Chappy Chats with Sarah Petchell

Leading a school is never easy, but what are the challenges you face when 100% of your students have special needs?

Murray Bowman is the principal of Pine Rivers Special School, which caters to students who have been verified as having a significant intellectual disability.  

Many of the students also have a verified secondary disability area which adds to the complex nature of the learning requirements. 

Every student in the schoo...

Robyn Fellowes story is one of sheer grit, smashing through the glass ceiling of the Australian Army’s special forces, and becoming the first Australian woman to wear the coveted green beret of the Australian Commandos.  

Despite a childhood marred by the effects of domestic violence, Robyn’s life story is one of resilience, mental toughness, empowerment and positivity. 

Throughout her military career, Robyn has always championed t...

There are currently over ten thousand prisoners in the state of Queensland, with statistics showing that almost half of prisoners who are released, will return to the correctional system within twelve months. 

Prison chaplains really are working at the coal face, connecting with inmates and dealing with the harsh realities of prison life. 

Graham Hembrow is the coordinator of Inside Out Prison Chaplaincy, which falls under the bann...

The high school formal is a rite of passage for Australian students during their final year of school.  It’s a way of recognising that transition from childhood, as a celebration of 12 years of hard work, and a way to usher in a new season of life. 

But going to the school formal is not as easy as it seems if you come from a family that is doing it tough financially. 

Tammy Robinson has earned her nickname of the Formal Fairy Godmo...

When you’re what society would deem as different from everyone else it can make life challenging. 

It can be a challenge to fit in, a challenge to find work, and a challenge to live a normal, day to day life just like everyone else. 

In this episode Jeremy Wilson will be talking to me about what life can be like for people who have a disability, and why he wants society to be more accepting of those who might be just a little bit d...

The school environment isn’t just hard for kids these days, school chaplains are there for the staff just as much as the students.

Part of school chaplaincy is breaking down barriers, and in this episode, I’ll be talking with Rachael Pickard who is the school chaplain at Brighton State School, on the northside of Brisbane. 

We’ll hear from Rachael about how she’s making an impact and helping to set everyone in the school up for suc...

Sue Collier arrived in Australia in the 1960's as a teenager and quickly found her way into the world of show business.

Trained as a singer in the UK, Sue worked as a professional singer under the monikers of Toni McCann and Toni McCrae, and with her husband Royce Nicholas (The Blue Jays), formed the duo Toni & Royce, who were dubbed 'Australia's Sonny & Cher'.

Sue had a wonderful career for many decades and is now serving ...

If anything in this podcast raises issues for you, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

The issues that our former service personnel face have been well documented, from post traumatic stress disorder, to depression and anxiety; members of the military face a number of mental health challenges as they transition to civilian life. 

As a veteran Dane Christison knew all too well what his former colleagues ...

If anything in this podcast raises issues for you, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

In this episode we continue our chat with Dane Christison, founder of Survive to Thrive Nation – an organisation that focuses on helping former service men and women with their mental health, and taking their place in the community when their service is over. 

In this episode we'll also talk to Dane about the encounte...

Narelle O’Dea has been a chaplain for the last seven years. She’s currently working at Petrie State School just north of Brisbane, and is having huge success with a number of programs, including a breakfast club. 

Chappy Narelle is passionate about sharing kindness in her school community, and programs like the breakfast club and Wednesday Flowers are practical ways to serve and encourage.

If you want to support the work of chaplai...

Thirty five years ago, the founders of the International City Church Brisbane began meeting in an area of the city known for its vice.

Those first services saw bikies, the homeless and others on the fringes of society attend and were welcomed in to a loving, caring community. 

Fast forward thirty five years and Pastor Jonathan Mok is the senior minister, overseeing a congregation made up of many nationalities, and with services tra...

You’ve probably met a few colourful characters in your life, but I can guarantee you that you’ve never met someone as colourful as Chaplain Jack Teepa. 

Jack has a whole wardrobe full of colourful clothes, which he says he started wearing to brighten up the lives of residents in aged care, where he works as a chaplain with Carinity. 

He reckons his bright jackets bring a smile to both residents and staff, but as you’ll hear in this...

Chaplaincy relies on volunteers....we simply couldn't do what we do without them.

Cam and Karen Wilson are two volunteer powerhouses who are not content with idling away their retirement.

On this episode Sarah finds out what makes them tick, why they volunteer and why they remain active in their communities.

Chappy Chats is a production of 96five Brisbane and SU Australia.

Artwork by Tamar Petersen of Red Box Studios.

To find out m...

Peter James is the Group CEO of SU Australia and has recently overseen the merging of the state-based Scripture Union movements.

Prior to this role, Peter was a partner in an international law firm, specialising in mergers and acquisitions.  He has had a long history with SU, dating back to his teens as a camper on SU camps.

In this episode Peter talks about living for purpose, helping to facilitate positive action in the community...

Jeff Howard is passionate about tapping into the power of community and bringing people together.

Jeff is the regional manager for Brisbane with Scripture Union, and being a keen golfer, he especially loves the way sport can unite us. 

Events such as the SU Golf Day raise both funds and awareness for school chaplaincy and provide an opportunity for friendship and networking.

Chappy Chats is a production of 96five Brisbane and SU Au...

For over 100 years the Salvation Army has provided support to the Australian military through the Red Shield Defence Service. 

Affectionally referred to as Sally-men, Salvation Army officers have been there for Aussie troops across all theatres of war in that time, with the exploits of Fighting Mac MacKenzie, who deployed to Gallipolli in World War One, going down in history as a Sallyman who never shirked hardship or danger, while...

Jennifer Bennett is the school chaplain at Yeronga State School in Brisbane's inner south-west.

Chappy Jen got her start in chaplaincy just after the Brisbane floods of 2011, helping families devastated by that disaster get back on their feet.  It was a scenario that played out once again with the flooding that took place earlier this year, leaving over 50 families in her school needing assistance.

Community is at the heart of why ...

Trevor Battley spent much of his working life as a tradie and electrical contractor, and over the years discovered a passion for serving the community through volunteering.

In retirement, Trevor volunteers not just in his church and local community, but also serves regional communities four times a year with his caravan club.

A huge amount of his time is also taken up with volunteer chaplaincy support work, and Trevor is my guest o...

I recently met Dylan Humphry on an SU kids holiday camp where he was volunteering as a leader. 

Very early on, Dylan told me he was living with cystic fibrosis, a condition that predominantly affects the lungs but can affect other organs as well.

On this episode of Chappy Chats, Dylan shares his journey and he retains a positive attitude, despite living with a life limiting condition.

Chappy Chats is a production of 96five Brisbane...