An introduction to working in HE chaplaincy
Welcome to the world of University and College Chaplaincy. Whoever you
are, whatever your previous spheres of work, you come with experience and
learning which has been judged appropriate for this work. You will hopefully find
your skills and insights soon being put to good use in the College or University. You
may also find new challenges and experiences which will raise questions for you. For
some of you, getting to know the Higher Education scene will be a learning
experience.
This document sets out to help you into this new ministry. It is a tool to help
you think about the world of Higher Education, including the part of it you are in,
and about what it means to be a chaplain in such a world. At present, it is limited to
helping you understand the context of Higher Education and some basic questions
about chaplaincy in it, including relations between you and the wider church. It may
be that in the future we will add other sections on, for example, young adult culture,
working in a multi-faith environment etc. It does not provide all the answers, or even
raise all the questions. It does seek to offer some signposts into areas you may have
to face if you are to make the best of your time in chaplaincy. We welcome
comments on it which will help us improve it for future generations of chaplains.
They should be sent to Stephen Heap, National Adviser for Higher Education,
Education Division, Church House, Great Smith St., Westminster, SW1P 3AZ. Email:
stephen.heap@c-of-e.org.uk. It is designed to sit alongside the annual training for
new chaplains offered by the Churches Higher Education Liaison Group (CHELG).
The idea for this tool, and some of the text, is based on parts of a training
manual produced for Further Education chaplains; Welcome to Chaplaincy. Thanks
to Gareth Denby, who edited the original, for his willingness to allow us to make use
of it.
As most new chaplains will be working in Universities, from now on, we will
use the term University rather than University and College. Please read it as
referring to both!
1. THE NATIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION SCENE
Issues at national level do change, but some things are never far from the
surface. How Universities, and students, are funded are key issues. So are questions
about what Universities are for, and who they are for. Keeping abreast of the issues
is part of the challenge of chaplaincy. Few manage to keep on top of everything
(actually, probably nobody does!) but a trawl through some web sites and a look at
the education sections in the national press and the specialized journals will at least
alert you to issues you might want to look into more deeply, or at least know
enough about to make an occasional intelligent comment! It is worth thinking now
about that very basic question raised above; what are universities for?
Over recent years, the Higher Education sector in Britain has become ever
more varied. You may want to think about which bit of the sector you are in and
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what, as a Christian, you regard as the strengths and weaknesses of what your part
of the sector offers.
Nationally, Universities have grouped themselves into a number of ‘Mission
Groups’, reflective of their role and place in the HE offering. They are:
The Russell Group - see www.russellgroup.ac.uk.
The University Alliance – see www.university-alliance.ac.uk.
Million Plus – see www.millionplus.ac.uk.
1994 Group – see www.1994group.ac.uk
GuildHE – see www.guildhe.ac.uk
The Cathedrals Group (Church foundation HEIs, no web page at present)
There is also a world-wide body which the Anglican Higher Education
Institutions are members of, and which has a British Chapter. It is called ‘CUAC’ –
Colleges and Universities of the Anglican Communion. See www.cuac.org.
In addition, Universities UK brings together ‘the Executive heads of all UK
Universities and some colleges of Higher Education’. See www.universitiesuk.ac.uk.
You can check on the websites to see which one your University is part of.
That will also tell you something about how your University sees itself and its
mission. Each website is a useful source of information and comment on HE issues.
So also is The Times Higher Education Supplement (THES), a weekly professional
journal, some of which can be accessed on-line at www.timeshighereducation.co.uk.
Why not have a look at the sites now and list three or four issues which
seem important at the present time. You might want to build time into your working
week to look at such websites and the THES. Doing so will enhance your
understanding of the context of your ministry. That is important because greater
understanding will lead to greater effectiveness.
2.HIGHER EDUCATION AND GOVERNMENT
The Government Department with responsibility for Higher Education is the
Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. The Secretary of State is Rt Hon Dr
Vince Cable MP and the Minister of State for Universities and Science is Rt Hon
David Willetts MP. The Department’s web site is at www.bis.gov.uk
Also relevant is the Department for Communities and Local Government
(www.communities.gov.uk) which is concerned with how different communities,
including faith communities, live together, including in Universities.
