Pastoral Care Training Pathway
Pastoral Care training pathway 2024
Opportunities for further training arranged according to increased complexity, cost, time commitment, and accreditation.
The following information is also available as a PDF download: 2024-Pastoral-Care-training-pathway.
DIYs:
The DIYs were developed over a period of time within the VicTas Synod. These offer a wealth of training materials for congregations and presbyteries at an introductory level. The ones that particularly relate to pastoral care include:
- DIY E2 The ministry of Elder within the congregation
- DIY E3 Communication issues for Elders
- DIY E4 Grief care
- DIY E5 The ministry of Elder – pastoral visiting
- DIY E6 Crisis care
- DIY E11 Pastoral care with older people
- DIY E12 Dementia and pastoral care
- DIY E13 Dementia friendly congregations
All DIYs are available as free downloads from CTM Resourcing.
|
Who for |
Level | Cost |
Accreditation |
| Congregations | Introductory | Time | none |
Group workbooks:
- God’s Love in Action: Pastoral Care For Everyone (2016) by Jill McGilvray, Morning Star Publishing, 2017, Australian. Available from Koorong.
| Who for | Level | Cost |
Accreditation |
| Congregations | Solid introductory | Time + cost of books | none |
Mental Health First Aid Australia
For more information – see https://www.mhfa.com.au/
| Who for | Level | Cost |
Accreditation |
| Congregations, Chaplains, Ministry of Pastor, Lay Preacher | Intermediate | Time + see https://www.mhfa.com.au/ | See https://www.mhfa.com.au/ |
Lab 1: Calling and Caring
2024 – 22 August to 10 October – offered by the Presbytery of Port Phillip West, supported by the Synod. For more information contact Narelle Collas at [email protected].
Lab 1 was developed by Dr John Savage (American pastor, psychotherapist, spiritual director, coach) within the United Methodist Tradition. It offers individuals training in listening and other skills required for congregational pastoral care.
Assessment can be provided for those needing to use this training for Competency reasons (Ministry of Pastor and Ministry of Lay Preacher).
| Who for | Level | Cost |
Accreditation |
| Congregation members | Intermediate | TBA | none |
| Ministry of Pastor; Lay Preacher | Intermediate | TBA | Competency (re General Competency for Pastoral Care for Ministry of Pastor) |
Pastoral Partner Program
Providing strategies and resource for effective pastoral care. Offered first half of 2025. Dates TBA.
Pastoral care is at the very heart of congregational life. This program seeks to establish an ethos of care among the congregation by establishing and maintaining a network of pastoral care. By identifying those with the gifts and willingness to use them for others, this program offers TRAINING and SUPPORT over a period of three years to equip carers for the task. Establish a team of partners who will ensure that everyone in the congregation will be connected and cared for. This Coordinators Manual is a complete resource for establishing and maintaining your pastoral care program.
(from MediaCom site – https://www.mediacomeducation.org.au/shop/pastoral-partner-coordinators-manual/)
The Participant’s Guide provides thorough teaching resources for pastoral carers in conjunction with the Coordinator’s Manual.
(from MediaCom site – https://www.mediacomeducation.org.au/shop/pastoral-partner-participants-guide/)
To mark the tenth anniversary of the Pastoral Partner Program, MediaCom has released this new resource Pastoral Partners Moving Forward. This resource offers additional material to strengthen the work of those committed to pastoral care. It provides additional teaching resources for meetings and brings encouragement to pastoral partners in the incredibly important work they do.
Includes:
- Keeping your Pastoral Partner Program Fresh
- Pastoral Care and Leadership
- Pastoral Care – Integral to Leadership
- Pastoral Care and Evangelism
- Pastoral Care and Small Groups
- Pastoral Care for Various Cultures in a Congregation
- Pastoral Care and the Church’s Life – When the Church’s Heart Breaks
- Pastoral Care and Hospitality
- Journeying with People Experiencing Dementia
- Journeying with People with Disabilities
- Walking alongside People who Experience Mental Illness
- Life Beyond Full-Time Work
- The Transition into Aged Care.
(From MediaCom site – https://www.mediacomeducation.org.au/shop/pastoral-partner-moving-forward/)
Due to increased understanding around the need for intercultural awareness in ministry, this training offering will also include intercultural awareness in pastoral care. [Intercultural here referring to ethnicity, (dis)ability, gender and LGBTQI+, Neurodiversity, demographics, education, religious beliefs, etc.]
|
Who for |
Level | Cost |
Accreditation |
| Congregations and Presbyteries | Comprehensive for congregational needs | Significant time commitment for learning + cost of resources | none |
| Ministry of Pastor; Lay Preacher | Intermediate | Significant time commitment for learning + cost of resources (+ cost of assessment) | Competency (re General Competency for Pastoral Care for Ministry of Pastor) |
Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)
Offered through the John Paver Centre – Applications closed now for 2024
Uniting CPE – The John Paver Centre is one of 11 Supervised/Clinical Pastoral Education Centres in Victoria.
