What we do at Schoolies (2007)
The first Schoolies project I went on was the best two weeks of my life (2004). Each year since, all year long, I look forward to doing it again and again. As I write this, I am on my fourth Schoolies Project, which goes from the 16th of November until the 2nd of December.
Every year, about 30,000 grade 12 graduates from QLD get together with their mates and book rooms in hotels at Surfer's Paradise for about a week. The following week, it's grade 12 graduates from NSW. Each night they have a huge party on the beach. They are the Schoolies. These people are at a turning point in their lives, and they have a clearer opportunity to ask such questions as "What is my pupose in life?", "Is there a God?" and "Where am I going?".
Meanwhile, Student Life is an interdenominational Christian group on campus (UQ, QUT, Griffith, etc.), who's motto is "Turning lost students into Christ centered laborors." Student Life mainly trains Christian students who want to spread the Gospel on campus. I joined Student Life in my first year as a Physics and Maths student at QUT (2003).
One of the projects Student Life runs every year, is the Schoolies Project, where we become Street Chaplains. Street Chaplaincy (SC) is around 30 (this year 20) Student Life students in yellow shirts showing Christ's love to the Schoolies from about 10PM to 2AM each night for about two weeks by doing what we believe Jesus would do: Looking after the Schoolies, making sure they are safe, and meeting whatever needs we can- helping people who are passed out, etc. During the day we sleep, get trained and have other activities.
We also have our KGPs (Knowing God Personally Booklets) with us, in case Schoolies want to know how to know God personally for themselves, instead of blindly trusting what some religion says.
The Schoolies ask us if we get paid. We don't. We raise support to pay for our necessities. Thank you, all our supporters! Usually the guys live in the upper floor of a nearby church (but this year it was the girls) and the rest of us stay somewhere else (this year in a YWAM garage).
The Schoolies also ask us if we have red frogs. This is because of a different group of Christian Schoolies volunteers called Hotel Chaplaicy (HC). Hotel Chaplains are known for handing out red frog-shaped lollies. They stay in the hotels of Schoolies and try to make life easier for them. They help clean the Schoolies' rooms and make them pancakes for breakfast, etc.
There are other voluteer groups too. Last I heard, 90% of Schoolies volunteers are Christians.
Each day I will type up a short diary of what goes on, so that you can share in the experience with me a little. I plan to post this to this blog when I get back. I daresay some of these posts are going to be pretty wild, especially if Schoolies is anything like it was in previous years. You'll just have to wait and see! I'll let you know if any other Street Chaplains blog about it this year too.
See you then!
Every year, about 30,000 grade 12 graduates from QLD get together with their mates and book rooms in hotels at Surfer's Paradise for about a week. The following week, it's grade 12 graduates from NSW. Each night they have a huge party on the beach. They are the Schoolies. These people are at a turning point in their lives, and they have a clearer opportunity to ask such questions as "What is my pupose in life?", "Is there a God?" and "Where am I going?".
Meanwhile, Student Life is an interdenominational Christian group on campus (UQ, QUT, Griffith, etc.), who's motto is "Turning lost students into Christ centered laborors." Student Life mainly trains Christian students who want to spread the Gospel on campus. I joined Student Life in my first year as a Physics and Maths student at QUT (2003).
One of the projects Student Life runs every year, is the Schoolies Project, where we become Street Chaplains. Street Chaplaincy (SC) is around 30 (this year 20) Student Life students in yellow shirts showing Christ's love to the Schoolies from about 10PM to 2AM each night for about two weeks by doing what we believe Jesus would do: Looking after the Schoolies, making sure they are safe, and meeting whatever needs we can- helping people who are passed out, etc. During the day we sleep, get trained and have other activities.
We also have our KGPs (Knowing God Personally Booklets) with us, in case Schoolies want to know how to know God personally for themselves, instead of blindly trusting what some religion says.
The Schoolies ask us if we get paid. We don't. We raise support to pay for our necessities. Thank you, all our supporters! Usually the guys live in the upper floor of a nearby church (but this year it was the girls) and the rest of us stay somewhere else (this year in a YWAM garage).
The Schoolies also ask us if we have red frogs. This is because of a different group of Christian Schoolies volunteers called Hotel Chaplaicy (HC). Hotel Chaplains are known for handing out red frog-shaped lollies. They stay in the hotels of Schoolies and try to make life easier for them. They help clean the Schoolies' rooms and make them pancakes for breakfast, etc.
There are other voluteer groups too. Last I heard, 90% of Schoolies volunteers are Christians.
Each day I will type up a short diary of what goes on, so that you can share in the experience with me a little. I plan to post this to this blog when I get back. I daresay some of these posts are going to be pretty wild, especially if Schoolies is anything like it was in previous years. You'll just have to wait and see! I'll let you know if any other Street Chaplains blog about it this year too.
See you then!
posted by Mathieu | 3:12 pm
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