First Post, First Steps...

Tomorrow is the first day of my new project. I've been extremely excited about this, and it has been some time coming.


The project is Chaplaincy: For the next 15 weeks, every Wednesday I'll basically be hanging out at a local primary school trying to make myself useful (to be clear; 'local' means around Tonbridge, South East England)


For nearly ten years I have been visiting schools as a motivational speaker, telling Bible stories and encouraging children with the positive things of life. This has been a wonderful experience and I shall continue to do it. However, I've been concerned recently to do something more 'deep' with the children and so I'm trying this pilot project to see if my work can be more than just a flash in the pan.

A 'Chaplain' is a deliberately vague title in order to give me scope and freedom to do what I like(!). I know schools are very well geared up for education on the literacy/numeracy/etc front. They are also very good at behaviour management, being inherently "moral" communities and I'm also aware that the are very well established with counselling and intervention programmes, and so I shall not be getting involved in any of those formal things.


I believe that there is space for informal yet still intentional befriending, and I am attempting to find out what that might look like.


I am so very grateful to the school for allowing me to do this, I will keep an online diary letting the world know how it all goes…

Mike


PS. For the observant among you, yes I know tomorrow is not Wednesday! This first week is happening a day early.