Care now key

Student Life Services implements new pastoral plan

Avondale is implementing a new student pastoral care plan as it now prepares all units for online-only delivery for the remainder of semester one.

The change from delivering most to all units by distance mode “prioritises the safety of staff members and students,” reads a March 27 coronavirus pandemic update by the university college. The update notes some students may not be able to complete the practical components of select units. Avondale will organise intensive sessions to deliver the practical components once face-to-face delivery of units resumes. Dates for these sessions are yet to be confirmed.

Lake Macquarie campus chaplain Pr Brock Goodall is regularly emailing students. He is inviting them to join video conference meetings to chat and send requests for prayer. He is including links to original digital content such as new episodes of the SALT Creative Podcast and on-demand devotional videos, plus resources produced by the pastoral team at Avondale College Seventh-day Adventist Church. And he is, with the Student Welfare Officer Renae Maua, continuing pastoral care support walk-throughs of the residence halls, which now accommodate only students with extenuating circumstances. The support includes providing transport to the supermarket and pharmacy.

Student Life Services is also providing care packages to families in the College View Residences on Avondale Estate. The packages include a note seeking prayer requests, asking about financial hardship (for which supermarket gift cards are available) and offering other support. Each is branded with the hashtag #ignitetounite, which invites students, where they are able, to pay the package forward. Families will receive free takeaway meals from the cafeteria on Monday (March 30).

Qualified Christian counsellors from Avondale’s Wellbeing Centre are available via video conference by appointment.

“During this time of extraordinary disruption and uncertainty, Student Life Services is doing what it can to connect with and support our community through our pastoral care plan,” says Director Jennifer Petrie. “This is a time for us to unite and communicate our commitment to supporting our students spiritually and supporting their health and wellbeing.”