What do Chaplains do?
The chaplain’s role includes:
- Regular visits to shops, voluntary organisations, council services etc. Sometimes just having a chance to talk about something – in complete confidence – is what is needed, and what a chaplain can provide. Conversations can be brief, often snatched in the spaces between other tasks, in the staff canteen, or in the shop itself as opportunity allows and faith may or may not be part of those discussions.
- Support of people of any faith or no faith through listening, understanding and offering friendship. A chaplain offers time, time to listen, time to care. The agenda for conversations is always set by the person a chaplain meets and this can vary from personal experiences such as bereavement, health, families and relationships, but also about work related issues including coping with stress at work, managing change, work-life balance, vocation and fulfilment, career development and redundancy.
- Support of people at times of crisis both individual or a town situation. A chaplain always aims to be sensitive to the context in which they work.
- Encouragement of respect between faith communities. A chaplain does not seek to impose their beliefs on anyone.
- Offer of training to companies regarding understanding faith communities. The chaplain’s role can also be to reflect with managers and others, in a more structured way, about concerns and issues that affect a company, branch or business.
- Networking with other agencies and working together to enhance the working environment of the town. The chaplains also act as the link to the faith communities in the town, keeping them up to date with the issues facing those who work in the town.
- Acting as a mediator in disputes A chaplain’s work is impartial and confidential.
- Offering spiritual guidance – but only if requested.
