Building respect one breakfast at a time
Chaplain Joyce proves that breakfast isn’t only useful for fueling the body, but also for building a community of respect.
When she first inherited the Breakfast Club in Melbourne’s south, Joyce was struggling to juggle the three C’s: cooking, caring for students, and crowd control. Thanks to a new volunteer joining her team who took care of the cooking, she was able to focus on the remaining two C’s.
But challenges remained, especially when it came to disruptive behaviours. Joyce realised that in order to grow a community built on mutual respect, she would need to demonstrate and uphold clear boundaries and expectations of behaviour.
The messaging is clear but kind. Joyce emphasises that the boundaries are there to ensure that everyone feels safe and welcome.
“That’s what Breakfast Club is about, that we actually look after each other, respect and care for each other. It’s been part of an educational journey to let these guys know that you’re all welcome, but there are boundaries. We have to keep them so that we can build a community that is safe and fun for everyone,” Joyce explains.
It’s a fine balance to be firm but fair, one that Joyce walks by consistently reminding her students that she cares. Relationships are built on trust and Joyce highlights the importance of letting her students know that she hears them too.
“All the students are able to talk to me. I let them know they’re able to talk to me about anything. They even give me little tips about how to improve what I’m serving to meet their satisfaction. So it’s good that they’ve been journeying with me in the way I do things, and they feel part of that journey, that they can speak up and say ‘what about this?’”
Breakfast Clubs ensure that bellies are filled at the start of the day. But the culture of empathy and respect for others that Joyce is cultivating will last far beyond.
Thank you for supporting chaplains like Joyce to nurture communities where students feel safe, heard and supported. To contribute to this important ministry, head to su.org.au/donate.