Overview
The Correctional Chaplain will be responsible to provide religious and spiritual services to
federal offenders of all faiths residing within CSC’s institutions.
• Originate, direct, facilitate and coordinate religious services, rites, rituals, and spiritual
educational activities as appropriate to offenders which include
a) Religious services relevant to the correctional milieu
b) In consultation with official representatives of the faith community, religious
services, holy days and significant days and seasons
c) Responding to crises and special situations unique to the correctional
environment
d) Creating and maintaining an atmosphere within the institution’s sacred spaces
that enables all faith communities to respectfully use those spaces
e) Conducting and facilitating prayer, study, and personal growth groups
f) Designing, developing, conducting, and evaluating religious programs and
activities
• Interacting and dialoguing with members of the community including multiple faith
communities concerning their role in chaplaincy and restorative processes. This includes
the recruitment and training of volunteers for correctional chaplaincy work through:
a) Accepting invitations to address religious/spiritual gatherings and acting as a
resource person to community meetings.
b) Meeting with local religious and spiritual leaders.
c) Recruiting, selecting, and training suitable volunteers to be involved in
Chaplaincy activities.
d) Involvement in Restorative Justice Week activities and the promotion of
restorative justice and principles and practices
e) Developing partnerships with the Faith Community Reintegration Projects for the
benefit of the offenders’ reintegration.
• Maintain accurate data collection and assessment to ensure contract compliance and
evaluation of effective chaplaincy service delivery
Required Experience: Minimum of three years experience in ongoing/continuous
religious/spiritual service provision as a qualified, professional, official representative of their
faith or spiritual community.
Education requirements: Bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies or comparable discipline
from an accredited college or university preferred.
Ordination or licensure by a recognized mandating body is required. Must be a QPOR
(Qualified Professional Official Representative) of your Faith or Religious Tradition.
Federal Chaplains are unionized ("Collective Bargaining Agreement), and benefits can be further discussed.
hr@bridgesofcanada.com
or
kayla.boucher@bridgesofcanada.com
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
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