Free Church Ordained Chaplain (Part-time)

Part time: 9 hour working week. One day with 1 Sunday morning per month. The job holder will work with colleagues to ensure the delivery of PSI 05/2016 Faith and Pastoral Care for Prisoners or its successor policy framework and also the broader work of chaplaincy in delivering faith and non-faith based courses. Will contribute to the process by which the Governor and Chaplain General/Head of Faith Services are assured that these policies are being delivered.

Responsibilities, Activities and Duties:

• Provide guidance on their faith/belief system in the establishment providing advice, pastoral care and spiritual welfare to prisoners, staff and their families as requested, liaising with their Faith and Belief Adviser (FBA) or other FBA as appropriate.
• Plan and lead worship/meditation, prayer and faith/belief specific meetings.
• Be part of the provision of available and accessible chaplaincy care at all times; facilitate and deliver opportunities for worship/meditation, study and religious programmes.
• Work collaboratively with other Chaplains, the Managing Chaplain, volunteers and external groups on the maintenance and provision of facilities for worship/meditation and prayer.
• Contribute towards the development of local policy, procedures and practice.
• Provide pastoral care to prisoners and help to provide support and bring resolution to crisis situations where required.
• Provide mentoring and personal support for other chaplains and volunteers including following incidents; nurture Chaplaincy volunteers in their contribution.
• Work with the Official Prison Visitor (OPV) Liaison Officer in promoting the scheme within the prison ensuring all prisoners are aware of it and to assist where required OPV volunteers.
• Ensure their prison community is aware of relevant faith/belief events and coordinate establishment support for these.
• Acquire and distribute appropriate faith/belief literature, artefacts and materials.
• Contribute to training programmes and materials for staff and volunteers.
• Be part of the organisation and delivery of Faith Awareness Training for staff.
• Represent the chaplaincy team at establishment meetings, committees etc in the absence of the Managing Chaplain.
• Actively support the Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) process.
• Attend relevant boards/meetings and actively contribute either as chair or team member.
• With the agreement of the Managing Chaplain and establishment senior management team and as required, take on additional roles; e.g. Family Liaison Officer, Family Services single point of contact, volunteer coordinator etc.
• Be proactive in forging links with their local faith/belief communities and other agencies, as relevant and consider ways in which these communities/agencies may become involved in supporting prisoners on release.
• Participate in developing ways for improving and achieving targets as required.
• Undertake and ensure that all relevant administration, data collection and analysis including relevant targets are collated.
• Assist in Probation Approved Premises (APs), with offenders on release into the community, those serving community sentences or other HMPPS funded community initiatives by agreement.

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary.

Working Arrangements & Further Information:

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and/or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.

For nationally advertised roles, the successful candidate(s) will be appointed to a MoJ office location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of pre-employment checks.

Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on ‘modernised’ terms in their current post or onto ‘unmodernised’ MoJ terms if they are on ‘unmodernised’ terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.

Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week excluding breaks which are unpaid. HMPPS welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the HMPPS’ Flexible Working policy.

If you are a current NPS employee, this vacancy may be available on a Loan basis for up to 2 years. Applications are invited from suitable qualified staff. The Loan/Secondment is subject to the approval of the selected candidate's Business Unit, which should be obtained before confirmation of appointment.

Bank, Public and Privilege Holidays:

You are entitled to 9 days (66 hours 36 minutes) in recognition of bank, public and privilege holidays. These hours are added to your annual leave allowance. There is a requirement to work some public and bank holidays subject to your shift pattern and the operational needs of the establishment.

Pension:

The Civil Service offers a choice of two pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.

Work Life Balance:

HM Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) is keen to encourage alternative working arrangements. Work life balance provides greater opportunities for staff to work more flexibly wherever managers and establishments can accommodate requests to do so. HMPPS offers flexible working subject to completion of a satisfactory probationary period and NVQ.

Season Ticket Advance:

After two months’ service, you’ll be eligible to apply for a season ticket advance to purchase a quarterly or longer-period season ticket for travel between home and your place of work.

Training:

HMPPS is committed to staff development and offers a range of training and development opportunities, including areas such as Equality and Diversity, Dealing with Challenging Behaviour, Suicide Prevention and Anti Bullying Programmes. There are opportunities to access promotion programmes and HMPPS provides a variety of training appropriate to individual posts. All staff receive security and diversity training and an individual induction programme into their new roles.

All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post. All external candidates are subject to 6 months probation. Internal candidates are subject to probation if they have not already served a probationary period within HMPPS. All staff are required to declare whether they are a member of a group or organisation which the HMPPS considers to be racist.

Recruitment Principles:

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles.

Disability Confident Employment:

As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form.

Civil Service Nationality Rules:

This job is broadly open to the following groups: UK nationals, nationals of the Republic of Ireland, nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK, nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS).

Experience:

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 be a minister (lay or ordained) of a Free Church denomination which is a member of the Free Churches Group, or listed by the HMPPS Free Churches Faith and Belief Adviser as an ‘Additional Denomination’.

Specific licence requirements:

Ordained Free Church Minister. Evidence of Experience: CV or Work History, Experience Questions, Statement of Suitability.

Technical Requirements:

Ordained Chaplains (including ordained deacons) will have completed a formal professional formation process appropriate to their denomination which satisfies that denomination’s 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 and Belief Adviser the additional support to be given during this crucial stage of ministry development.

Required qualifications for Prison Chaplains: All Free Churches Chaplains will be expected to hold a formal recognised qualification in theology or religious study, normally to UK University undergraduate Diploma standard.

Requirement for Continuing Professional Development (CPD): In order to maintain endorsement by the Free Churches Faith and Belief Adviser all chaplains will be required to demonstrate regular continuing reflection or training contributing towards their professional development as ministers. This will be recorded and assessed on an annual basis by the HMPPS Free Churches Faith and Belief Adviser.