How Can New Forms of Chaplaincy be Developed?

[Dharmavidya]

I certainly hope that chaplaincy, as a function, can be something to which Amida Trust can contribute in important ways. We already have several people appointed as chaplains and others performing chaplaincy work. We are also engaged in offering training in chaplaincy and this is likely to develop further in 2009. Anybody who is interested in such training should certainly make their interest known and stay in touch even if they are not already engaged in the work.

We have taken the view that chaplaincy can be widely understood. Originally a chaplain was a cleric in the chapel of the monarch. From there the idea extended to encompass clerics appointed to serve the various departments of state - hence, hospitals, prisons, universities and so on. Recently we have been experimenting with the idea of community chaplaincy where the chaplain is not limited to one institution, (unless one counts a city as such). I think that there is a lot of potential in that direction. I have also heard of something called 'arts chaplaincy' and would like to know more. Again, our project in India is essentially a chaplaincy project with Sahishnu ministering to a local population of disadvantaged people. I am interested in the ways in which we can make chaplaincy work so that it both supports the spirituality of people in the community at large and constitutes a generous outreach to society.

[Kenny Lewis]

I recently saw a job adverstised (http://www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk) as 'Resettlement Support Worker' 22.5 hours per week - by a charity working with Bedford Prison, I said to my self " Self, that's something you can do...with heart"

Having received the application pack and reviewing the person specification, I'm not going to apply for the job as they clearly are asking for someone with experience of working with ex-offenders. Far from being dis-heartened though, I am so grateful that I have seen something that I would like to be involved in that could really benefit someone, even just one person.

Now I am asking my self how I can go about getting experience working with ex-offenders so that in time I can make an application to that job or similar (any advice there well apreciated) .When I read through the application pack it's clear that there is a real need for mentoring/befriending support for people as they step out of those gates, it is such a key time.

So far I've spotted a few channels to volunteer which I will chase up, I suppose logically that's the way to gain experience. I suppose then, there is my view of Chaplaincy (for now)

Homage to the Great Ancestors many of which are unamed.

[Kenny Lewis]

ICT otherwise, for families whose children are being educated outside school.

Education Otherwise is a growing option that many parents are taking across the country. Today I attended small parent run home education group. Its called iflow and it motto is 'it's fun learning our way'. This was the third visit there for my son who is three, so I was checking them out in a way, but we've joined now.
It's run in a village hall building, theres lots of room inside and out, it runs once a week.

What I'd like to do is teach ICT for 1 hour, to about 10 children whose age range from 5 to 12. I would need 11 laptops and a wireless router, there's a projector and screen already there. I used to teach in this way in the corporate world but have only today seen its application to families whose children are being educated outside school. I also think that other Home Ed groups could benefit from this style of mobile group teaching of ICT Skills. So I'd probably end up teaching more than once a week, but to different local Home ed groups.

I would do this as a charity, no teaching fees, funded only by donations or grants. The curriculum can based around 5 cores of learning but individualisation of teachings levels is easily acheivable because of the high ratio of Adults to Children.

Its about seeing something that somebody should be doing and doing it for free.

Namo Amida Bu

[Mike Catling]

There is a sense within the Christian tradition in which the parish priest acts as chaplain to all who live in his or her parish regardless of their faith commitment or none. Chaplaincy in its broadest sense is about offering ministry to those who seek it. Sadly the work of chaplains in hospitals, city centres etc. is not honoured and respected by the Church as I think it should be. Maybe Amida Buddhism has something to teach or at least remind the Church of in this area, indeed chaplains being where people are is a significant ministry offering sacred space to those in search of it. Again, maybe it is people as chaplains rather than buildings that can offer the greater sacred space in our modern world as people more and more distrust organisations.