3.YOUR UNIVERSITY
Part of your task will be getting to know the University in which you are
working, including those parts of it you are not likely to encounter in your normal
routine. That means relationship building with individuals. It also means getting to
know the institution. What is the institutional culture? What is its mission? What are
its values? How are decisions made? What are the key committees? What does it
teach? What areas of research is it involved in? Try to answer those questions as you
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move around the University, and add other questions of your own which you think
you need to address as you get to know the place and the people.
3.1 VALUE AND MISSION STATEMENTS
Most Universities now have mission and value statements which should be
readily available on web sites and around the institution. If not, ask for a copy. Have
a good look at what they say. You might want to compare them with what other
Universities say. What is your theological assessment of what the University says
about itself? Are there points in the statements which might be useful to you as a
chaplain, perhaps things you could refer to in developing your own agenda? Are
there things you are not comfortable with? As you get to know the University
better, you might want to ask at what points the University lives up to its mission
and values, and where it does not.
3.2 THE CURRICULUM
At its heart the University is an educational institution. What is its
understanding of education is one thing to think about. There is a whole literature
about changing understandings of University education; see the booklist or ask your
denominational adviser/coordinator for details. Look carefully at what areas your
University teaches and/or does research in. You might want to visit the departments.
Show an interest; God loves it, remember! (Or are there areas you have doubts
about?) Before you visit, spend time looking at Departmental web sites and
literature. Get yourself engaged with it before you go. Showing you care about the
work being done is vitally important, which does not mean pretending you
understand what you do not. Proper care and interest create the possibility of
further contact, which may be more focused, including chaplaincy making a
contribution to the curriculum. Actual examples of that include a Drama
Department asking the chaplain to do some sessions on Biblical references in a play
and Nursing Departments asking the chaplain to help the students think about the
place of spirituality in their training. As education is the core activity of the
university, it is worth asking what contribution chaplaincy can make to the
educational work being done. Such work also brings you into contact with more
students and staff which, experience suggests, leads to contact on other levels also
(pastoral, evangelistic etc).
3.3 YOUR PLACE IN THE UNIVERSITY
Different chaplaincies and chaplains have different relationships to the
University. What is yours? Does the University have any management responsibility
for the chaplaincy? Does it regulate, evaluate or assess your work? Are you linked in
any way to one particular department in the University (Student Services is a
common one, but not always ideal). Is the chaplaincy a partnership between the
Church and the University? Are there any documents which set out what the
relationship is? If not, how are decisions about the chaplaincy made? These are just
some of the questions you might want to ask to find out what is the formal
relationship between the Chaplaincy and the University. You might like to think of
others, and work on them.
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If you are part of a University Department, map out how that department
works. Who is its head? Are you line-managed by him/her? Who else is in the team?
Note their names and roles or areas of responsibility. Think about how you fit into
this group.
Alongside the formal relationships, there are informal ones. Who are the key
people you need to get to know and cultivate a relationship with in order to achieve
your goals? What are the key committees you need to cultivate a relationship with?
Where are the places you need to be to get known and develop relationships?
3.3 HOW DOES THE UNIVERSITY WORK?
As in any institution, you may find there are formal and informal decision
making processes. It may be that some people have particular influence, either
because of their position or for other reasons (e.g. being persuasive in committees).
It is useful to map out where power is in the University and what the decision
making processes are. That will help you to know what you need to do to make
things happen. You might want to highlight committees and individuals which could
have a particular influence on chaplaincy.
Most Universities have Boards of Governors. Their roles and powers vary.
Who is on yours? Is there anyone who might be particularly friendly to chaplaincy?
What is the role of the Governors? What sub-committees are there?
There is often a senior management team of some sort; the Vice-Chancellor
or Principal, Pro-VCs, University Secretary, maybe others. What is the role of that
group? Is there anyone on it with particular responsibility for chaplaincy? Is there
anyone on it who might be a particular supporter, or opponent, of chaplaincy?
