When the doors open and the students hear Elvis playing, they know it is time to come into the Breakfast Club.
Beenleigh State High School has an onsite Chaplin that the kids can relate to, respect, and open-up to when they want to talk.
Chappy Nick is well-known for his youth work in the 4207 region and with his job at Beenleigh State High School, he gets to help more kids while at school.
The Breakfast Club, which has all the food supplied by the YMCA at no cost, opens from 7:30am and goes till about 8:30am with any student free to come and go as they please.
More than 50 kids per morning pass through the club and that number increases on Tuesdays when a volunteer from Twin Rivers comes in to make chocolate chip pancakes on what is now affectionately known as Pancake Tuesday.
Besides Tuesdays, all the kids make their own breakfast and can choose from toast, crumpets, and raisin toast. Chappy Nick also provides freshly made Milo that he claims is the best in the world.
Chappy Nick has been running the Breakfast Club since 2019 and said it’s about them coming in and making their own and learning to be independent.
“It’s a way to encourage students to come to school because if they turn up, they get have these fun experiences as school isn’t just learning, it’s also the experiences that come with it.
“The kids come in here and they are allowed to sit, hang out, make their breakfast, and talk a bit. It’s a way of also identifying if students are having trouble with things as it’s a good connection and check in and how you are doing.”
Some students just stop by to say hello to Chappy Nick, and it is a safe place to meet with their friends and then go somewhere else.
As part of the qualifications needed for the position, having a Diploma in Youth Work is a must and being a Chaplin is second. This allows for a better understanding of young people.
While in the room, students are safe as it is a no bullying, swearing, or fighting area and students who don’t normally socialize with each other do so there.
The only thing that students do need to worry about is when Chappy Nick starts to sing.
