The Bridge Youth Project serves 23 schools across Wiltshire and north Dorset, with most in the Salisbury area. We place Bridge Chaplains as a listening presence at the heart of school life so that children, young people, and staff have time and space to talk, reflect, and find hope. Our chaplains are not there to grade work or enforce behaviour. They are trusted adults who are free to listen and respond to what is really going on.

Each Bridge Chaplain commits at least one full day a week to their school and becomes part of the team. They build relationships over time, work closely with pastoral and safeguarding leads, and support the whole community. On any given day a chaplain might welcome families at the gate, be a steady ear for a parent after drop off, host a lunchtime drop in, run a small group on friendships or anxiety, deliver a thoughtful RE lesson, or link a pupil with a trained mentor from the local community. They also support staff wellbeing, offer reflective spaces after difficult incidents, and help signpost families to the right services when extra help is needed.

Our work spans primary and secondary, church and non church, state and independent settings. Because every school is different, our chaplaincy adapts to local need. That could include one to one mentoring, grief and loss support, transition work for Year 6 and Year 7, collective worship or assemblies, contributions to RE and PSHE, attendance and re engagement support, and quiet advocacy for pupils who find it hard to have a voice. Across all of this runs a simple thread. Time to listen. Space to grow.

For more information please take a look at our website: www.the-bridge.org.uk or feel free to get in touch with us at office@the-bridge.org.uk