Faiths and further education - Church of England

Faiths and Further Education:A HandbookPractical Mattersand Chaplaincy ActivitiesAccommodation83This is an important issue as it will determine the physical (andperhaps emotional) space in which you will be able to do things. Doyou have:• the privacy of your own room (or access to a confidential space)• a shared space – and if so, with whom, and will they understandyour need sometimes for privacy and confidentiality• a ‘hot desk’, meaning you do not have a fixed location wherepeople know they can find you?Prayer rooms and quiet rooms84Part of the negotiations with the college about the chaplaincypresence will include a prayer and/or quiet room as a designatedspace for quiet reflection.A very few colleges have built a multifaithcentre into the design process for new college buildings, butany designated space may be on a multi-faith basis.With severepressure on limited space, requirements may include Friday anddaily prayers for Muslims, regular worship for Christians, meetingspace for Christian Unions, Islamic societies and so on, less frequentuse by Sikhs, Hindus and Jews, as well as a quiet space for reflectionfor those of all faiths and none. Some chaplains report that thisissue causes them the most difficulty. Some report being movedaround the college every year or even more. In your negotiationswith the college as either an established or new presence, it will beimportant to discuss and agree a management and access processfor such a room.“Our multi-faith prayer room did lead to someinitial difficulties, primarily between Muslims andChristians, at peak periods of usage, such as Ramadan.We introduced a management system, based in thechaplaincy and took advice from the local mosque onwashing facilities and any special requirementsconcerning multi-use – there weren’t any!”(Chaplaincy team leader)Publicity85The serving chaplains felt that a big launch and public events couldmake an impact if planned well, with the support of the college’ssenior management team.86Do not underestimate the importance of a notice board, preferablythe chaplaincy team’s own.Again, if you can, pick its locationwisely. Should it be outside the chaplaincy room? Clearly, it has tobe in a good site with lots of student traffic passing it, perhaps nearreception, by the cafeteria or by the drinks machine.87What should be on the notice board? It should be multi-faith, withsignposts to local churches and faith communities. It can alsoadvertise college and local events, and promote the services thatthe chaplaincy team offers. Some notice boards have a ‘thought forthe week’ or pictures, cartoons and examples of students’ work,which can be changed regularly.88In terms of making your presence known, do not forget:• handouts, leaflets and chaplaincy flyers• business cards• college or tutor handbook list• college website• some chaplaincies have a termly newsletter, or more regular e-bulletin.A college in a well-known tourist area has built up a portfolio ofcourses for international students, which generates a significantproportion of total income.The multi-faith chaplaincy has beenfound to be a major reason given by students of a number of faithsfor choosing to study there, and the chaplaincy features on thefront cover of the college brochure.Action points:Talk to college management about the college prospectus or tutorhandbook and the college website. IT students may help to designthe webpages.What else can you do?