Within your University there will be a committee structure. What is it?
Which committees are particularly relevant to your work? (Don’t forget the
academic ones in thinking about that; part of having a real influence in the University
is influencing the curriculum. Others which are often relevant include student
experience, widening participation, diversity and equal opportunities). Who are the
chairs of committees? Are there committees you might offer to be on? You need to
be clear about why and what contribution you can make if making an offer; be
realistic without being too self-effacing.
In thinking about how the University works, don’t forget the Students Union
and the staff Unions. Again, find the key people, get to know them and get to know
the structures.
To find out answers to some of the questions raised above you may need to
go and meet with relevant people in the University. Before you do that, go on a new
staff induction course if there is one, have a good look at web sites, the intranet, staff
handbooks, students handbooks, departmental information, student services
information, Students Union documents …. anything you can get your hands on.
Build up a picture of what the place is like … and don’t worry if you haven’t got it all
worked out at the end of the first week, or first term, but do aim to meet the key
players during your first year.
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3.4 WHO IS IN THE UNIVERSITY?
What is the make-up of the student body and the staff? You will decide what
you need to know in this area. Some things which people often ask are:
 What is the ethnic make up?
 Which religions are represented and in what numbers?
 How many students are ‘mature’ (i.e. older than 21)?
 How many students and staff are part-time and how many full-time?
 Amongst staff, how many are academic and how many support staff?
 Which staff work directly for the University and which for other companies
but on campus?
 How many international students are there and where do they come from?
 How many students live in Halls of Residence, how many in other
accommodation and how many at home?
What is the significance of what you have found? (e.g. if most students are
local and living at home, are they likely to spend time on campus when not in
lectures or studying? What will that mean for chaplaincy?)
If the figures are not readily available you might get them from the registry or
student services.
3.5 THE UNIVERSITY AND THE COMMUNITY
The chaplain is often one link between the University and the local
community. There may be something about that in your job description or other
documents which set out the work of the chaplaincy. What links does your
University have with the local community? What links does the chaplaincy have? Are
there denominational, ecumenical, inter-faith, para-church etc links which either exist
or need establishing?
3.6 BEING THERE
It would be possible to hide away in an office somewhere and, who knows,
some day someone may knock on your door. Generally, effective chaplaincy requires
being proactive and it involves being known. Just as you mapped out the committee
structure, map out the campus. Chances are, there are maps available already. Have
a walk round. Go round another way. Go at different times, including early in a
morning as staff are coming in and even earlier in a morning as students are going
home! Where do people meet? When? Which corridors are busy at what times?
Who really knows what is going on here? (The VC, receptionists, cleaners, car park
attendant?) You are probably one of the few people to move round the whole
institution. You have a privileged view of it.
Have a virtual presence also. Web pages, blogs, twitter, facebook, texting …
what is it students are using this week and are you on it?
3.7 STUDENTS UNION
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Students Unions (SUs), like chaplaincies, are having to adapt to new patterns
in University life. You can easily find out what yours is doing, and why, by visiting the
Sabbatical Officers. Usually they are recent graduates (or gap year towards the end
of their degree) and happy to talk. Religion is an important issue in many
Universities, including for Students Unions (the NUS has a national worker on
religious issues on campus). The Christian Union and other faith groups may well be
Students Union societies. Spend time with them, whether they are of your theology
or faith or not. Look at what other societies there are also. Are there others it
would be worth seeking an invitation to?
The SU offices can be a good source of information about what the
University feels like to students, as can the Trades Unions for staff. Some SUs also
do campaigns which you may, or may not, feel you want to support. You may be able
to suggest ideas for campaigns and get the Union to support your projects.
