“Multi faith chaplaincy within a Further Education setting”

1. “Multi faith chaplaincy within a Further Education setting” Steve Blyth - Chaplain of North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College and the Midlands Academy Trust.

2. Context: FE • Further Education • 257 FE colleges in the UK • 2.2 million students • 1.4 million are adults • 150000 are in Higher Education at FE • Mostly vocational • Hugely diverse • Quality controlled

4. Context: NWSLC • College and Multi Academy Trust • Roughly 10,000 students - 11 to ? • 5 vocational campuses • 4 secondary academies • Based in Nuneaton, Hinckley and Wigston

5. Context • ‘All Faiths and None’ Chaplaincy. • “We are available for any member of the college, regardless of faith. We offer non-judgemental support and a listening ear.” • Spiritual Moral Social Cultural (“SMSC”)

6. Context • PREVENT / British Values • Democracy • Individual Liberty • Rule of Law • Tolerance / respect of different faiths and beliefs

7. The Chaplaincy What do we do? Cultural Awareness Mentoring Religious Festivals Food bank Conflict Resolution Pastoral care Christmas Day Prayer Rooms Tutorials Acts of worship Remembrance

8. Multifaith • Prayer and contemplation rooms

9. Multifaith

10. Multifaith • Prayer and contemplation rooms • Pastoral care and support in times of tragedy

11. Multifaith • Prayer and contemplation rooms • Pastoral care and support in times of tragedy • Information

12. Multifaith • Prayer and contemplation rooms • Pastoral care and support in times of tragedy • Information • Festivals

13. Festivals • Opportunity for SMSC development • Opportunity to explore values in a safe place • Informal learning • ‘Casting out fear’ - 1 John 4:18 • ‘Normalisation’ - making friends with faith

14. Festivals Do we ‘celebrate’ festivals? Recognise and facilitate: Honour the tradition Affirm and raise awareness Explore values Reflect

16. Interfaith Week

17. Interfaith Week

18. Diwali

19. Chinese New Year

20. Chinese New Year

21. Wesak

22. Wesak

23. Makar Sankranti

24. Holi

25. Nirvana Day

26. Nirvana Day

27. Acts of remembrance

28. Acts of remembrance

29. A jar full of stones

30. Visibility An affirming presence Shining a light on things hidden Accessible ‘In’ but also ‘to the side’ Non-judgmental A fragrance Proactive and responsive

31. Informality Co-collaborators in learning Planned Spontaniety ‘Walking alongside’ Conversation Sensitive to Missio Dei A quest for wisdom Enquiry

32. Informality “Informal education is the wise, respectful and spontaneous process of cultivating learning. It works through conversation, and the exploration and enlargement of experience.” Jeffs and Smith - infed.org (“what is informal education?”)

33. Consistency Grounded in faith tradition - connected to community Acting with integrity Sympathetic to rhythms and patterns of the institution Confident but gentle - “warm strict” Have duck feathers

34. Hospitable WITH - not above or below Translators of faith and spirituality Cappella - cloak bearers All are welcome - “making space” Non-judgmental “Giving hearts” - Nouwen

35. Hospitable “Community… grows from the spiritual knowledge that we are alive not for ourselves but for one another. Community is the fruit of our capacity to make the interests of others more important than our own. Therefore the question is not ‘how can we make community?’ but ‘how can we develop and nurture giving hearts?’” Henry Nouwen

36. Tensions? • Knowledge vs wisdom • Shared values - consensus or coalition? • What is correct vs what is right • ‘Indoctrination’? • Compromise?