Hello wonderful supporter of Youth Ministry!

From Jay our Youth Minister ...

Well most of my February has been taken up with a concentration of University activities, so I thought I would let you know just what I"ve done during the last couple of weeks of February. Tuesday 15th Feb was enrolment day for our International Students. We were expecting just over 100 students to enrol and we believe that was achieved. Unfortunately we didn't get to see them on enrolment day, our day with them was planned for the Wednesday. The Wednesday began at 8.30 am with a pancake breakfast for our internationals and this went down really well. There were a number of other students who just happened to be passing and helped themselves to pancakes, but that was ok.

There is also a group of 25 Japanese students in Monash College (a smaller exchange school associated with the University) who popped in for breakfast and to practice their English speaking skills. They are in Australia for 6 weeks and so I'll get to see them quite a bit for breakfast while they are here. Following breakfast there was a series of information sessions on a number of important aspects of life in Australia for our internationals.

There was also Peer Mentor training for our experienced students to mentor a new international student for the first 6weeks of semester. Lunch was provided and it was great to get to know these students. Unfortunately the turn out was very low, only 12 students turned up, but some good contacts with those 12 were made (in fact 3 of them have expressed interest in coming to church at High St). The rest of the week was pretty quiet, but official Orientation Week was scheduled to start on the following Monday.

Monday, for me, began with a chance to introduce myself to the new residential students and then to help run a session for peer mentors and their mentees. Tuesday was the official campus welcome ceremony where all the faculty get dressed in their academic gowns and process into the George Jenkins Theatre. I wore my alb and stole and begun the event w ith a welcome to country recognizing the role of the ingenious people on this land. The theatre was packed out with a lot of students standing at the back. We have 1200 new students this year, last year there was 900 and this brings the total number of students on campus up to 4000, an increase of 500 over last year. Our average age is still around the 27 year old mark w ith a large number of students coming back to study, gain further qualifications, or to change careers.

Following the ceremony was morning tea and campus tours run by the student union MONSU. Wednesday was a quiet day and Thursday brought a series of information sessions at different faculties. I do as many of these as I can because it means I get in front of both students and staff. The information session tells students what department I am part of, Health Wellbeing and Development, can offer to students and how they can get involved. I probably focus a little more on the chaplaincy bit than others of our department. I did some more information sessions on Friday and then was involved in a Return to Study workshop for our mature aged students. That was really great with most of those who attended returning to study after some 18-20 years away from it. We talked alot about the challenges and the need for planning, particularly with families.

For the teenagers Friday was the Big Day Out, where they hit the beach, did some touring and then ended up at one of the local pubs. The semester begins with a vengeance on Monday 1st March, as does my organised time at the Uni. Tuesday is our Clubs day when the student union clubs seek new members. I've been asked to mentor one of the Christian Clubs on campus this year - another connection into the life of the Uni. The Breakfast Club has moved to a Thursday morning this year, this is one of the two days that the highest number of students will be on campus. If you every want to come and help out you are more than welcome. Wednesdays will become Chat with the Chaplain day, when I will station myself in the George Cafe during lunchtime and chat with anyone who wants to chat; I'm even buying the coffee! There are plans for a Maundy Thursday service on campus this year, as well as some sort of early Christmas celebration.

The mentoring program for the education faculty should be off the ground by just after Easter (all plans going well), and the Aussie Sunday Lunch should be great. The year at the Uni has begun really well, with an even better feeling of connection and belonging. I know more staff and students, and both are beginning to come to me to introduce themselves,  help out or just talk I hope that gives you a bit of a picture of what I do on campus during the week. We have begun to get students along to some of our youth events and  services and I hope and pray that my relationships with students and staff on campus will continue to generate those connections.

Jay Robinson

hsuc.youth@gmail.com