Free Church Chaplain, HMP Ashfield, External

Free Church Chaplain, HMP Ashfield, Bristol, BS16 9QJ

External Part Time Vacancy

Ref: 304225

Salary: £20,834.40 per annum

Working hours: 24 hours per week

Here at Serco, we're recruiting for a Free Church Chaplain to join our team at HMP Ashfield in Bristol. As our Free Church Chaplain, you will work with other colleagues to ensure the delivery of Prison Service Specifications as required and also the broader work of the multi-faith chaplaincy team in delivering faith and non-faith-based courses. You will engage with, and build contacts with your own faith community towards aiding the resettlement of offenders, will provide for the religious care of prisoners and staff in the faith tradition including sacramental provision as appropriate and pastoral care for all as required, irrespective of faith or tradition.

Main responsibilities of the role:

• Facilitate and deliver opportunities for worship both sacramental and non-sacramental, 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 

• Be always part of the provision of available and accessible chaplaincy care.

What you’ll need to do the role:

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

• All external candidates are subject to 12 months probation. 

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

All Free Church chaplains are trained faith practitioners in their own communities. They are accountable to, and accredited by an eligible denomination as listed on the Free Churches Group website. They will either:

1. Be a minister (lay or ordained) of a Free Church denomination which is a member of the Free Churches Group, or

2. Be a minister (lay or ordained) of a Free Church denomination which is listed by the Free Churches Faith Advisor as an ‘Additional Denomination’.

3. Listed by the HMPPS Free Churches Faith and Belief Adviser as an ‘Additional Denomination’.

Denominations listed as an “Additional Denomination” will satisfy all of the following:

• have a distinctive Free Church theology;

• be national members of either Churches Together in England or Cytun;

• have formally requested inclusion on the ‘Additional Denomination’ list;

• have agreed to abide by the “Joint Working Protocol for Prison Chaplains” established between the Free Churches Group, Churches together in England and Cytun.

 Ordained Chaplains (including ordained deacons) will have completed a formal professional formation process appropriate to their denomination which satisfies that denomination of their ability to effectively practice and fulfil the skills and competencies required of an ordained minister. Where an ordained chaplain is appointed within the first two years of their ordination then the denomination will be required to demonstrate to the Free Churches Faith Advisor the additional support to be given during this crucial stage of ministry development.

Formal endorsement of the candidate’s denominational accreditation will be required from the Free Churches Faith Advisor to HMPPS .

Church leaders at a regional or national level, i.e. Moderators, Chairs, Regional Ministers etc. will be asked to provide written confirmation to the Faith Advisor attesting to the credentials, qualifications and accountability of each candidate (This evidence will be required before appointment and thereafter periodically according to HMPPS vetting policy)

Formal endorsement from the candidate’s own denomination will be required via the Free Churches Faith Advisor. Senior church leaders to whom the volunteer chaplain would be actively accountable will be asked to provide written confirmation attesting to the credentials, training plan and accountability of each candidate sponsored by their denomination (This evidence will be required before appointment and thereafter periodically according to HMPPS vetting policy and will be required whenever a volunteer chaplain seeks to take up a paid chaplaincy role).

Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

In order to maintain endorsement by the Free Churches Faith Advisor all chaplains will be required to demonstrate regular ongoing reflection or training contributing towards their professional development as ministers. This will be recorded and assessed on an annual basis by the Free Churches Faith Advisor.

For more information and to apply for the post, please visit HERE.

For eligibility to become the Free Church Prison Chaplain, please visit HERE.