Pagan Chaplain

Serco; Bristol; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading corrections service provider in the UK seeks a Pagan Chaplain to provide religious care for prisoners and staff. Responsibilities include facilitating worship, supporting fellow chaplains, and developing local policies. Candidates must have a deep knowledge of Pagan traditions, proven experience, and formal endorsement from their faith community. English proficiency is required.

Qualifications

• Formal endorsement by the candidate’s faith community is required.
• Ability to fulfill spoken aspects of the role confidently in English.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate and deliver worship study and religious programmes.
• Contribute towards the development of local policy and practice.
• Provide mentoring and personal support for chaplains and volunteers.
• Plan and lead worship and faith-specific meetings.
• Provide pastoral care to prisoners and support in crisis situations.
• Collaborate with other Chaplains on worship facilities.
• Contribute to training programmes and materials.

Skills

In-depth knowledge of Pagan Tradition

Experience in a similar role

Ability to lead open ritual

Confidence in officiating Rites of Passage

Skills in running workshops for mixed Pagan traditions

Job description

Here at Serco we’re looking for a Pagan Chaplain to join us at HMP Ashfield, an adult male sex offender prison based in the village of Pucklechurch in Gloucestershire. This is a chaplaincy job in an establishment which provides pastoral and faith specific care to prisoners and staff.

The Pagan Chaplain will provide for the religious care of prisoners and staff in the Pagan faith tradition and appropriate pastoral care for all irrespective of faith or tradition.

The job holder will work with colleagues to ensure the delivery of the specification “Faith and Pastoral Care”, and also the broader work of chaplaincy in delivering faith and non-faith based courses.

Will contribute to the process by which the Director and Head of Chaplaincy / Profession at HQ are assured that the specification is being delivered.

They will engage with, and build contacts with their own faith community towards aiding the resettlement of offenders.

This is a non-operational job with no line management or supervisory responsibilities.

What you’ll need to do the role :

• Facilitate and deliver opportunities for worship study and religious programmes
• Contribute towards the development of local policy, procedures and practice
• Provide mentoring and personal support for other chaplains and volunteers including following incidents
• Plan and lead worship and prayer / faith specific meetings
• Provide pastoral care to prisoners and help to provide support and bring resolution to crisis situations where required
• Work collaboratively with other Chaplains and Managing Chaplain on the maintenance and provision of facilities for worship and prayer
• Contribute to training programmes and materials for staff and volunteers
• Attend relevant boards / meetings and actively contribute either as chair or team member
• On call duties, which will be discussed with the hiring manager

The duties / responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The Job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary. Significant adjustments may require re-examination under the Job Evaluation scheme and shall be discussed in the first instance with the Job Holder.

What you’ll need to do the role

This is an opportunity for an individual who possess and proves an in-depth knowledge of, and experience in, their own Pagan Tradition. They must have proven experience working in a similar role. The post holder must have the confidence and expertise to lead open ritual, officiate in Rites of Passage, and run workshops for mixed Pagan traditions within the prison system. It is important that they have formal endorsement by the candidate’s faith community – through the Prison Service Pagan Faith Adviser (Evidence required before appointment).

All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post.

All staff are required to declare whether they are a member of a group or organisation which the Prison Service considers to be racist.

Additionally,the post holder must have the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence through the medium of English or (where specified in Wales) Welsh.