The Community Chaplaincy Project
An introduction by Nathan Dick, Community Chaplaincy Development Officer (Contact Nathan)
The community chaplaincy project was born from a need to help reduce re-offending
by reintegrating ex-offenders back in to their local communities using the established
skills and expertise in the Faith Community Voluntary Sector.
Community Chaplaincies have been in existence for some time and the important role
they play in contributing to a reduction in re-offending fits comfortably alongside
the recommendations made in Patrick Carter's correctional services review of December
2003, Managing Offenders, Reducing Crime and the subsequent
Government response published in January 2004 titled, Reducing
Crime, Changing Lives. Both of these documents led to the development of the
National Offender Management Service. Both documents are available as PDF documents
at http://www.noms.homeoffice.gov.uk/news-publications/policy-consultation/ along
with additional useful information.
Community chaplaincies assist ex-offenders in all areas of resettlement from housing,
employment, debt and substance dependency, to a more holistic view of integrating
that individual back into his or her local community. This goal is achieved in a number
of different ways depending on the tradition of the particular community chaplaincy.
It normally includes a combination of mentoring and support, working on a one to one
basis with the service user.
The service uses the experienced and well-established faith community voluntary sector
ideals and its established role in the community to help reduce re-offending. Although
there are several different examples of how community chaplaincies work it is safe
to say that they aspire to be cross-cultural, multi-faith organisations that embrace
inclusivity and awareness of local diversity just as a Prison Chaplaincy would.
This service is not limited to a particular faith or religious inclination, it is
open to all who need help in getting back on their feet after release from a secure
environment. Those who do wish to enter in to their local faith community can do so
through the community chaplain, but this is a personal choice. The role and view of
the community chaplaincy project is to embrace diversity in the widest sense and to
play a modest, but integral, role in the Home Office aim to reduce re-offending by
10% before the end of the decade.
My role as Community Chaplaincy Development Officer is to assist in the development
of the community chaplaincy project nationally. The post has been in existence since
late April, 2006 and is funded by the National Offender Management Service (NOMS http://www.noms.homeoffice.gov.uk).
In addition to assisting the development of new community chaplaincies my role will
also be to build on and develop new partnerships between the community chaplaincy
project, the Prison Service, Probation, the Prison Chaplaincy, NOMS/ROMs offices,
the Alliances, and any other relevant stakeholders. I intend to secure lasting lines
of communication between these groups that will in the future lead to constructive
partnership working.
In addition to this I put myself forward as a source of information and expertise
for any interested parties to contact.
If you do have an interest in this project or would like more information then please
feel free to get in touch using any of the following contact information:
Nathan Dick - Community Chaplaincy Development Officer
Clinks
25 Micklegate
YORK
YO1 6JH
email Nathan
Phone: 01904 673970
Mobile: 0787 038 4569
Fax: 01904 613756
Please have a look at some of the related links below:
The Home Office
The National Probation Service
NOMS (National Offender Management Service)
HM Prison Service
Reducing Re-offending South West
GovernmentFunding
Department for Communities and Local Government - Supporting People
Time For Families
National Association of Community Family Trusts
Churches Criminal Justice Forum
Muslim Directory
NACRO
National Association of Councils for Voluntary Service (NACVS)
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