Faiths and further education - Church of England

Faiths and Further Education:A HandbookThe different functions of a chaplain36It is clear that whatever role or aspect is considered, there are alsoat least three linked functions of chaplaincy — religious,representational and organisational and pastoral. It could be saidthat:• the religious function derives from the faith community fromwhich each chaplain comes, but is operational in relation to thewhole faith population of the college. How this works in practiceis for each chaplain to consider in the college context with thechaplaincy team• the representational function acknowledges that faith andspiritual matters are important in each and every context, and aretherefore to be considered both within the team and with collegemanagement. Its main purpose is to encourage students todevelop a coherent worldview, and at a moral level, to help themto distinguish between right and wrong, and for that to bereflected in their behaviour• the organisational and pastoral functions will be determinedprimarily outside the chaplaincy teams.These functions relate tothe college’s own pastoral and student support functions, and tothe structures, resources and relationships across the wholeinstitution.“My principal tells me she also wants me to beindependent of college structure. She wants me to tellher how it really is in the college, and not to hold backif things are going wrong.” (Chaplain)Some advice from chaplains37If chaplains and chaplaincy teams in further education are likely tobe in the position of creating their own ways of doing things, whatadvice can serving chaplains offer you? You can start by consultingthe survey report FE Chaplaincy in 2004 (Gukuru and Murray, 2004).In researching this report, a random group of FE chaplains, somewith considerable experience, others just starting out, made thefollowing observations about the role of chaplaincy.Before you start• Know your college – learn all about it.• Know your own spiritual, ethical and moral position.• Is chaplaincy a certain, unchanging whole or must you actresponsively?• You are going to offer guidance and support. Have you got yourown critical friend that you can turn to for your own guidanceand support?• In the end, it is for you to construct your own role in consultationwith a whole range of other people in the college and outside it.Organisational role• In creating your role, don’t forget you’re functioning in anorganisation. Learn how it functions.• How effective are your political and interpersonal skills?Preparation• Visit the college as a prospective student.• Decide what sort of training you may need.• Where can you get training?Search for a multi-faith language that is acceptable across thefaiths• Language is not neutral.Without meaning to be, language can beoffensive or it can exclude.• Examine your choice of vocabulary and allusion.• For example, are you a chaplain, a member of a chaplaincy teamor a faith adviser? What are the implications?