Who are the chaplains of today's workplaces?
They are people of faith who, because of their belief in a loving and caring God, give their time to share that love and care with others. Chaplains are ordinary people, some lay, some ordained, who are trained specifically for this work and give their time to regularly visit others in their place of work over a period of months or even years.
What are the qualities needed for chaplaincy?
The chaplain must have enough self-confidence to thrive without the reward of feedback and enough self-awareness to know where their own strength and hope comes from and to be able to draw on this, to share that strength with others.
Good chaplaincy conversations start with the other person's needs and agenda; it is rarely appropriate for the chaplain to share theirs. They need to accept that most of the time, they will come and go without being aware of doing anything special but they know that over time people will come to recognise and trust them and ask for their help.
Who decides where chaplains work?
Chaplains need permission to be active in the workplace. They need the permission of the managers and, if they are to be effective, they need to be welcomed by the staff. They must remember that they are accepting the hospitality of both the managers and the staff, be clear about their intentions, and honour the emotional contract, as well as any formal contract, which they established at the outset. Chaplaincy relationships are set up by the team leader, who then monitors their progress and provides support and guidance to the chaplains in their work.are invited and the bounds of confidentiality allow).
Who pays?