4. THE CHAPLAINCY
4.1 ……. IS PART OF THE CHURCH
Whether you are ‘lay’ or ordained, you are part of the Church and have a
responsibility to it. Being part of a local congregation, Chapter or other clergy
meeting, Association, District and Synod meetings, are all ways in which you will be
‘tied in’ to the wider body of Christ. You are engaged in a cutting edge ministry
which is different from many others (though most Christians exercise their ministry
in ‘the world’, not ‘the church’). That can lead to feelings of isolation. It might also
mean you have things to offer from which the wider Church can learn.
The Church also has responsibilities to you. How is it expressing that
responsibility? What support structures has it put in place for you? What
management or accountability structures are in place? Who are the people in your
Association, District, Diocese or whatever who are responsible for University
Chaplaincy? How effective are they? If they do not come to see you, go to see them.
If nothing is in place address that with your Church leaders. If that is difficult, or
things are not working properly, speak to your denominational HE
Advisers/chaplaincy coordinators.
4.2 WHY AM I HERE?
You may be joining a well-established chaplaincy, may be part of a team, may
be setting up something new. You may be in a denominational or an ecumenical
appointment. You may be a team leader or a team member. Whatever your exact
situation, a key issue will be deciding why you are there and just what you are
seeking to achieve as a chaplain and a chaplaincy. Of course, some of that work may
already have been done. The church which sent you, the body which appointed you,
the University within which you work, may all have a vision for your work. What is
it? What are the documents which set it out? What do they say? It is the experience
of some chaplains that there are very few documents indeed around their chaplaincy
and little guidance about what is expected of them. That is not good practice, and
can lead to conflict and frustration as, usually, there are expectations and hopes,
even if not overtly expressed. A first step might be to go and talk with those
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responsible for the chaplaincy to get some agreements on paper. Those agreements
need to be with the University also, including with the department you are part of, if
any. Your denominational HE Adviser/chaplaincy coordinator may be able to help
you with this.
You will also want to do some thinking, praying and theological reflection on
what you are about in the place where you are. We began this document with the
University because that is the context in which you will do your work. That is what,
for some, will be new. You will bring with you the theological skills you have
developed thus far, and must use them, both alone and with others, to seek to
discern what it is God is calling you to do in your chaplaincy. What is your mission?
Perhaps you will find a tool such as the pastoral cycle useful in doing that. Here are
some questions you might fund useful along the way:
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What are the signs of the Kingdom here?
What is not of the Kingdom here?
How can I help to grow the former and challenge the latter?
Where are people hurting?
Where are they rejoicing?
What are the priorities for my work here? Are they pastoral, priestly,
evangelical, educational …. or …….
What do the paymasters expect me to do?
Am I here for students or staff or both?
Am I here for all irrespective of their faith or lack of it?
How do I represent the tradition from which I come in the University?
How do I speak of God here?
How do I listen for God here?
Are there parts of the University I can make a particular contribution to?
What is it the University is really about?
You might also like to set some specific goals, agreed with your managers.
SMART goals are particularly useful, i.e. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic,
and Time-related. Don’t be too hard on yourself in doing that. Getting to know a
University does not happen overnight. It may take a couple of academic years before
a clear plan emerges. That is how it is; don’t worry about it! But do work at it and,
in the meantime, befriend people, care for them, do what you are asked to do well,
be there, read your Bible, say your prayers ….. and trust a vision will emerge!
If you think it is not, or if it does not seem to be working out as you hoped,
do not worry. Many of us have been there. There are a number of things you can do.
Revisit questions about what the University is about and what it might mean to be a
chaplain in it. Read your Bible and say your prayers. Talk with your managers, your
denominational chaplaincy co-ordinator/HE adviser, and/or a more experienced
chaplain (we are developing a mentoring scheme; contact the Church of England HE
Adviser, Stephen Heap, for more details). You can also join the Yahoo group and,
through it, share questions and ideas with other chaplains. To join, go to
uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/hechaplaincy then simply click on ‘Join this group’ and
follow the instructions.
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Remember, this may be a different form of ministry from that you have exercised
before and it will take time to get into it. Others have found that before you, and
have found that as they persevere with it they enter into a new and exciting world of
ministry they would not have missed. Keep going!
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