About Bridges of Canada

Bridges of Canada Mission: 

Bridges of Canada Inc. is a national, non-profit organization that restores individuals and families who struggle with addiction and/or criminality by providing a supportive continuum of holistic care that includes trauma informed residential treatment programs, youth camps, and multi-faith chaplaincy services in both correctional facilities and community re-entry settings.

Restoring Lives. Restoring Families. Restoring Communities.

 

Chaplaincy Program Overview:

Bridges of Canada Chaplaincy Services supports the mission and vision of Bridges of Canada’s holistic approach to recovery and accommodates the mental (emotional, cognitive), physical, social, and spiritual needs of the persons served. Chaplains deliver, monitor, and facilitate a broad range of spiritual services that provide opportunities for inmates to pursue individual spiritual beliefs and practices of their own choosing, in a manner that is consistent with the security and good order of the facility.

Spirituality can be a significant agent of change for many individuals. Thus, chaplains serve as critical staff members that assist inmates who choose this path to enhance their knowledge of and commitment to the beliefs and practices of their faith. At the same time, chaplains work in collaboration with other clinical staff in support of formal treatment programs within the four-dimensional model.

As a professionally trained and formally designated faith leader, chaplains are responsible for the following:

* Developing programs related to spirituality for inmates
* Coordinating all spiritual activities that take place within the facility
* Providing spiritual counselling and guidance upon request to those inmates of the chaplain’s faith group
* Assisting any inmate with special requests for literature, sacred items, holy day observances, dietary needs, or access to an officially credentialed spiritual advisor
* Providing guidance to facility directors on any matters of faith expression
* Collaborating with the clinical team by responding to any direct referrals for counseling and/or treatment options
* Assuming the lead role in delivering emergency notifications and assisting with any related crisis counseling
* Serving in the role of spiritual advisor to any staff member requesting their counsel
Critical Dimensions

Spirituality can be a significant agent of change for many individuals. Thus, Chaplains serve as critical staff members that assist inmates who choose this path to enhance their knowledge of and commitment to the beliefs and practices of their faith. At the same time, chaplains work in collaboration with other clinical staff in support of formal treatment programs within the four-dimensional model used in correctional facilities.

For quality management purposes, we have identified four critical dimensions within which all functions of chaplaincy fall:

Personal Development

Maintaining a Healthy Spiritual Relationship
Maintaining Effective Personal Relationships
Sustaining an Active Agenda for Professional Development
Spiritual Service

Offering Supportive Counseling
Providing Spiritual Instruction
Promoting Spiritual Growth
Maintaining healthy relationships within the Family
Building Relationships with Staff
Administrative

Developing and Maintaining an Institutional Plan
Developing Volunteers:Recruiting
Training
Supervising/Mentoring
Interfacing with Organizational Leadership
Interfacing with Institutional Leadership
Facilitating All Recognized Faith Groups
Community

Fostering Community Awareness and Partnerships
Educating Community about Restorative Justice
Assisting with Inmate Family Concerns
Assisting with Reentry of Inmates into the Community

https://www.bridgesofcanada.com/