state schools, be sensitive regarding church/state boundaries. While you do not want to hide that you are from the church, it is never appropriate to pray or proselytise in a public school setting. Witness through actions, not words.

Your local school or early childhood service will often be looking for volunteers. There are many different roles and ways you can help, such as being mentors, classroom helpers, lunchtime or after-school volunteers. Volunteers can also help with working bees, fairs and practical projects. Your willing presence and service can impact people in countless ways.

Some examples include:

• Care for their facilities. Ask your local school for the contact information of their Parent and Friends, school or early childhood service council leaders and inquire about participating in working bees or clean-ups and helping with smartening up their facilities, such as painting, landscaping, gardening, repairing facilities and upgrading playgrounds.
• Show up at major activities and events. Support them at sports days, performances, concerts, graduations, fundraisers, etc. Promote major school or early childhood service events and ask church members to attend if they can. Run a stall at their fete or fair or a sausage sizzle at sporting events. Offer to help. Make a point of talking to students and teachers.
• Participate in mentoring programs. If your school has a student mentoring program set up, this is a great way for volunteers to make real connections. There will probably be some training involved.

You can help by donating material resources, such as food, clothing, library books or other goods. You can also provide financial resources to help with special needs and funds for particular programs.

• Stock libraries and classrooms. You can serve by donating books to their library or art, crafts or classroom supplies that many teachers buy themselves. Find out first what they need or are looking for.
• Participate in a clothing drive. Many students attend schools with uniform policies. Check to see if any students are struggling to afford the necessary uniform items. You could also donate a supply of underwear, pants or socks for younger children who might need a change of clothing.
• Offer spaces and places. Make church facilities available for concerts, gatherings, retreats, offsite meetings, or other school-related activities.

Churches can provide genuine encouragement and support to staff and parent bodies. They can become advocates for schools and early childhood services and offer them the opportunity to broaden and deepen their community. Schools and early childhood services can form connections and grow meaningful relationships.

• Find ways to thank the staff for all they do. Organise special morning teas or lunches. Provide snacks for the staff room occasionally throughout the year. Send notes and cards of appreciation to teachers, educators and administration personnel. Provide modest gifts as a token of appreciation. Give them the message: ‘You make a difference, and you are appreciated for all your efforts.’
• Adopt a school chaplain or pastoral care worker. Many schools have one. They will appreciate your ongoing prayers and any practical support you can give them in their role. Invite them to come and speak at your church regularly so that you know what they are doing, what has been achieved, the challenges they are facing and how you can help.
• Show up at major activities and events. Support them at sports days, performances, concerts, graduations, fundraisers, etc. Promote major school or early childhood services events and ask church members to attend if they can. Run a stall at their fete or fair or a sausage sizzle at sporting events. Offer to help. Make a point of talking to students and teachers.
• Stay abreast of school issues. Get to know the Parents and Friends Association and school or early childhood services council leaders. Demonstrate to the principal and parents that you care. Invite the principal or educators to speak at your church. Share success stories about teachers and students who are trying to do well.
• Create connections. Invite the school choir or band to come and perform at your church or church event. Have special school services where you invite particular year groups to come and be involved in the service and perform items. Run some parenting seminars at the church.

• Install the staff each year at a special service.
• Offer to buy Bibles for the children. Have families in your congregation sponsor a child.
• Offer to have your pastor, youth or children’s worker/leader come and speak about your youth group or children’s ministry.
• Give them information about what you offer in youth and children’s ministry and any special events.
• Do something special for them each year to celebrate Easter and Christmas.
• Have your pastor speak at chapel throughout the school year.
• Offer your youth or children’s worker/leader to help on school camp.
• Participate in a lunchtime Christian group or club – a great way to make connections.