Study shows big impact of Christian uni ministry on student lives - with Rowan Kemp and Geoff Folland
A new study of student wellbeing at Sydney University carried out by McCrindle Research highlights the positive impacts that faith groups are having in the lives of students on campus.
Dominic Steele speaks with Rowan Kemp from the Sydney University Evangelical Union and Geoffrey Folland from Power to Change USYD about the impact of the gospel on campus life. McCrindle research has recently found that students who belong to faith groups will rate their experiences in those groups much more highly than their experiences at university generally.
Rowan and Geoff share both the findings of the report and their own experience of helping students find their belonging and identity during a fundamental time of transition.
Students involved in faith groups are 2.3x as likely to feel they can reach out for support in their faith group than at university generally. They are also nearly twice as likely to feel connected and included in their faith group than at uni generally.
Of the students who turned to their faith groups in tough times, 91% found their support extremely or very helpful. Even with the support of a faith group, 31% of students at Sydney Uni said they did not feel safe expressing their faith on campus.
The statistics present an encouraging view of the impact campus faith groups have for individual student wellbeing. Have you been invested in or encouraged by a campus faith group? Let us know in the Pastor’s Heart discussion group.
See the published report here: http://j.mp/chaplaincywellbeing
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