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Pagan
Pastoral Outreach Policies
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PRISON
COMMITTEE – Basic Operational Policy (03, 2003)
 The
PPO Prison Committee is comprised of those with Visiting Elder
(for prison) status. The
Prison Committee is responsible for all policies guiding PPO
Prison Ministry (also see New
Policy Decisions),
as well as upholding those of the Association itself.All
contracts with CSC or other prison organizations will be held
in the name of the Association but supervised by the Prison
Committee.
CATEGORIES OF PRISON
VISITORS
a) Pagan
Elder
- Full recognition by PPO as qualified to act as Pagan Visiting
Elder.This
would also mean being accepted as an active member of the
PPO Prison Committee.
b)
Visiting
Associate–
for persons either (1) under direct supervision of a Visiting
Elder, or (2) operating elsewhere in the country, and/or
not under direct supervision, but working as the local/regional
Visiting Associate under the PPO name through close consultation
with a Visiting.Elder..
c) Regular
Prison
Visitors
- under the supervision of a Visiting Elder or Visiting
Associate.
d) Casual
- occasional visitors, either as resource people or attendees
at special events.
Expectations
- for everyone
- Maturity of
attitude, including having a job or dependable income, emotional
stability, etc.
- Willingness
to be a team-player.
- At the same
time, have initiative and ideas to share with the team.
- Not make any
major changes to visitation programs unless approved by
the Prison Committee first
- Able to be
friendly, but not a personal friend, with the inmates, and
with all of them as equally as possible.
- Acceptance
of prison rules – no doing personal favors for inmates such
as bringing letters, photos or personal items in or out,
having all incoming items (which are to be only religious
– ritual items, books, etc.) reported to the Visiting Elder
who will clear them with the institutional chaplain, keeping
prisoner identity and information confidential, etc.
- Dependability
– do scheduled visits or inform Visiting Elder in good time
when unable to.
- Share non-confidential
information from visits with rest of the team.
- Experience
and competence in Pagan spiritual path.
- Understanding
that the Visiting Elder bear the ultimate responsibility
and all contacts and arrangements have to go through them.
- Read and participate
in PPO prison e-list (if have email)
- Member of PPO
(doesn’t apply to category (d))
.
Additional
Expectations – for Elders and Associates
- Able to give
direction to prison visitors and accept feedback.
- Responsible.
- Proven dependability
and ability in leadership in areas other than prison work
and, preferably, other than just the Pagan community, backed
up by letters of recommendation.
- Ability to
function without obvious external reward.
- Ability to
get along with a wide variety of people, in particular with
inmates, staff, chaplains and other religious visitors of
various faiths.
- Conscientious
about making reports to colleagues, board and Prison Committee.
Special Requirements
for Associates
Associates
may include people operating elsewhere in the country, and/or
not under direct supervision, but as Visiting Associate under
the PPO name through close consultation with a Visiting Elder.
Initial
requirements
(a)
an overview of why the person wants to do this work, and
what they expect to develop as a program, their time/energy
limitations, etc.
(b)
overview of applicant's tradition and background/experience
in Paganism (circle/coven involvement, writing and leading
ritual, teaching, multi-traditional events or projects,
etc.)
(c)
letters of recommendation – a minimum of four from other
Pagans (at least one of them from a tradition other than
the person’s own), and also regarding any other chaplaincy-like
work (crisis line, a rape crisis centre, any kind of social
support project, etc.)
(d)
request from inmate or chaplain for visitation or mail
contact (either spontaneous, or as a result of PPO informing
chaplaincy of an available visitor in their area).
Contract
of endorsement – what PPO requires
(a)
regular reports (monthly and detailed to PPO Prison Committee,
shorter and quarterly for the PPO association)
(b)
agreement to consult the Prison Committee if any problems
arise with the staff chaplains (failure constitutes a
breach of contract) and generally to consult about any
difficulties.
(c) copies
of all rituals and lessons used for the first 13 visits.
(d) active
participation on PPO prison e-list; if not possible, then
regular phone contact with Visiting Elder
Contract
of endorsement – what we offer
- support and
advice on developing visitation/study programs for inmates
through the Sabbat lessons program or guidelines for appropriate
rituals for inmates, study materials, etc.
- a letter
of qualified endorsement to the officials of the prison(s)
concerned which states clearly the relationship between
the Visiting Associate and PPO, and limitations to PPO
responsibility given the geographical distance.
- support and
advice on dealing with problems, with both inmates and
CSC chaplains.
Removal
of endorsement
(a) Failure
to meet any of the requirements of part #2 is grounds
for removal of endorsement.
(b) PPO Prison
Committee is responsible for contacting the Visiting Associate,
in advance of any removal, and attempting to resolve the
problem
(c) If resolution
is not possible, endorsement will be removed, and CSC
officials will be informed in writing
Full Visiting
Elder Status
Full
endorsement as Visiting Elder would mean being an active
member of the Prison Committee and sharing its responsibilities
(subject to removal by the committee for good reason).Visiting
Associate may be invited to join the Prison Committee after
a) a minimum
of 13 visits to prisons in their region.
b) fulfilling
the requirements of an Visiting Associate in an appropriate
and pro-active way.
c) PPO consultation
with the Regional and institutional chaplains concerned,
and
d) letters
of support from the inmates concerned .