Traditionally associated with hospital settings, the Centre offers the same accreditation to people engaged in a range of community-based pastoral care roles, either as an employee or volunteer.
Participants are placed in diverse settings, such as prisons, forensic and community mental health, disability, schools, aged care, congregations, and hospitals.
Supervised/Clinical Pastoral Education (SPE/CPE) is a rigorous action-reflection process of education focused on enhancing pastoral identity, skills, and responsiveness. Feedback and learning is gained from small-group peer interaction and individual supervision.
The Centre is registered with the Association for Supervised and Clinical Pastoral Education in Victoria (ASACPEV) and its programs are run in conjunction with the equipping Leadership for Mission division of the Synod of Victoria and Tasmania.
Applications
Participants are required to supply evidence of an agency or organisation’s support for the duration of a placement. By negotiation, an on-site Administrative Supervisor will also be appointed.
Applications are welcome from students pursuing academic studies with the University of Divinity.
For more information regarding UD/CPE accreditation and processes, contact Allison Whitby, Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Program Director, School of Professional Practice, University of Divinity on +61 3 9853 3177 or [email protected]
Admission requirements
- Submit a written application, including referees and placement arrangements
- Be available for a potential interview
- Sign a Code of Ethics Agreement
|
Who for |
Level | Cost |
Accreditation |
| People engaged in a range of community based pastoral care roles (employed or volunteer). | Advanced | While the cost of time and money are significant, the outcomes are also significantly worthwhile.
See links: · CPE Vic https://www.asacpev.org.au/ · CPE Tas http://www.taspe.com.au/clinical-pastoral-education/ |
An SPE/CPE graduate is accredited with one unit (either Level 1 or Level 2) by ASACPEV. University of Divinity students gain credit according to undergraduate or post-graduate enrolment. |
University of Divinity Courses
Problem of Pain: Constructive theological explorations of pain, theodicy, and human flourishing
https://ums.divinity.edu.au/unit/DP1300P/public
https://ums.divinity.edu.au/unit/DP8300P/public
A unit offered at Pilgrim online synchronous on Tuesday afternoons, 2-4 pm from 30 July to 29 Oct 2024. (2 hours x 12 weeks contact hours). Enrolments are via [email protected].
|
Who for |
Level | Cost |
Accreditation |
| Those who wish to explore more about the theology of pain and suffering. | Advanced | One semester in length.
Audit (no essays): $400 Full-fee: $2047 (undergrad) / $3,172 (postgrad). HELP or Fee-Help may apply for Australian citizens enrolled in an award (such as Undergraduate Certificate in Divinity [4 units of study]). |
One unit towards undergraduate or post-graduate award (if enrolling for credit in a Certificate, Diploma or Degree). |
The Nurture and Spiritual Guidance of Children
https://ums.divinity.edu.au/unit/DP2030Z/public
https://ums.divinity.edu.au/unit/DP9030Z/public
A children’s ministry unit that’s running in person or online as an intensive 9am-5pm, 8-12 July. Enrolments for this unit close on 15 June 2024. Enrolments are via [email protected].
|
Who for |
Level | Cost |
Accreditation |
| Anyone involved in children’s ministry; chaplains; Ministry of Pastor | Intermediate -Advanced | A semester-length unit running as an intensive.
Audit (no essays): $400 Full-fee: $2047 (undergrad) / $3,172 (postgrad). HELP or Fee-Help may apply for Australian citizens enrolled in an award. |
One unit towards undergraduate or post-graduate award (if enrolling for credit in a Certificate, Diploma or Degree). |
Queer Theology
Five-day intensive 27-28 June and 1-3 July 2024. In addition to the intensive classes, there are three scheduled online Zoom seminars for two hours on Tuesday evenings, 13, 20 and 27 August. There are prerequisites for this unit.
|
Who for |
Level | Cost |
Accreditation |
| Those who wish to explore more about “queer theology as it has emerged from queer theory, LGBTIQA justice struggles, and faith development and practice.” (from unit description). | Advanced | One semester in length.
Audit (no essays): $400 Full-fee: $2047 (undergrad) / $3,172 (postgrad). HELP or Fee-Help may apply for Australian citizens enrolled in an award (such as Undergraduate Certificate in Divinity [4 units of study]). |
One unit towards undergraduate or post-graduate award (if enrolling for credit in a Certificate, Diploma or Degree). |