This skill set focuses on the knowledge and skills needed to safely and ethically provide pastoral care in different contexts, and the interpersonal and self-reflection skills required to do so. The course involves direct training in the practical skills of providing pastoral and spiritual care, as well as participation in ‘verbatim reflections’, extensive self-reflection, and activities done in the context of work placement.

The course covers the following nationally recognised VET Units of Competency:

• CHCPAS003 Plan for the provision of pastoral and spiritual care
• CHCPAS004 Provide pastoral and spiritual care
• CHCMHS001 Work with people with mental health issues
• CHCCCS016 Respond to client needs

Those who successfully complete the relevant training and assessment for each unit of competency will be eligible for the nationally accredited CHCSS00085 Pastoral and Spiritual Care skill set.

Bonus Unit of Competency

Students who complete the CHCSS00085 Pastoral and Spiritual Care Skill Set at St Mark’s will also qualify for an additional unit of competency, which will be delivered during training:

• CHCLEG001 Work legally and ethically

This competency is designed for community services and health workers who play a proactive role in identifying and meeting their legal and ethical responsibilities. Completing this competency will give students the skills and knowledge to work within legal and ethical frameworks that apply to their individual job roles.

In this unit, you will learn how to:

• identify and respond to legal requirements
• identify and meet ethical responsibilities
• contribute to workplace improvements.

Assessment for this skill set includes a range of practical and written tasks. It involves simulated practice of difficult interpersonal interactions and receiving critical feedback from supervisors and peers.

It also includes logs of time spent in self-reflection. Students must also provide third-party verification of workplace activity and other details of the course.

The skill set is taught through two, 2-day intensives (4 days total), at least three meetings with an appropriate supervisor, plus accompanying online work and assessment tasks. Skill set  completion requires a minimum work placement of 100 hours.

The course normally takes at least 3 months to complete all components.

Canberra cohort

INTENSIVES

Intake 1

• Intensive 1: Friday 31^st March and Saturday 1^st April
• Intensive 2: Friday 12^th and Saturday 13^th May

Intake 2

• Intensive 1: Friday 6^th and Saturday 7^th October
• Intensive 2: Friday 24^th and Saturday 25^th November

The course is taught through two 2-day intensives (4 days total), plus at least three meetings with an appropriate supervisor, accompanying online work and assessment tasks.

CANBERRA CAMPUS

15 Blackall Street, BARTON  ACT 2600

The course is taught through two 2-day intensives (4 days total), plus at least three meetings with an appropriate supervisor, accompanying online work and assessment tasks.

Canberra cohort

INTENSIVES

Intake 1

• Intensive 1: Friday 31^st March and Saturday 1^st April
• Intensive 2: Friday 12^th and Saturday 13^th May

Intake 2

• Intensive 1: Friday 6^th and Saturday 7^th October
• Intensive 2: Friday 17^th and Saturday 18^th November

Last date of application

• Intake 1: Wednesday 15^th March
• Intake 2: Wednesday 20^th September

The cost of the course is $1600. This does not include the costs of arranging supervision, which vary.

Candidates must be able to

• communicate well, both verbally and in writing, in English;
• provide a letter from an appropriate person (e.g. supervisor, chaplain, minister of religion) stating that they are an appropriate person to pursue training in pastoral care, and confirming that they will have the opportunity to use the skills they are learning in a work or community context. (One of the assessment requirements of this course is that candidates have 100 hours of time spent in a relevant work context, so we need to know that this will be possible.)
• arrange, and if needs be, pay for supervision, in consultation with St Mark’s trainers;
• undertake self-reflection activities and receive constructively critical feedback.

If English is not your first language, you may need to complete a language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) indicator test prior to enrolment.

You must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident, New Zealand citizen, or hold a permanent humanitarian visa to study at St Mark’s.

The four units of competency provide credit towards a range of qualifications in the CHC Community Services Training Package, including the nationally recognised qualification CHC42315 Certificate IV in Chaplaincy and Pastoral Care.