Free Church Chaplain

Ministry of Justice; Lincoln; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

The Ministry of Justice seeks a Chaplain to provide pastoral care and spiritual welfare within a prison setting, delivering guidance across faiths for prisoners, staff and families.

You will plan worship and faith-based activities, and work with chaplains, volunteers and external groups to maintain facilities and programmes. Responsibilities include policy contributions, training, and support during crises.

Qualifications

• Experience in chaplaincy or faith-based support in custodial settings.
• Ability to plan and lead worship/meditation sessions.
• Strong collaboration with faith/belief advisers and other chaplains.

Responsibilities

• Provide guidance on faith/belief systems and spiritual welfare to prisoners, staff and families.
• Plan and lead worship, meditation, prayer and faith-based meetings.
• Deliver opportunities for worship, study and religious programmes in collaboration with chaplains and volunteers.
• Contribute to local policy, procedures and practice; training staff and volunteers.

Skills

Pastoral care

Worship planning

Stakeholder liaison

Crisis support

Job description

The job holder will work with colleagues to ensure the delivery of PSI 05/2016 Faith and Pastoral Care for Prisoners or its successor policy framework and also the broader work of chaplaincy in delivering faith and non-faith-based courses. Will contribute to the process by which the Governor and Chaplain General/Head of Faith Services are assured that these policies are being delivered. The job holder will engage with and build contacts with their own faith/belief community towards aiding the resettlement of offenders. Takes responsibility for one's own spiritual health and development, allowing time for private prayer/reflection, study and retreat. This is a non-rotational, non-operational job with no line management or supervisory responsibilities. Responsibilities, Activities and Duties The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

• provide guidance on their faith/belief system in the establishment providing advice, pastoral care and spiritual welfare to prisoners, staff and their families as requested, liaising with their Faith and Belief Adviser (FBA) or other FBA as appropriate;
• plan and lead worship/meditation, prayer and faith/belief specific meetings. Be part of the provision of available and accessible chaplaincy care at all times;
• facilitate and deliver opportunities for worship/meditation, study and religious programmes. Work collaboratively with other Chaplains, the Managing Chaplain, volunteers and external groups on the maintenance and provision of facilities for worship/meditation and prayer;
• contribute towards the development of local policy, procedures and practice;
• provide pastoral care to prisoners and help to provide support and bring resolution to crisis situations where required. Provide mentoring and personal support for other chaplains and volunteers including following incidents;
• nurture Chaplaincy volunteers in their contribution;
• work with the Official Prison Visitor (OPV) Liaison Officer in promoting the scheme within the prison ensuring all prisoners are aware of it and to assist where required OPV volunteers;
• ensure their prison community is aware of relevant faith/belief events and coordinate establishment support for these. Acquire and distribute appropriate faith/belief literature, artefacts and materials;
• contribute to training programmes and materials for staff and volunteers. Be part of the organisation and delivery of
  Faith Awareness Training for staff;
• represent the chaplaincy team at establishment meetings, committees etc in the absence of the Managing Chaplain;
• actively support the Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) process;
• attend relevant boards/meetings and actively contribute either as chair or team member;
• with the agreement of the Managing Chaplain and establishment senior management team and as required, take on additional roles; e.g. Family Liaison Officer, Family Services single point of contact, volunteer coordinator etc;
• be proactive in forging links with their local faith/belief communities and other agencies, as relevant and consider ways in which these communities/agencies may become involved in supporting prisoners on release;
• participate in developing ways for improving and achieving targets as required, undertake and ensure that all relevant administration, data collection and analysis including relevant targets are collated; and
• assist in Probation Approved Premises (APs), with offenders on release into the community, those serving community sentences or other HMPPS funded community initiatives by agreement.