HOSPITAL
COMMITTEE – Preliminary Operational Policy (03, 2003)
The
PPO Hospital Committee is comprised of those with Visiting
Elder (for hospital) status.The
Hospital Committee is responsible for all policies guiding
PPO Hospital Ministry (also see New
Policy Decisions),
as well as upholding those of the Association itself.All
contracts with relevant institutional bodies will be held
in the name of the Association but supervised by the Hospital
Committee.
CATEGORIES OF HOSPITAL
VISITORS
a) Pagan
Elder
- Full recognition by PPO as qualified to act as Pagan Visiting
Elder.This
would include being accepted as an active member of the
PPO Hospital Committee.
b) Visiting
Associate –
for persons either (1) under direct supervision of a Visiting
Elder, or (2) operating elsewhere in the country, and/or
not under direct supervision, but working as the local/regional
Visiting Associate under the PPO name through close consultation
with a Visiting Elder.
c) Regular
Hospital
Visitors
under the supervision of a Visiting Elder or Visiting Associate
d) Casual
- occasional visitors, either as resource people or attendees
at special events.
Expectations - for
everyone
- Maturity of
attitude, including having a job or dependable income, emotional
stability, etc.
- Willingness
to be a team-player.
- At the same
time, have initiative and ideas to share with the team.
- Able to be
friendly, but not a personal friend, with patients, and
with all of them as equally as possible.
- Acceptance
of hospital or hospice rules
- Dependability
– do scheduled visits or inform Visiting Elder in good time
when unable to.
- Share non-confidential
information from visits with rest of the team.
- Experience
and competence in Pagan spiritual path.
- Understanding
that the Visiting Elder bear the ultimate responsibility
and all contacts and arrangements have to go through them.
- Read and participate
in PPO hospital e-list.(if have email)
- Member of PPO
(doesn’t apply to category (d)).
Additional Expectations
- for Elders and Associates
- Able to give
direction to hospital Visitors and accept feedback.
- Responsible.
- Proven dependability
and ability in leadership in areas other than hospital or
hospice work and, preferably, other than just the Pagan
community, backed up by letters of recommendation.
- Ability to
function without obvious external reward.
- Ability to
get along with a wide variety of people, in particular with
patients, staff, chaplains and other religious visitors
of various faiths.
- Conscientious
about making reports to colleagues, board and Hospital Committee.
Special Requirements
for Associates
Associates
may include people operating elsewhere in the country, and/or
not under direct supervision, but as Visiting Associate under
the PPO name through close consultation with a Visiting Elder.
Initial
requirements
(a) an overview
of why the person wants to do this work, and what they
expect to develop as a program, their time/energy limitations,
etc.
(b) overview
of applicant's tradition and background/experience in
Paganism (circle/coven involvement, writing and leading
ritual, teaching, multi-traditional events or projects,
etc.)
(c) letters
of recommendation – a minimum of four from other Pagans
(at least one of them from a tradition other than the
person’s own), and also regarding any other chaplaincy-like
work (crisis line, a rape crisis centre, any kind of social
support project, etc.)
(d) request
from patient or chaplain for visitation or mail contact
(either spontaneous, or as a result of PPO informing chaplaincy
of an available visitor in their area).
Contract
of endorsement – what PPO requires
(a) regular
reports (after visitation, to PPO Hospital Committee;
shorter and quarterly for the PPO association)
(b) agreement
to consult the Hospital Committee if any problems arise
with the staff chaplains (failure constitutes a breach
of contract) and generally to consult about any difficulties.
(c) copies
of any formal rituals used during hospital/hospice visitation
(d) active
participation on PPO hospital e-list; if not possible,
then regular phone contact with Visitng Elder.
Contract
of endorsement – what we offer
- support and
advice on developing visitation programs for patients
and/or involvement with Hospital/Hospice Inter-faith committees
and/or activities
- a letter
of qualified endorsement to the officials of the hospital(s)
concerned which states clearly the relationship between
the Visiting Associate and PPO, and limitations to PPO
responsibility given the geographical distance.
- support and
advice on dealing with problems, with both Hospital staff
chaplains and Inter-faith Committees.
Removal
of endorsement
(a) Failure
to meet any of the requirements of part #2 is grounds
for removal of endorsement.
(b) PPO Hospital
Committee is responsible for contacting the Visiting Associate,
in advance of any removal, and attempting to resolve the
problem
(c) If resolution
is not possible, endorsement will be removed, and Hospital
officials will be informed in writing
Full Visiting Elder
Status
Full
endorsement as Visiting Elder would include being an active
member of the Hospital Committee and sharing its responsibilities
(subject to removal by the committee for good reason).Visiting
Associate may be invited to join the Hospital Committee
after
a) a minimum
of 13 visits to patients in their region, and/or attendance
at Inter-faith Committee meetings, or equivalent.
b) fulfilling
the requirements of an Visiting Associate in an appropriate
and pro-active way.
c) PPO consultation
with the Hospital or other related institutional chaplains
concerned, and
d) letters
of support from patients served
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