Resources

Resources for Volunteers

This section contains information and resources that may be useful to CCS volunteers.

Committees and Working Groups

The Centre for Christian Studies has a Central Council as well as various committees and working Groups.

List of CCS committees and working groups, with links to terms of reference
Contact information for committee and working group members. (Note: contact information is in a password-protected section of the website. If you are a CCS volunteer and have not received or have forgotten your password, please contact the Program Administrator.

Resource People

CCS often draws on the wisdom of the larger church community by inviting people with expertise or experience in a certain area to act as resource people. Resource people might facilitate a workshop or theme session, support a group of students designing a student-led project or session, or provide pastoral support and theological reflection to the Learning Circle.

Group Norms for Learning Circles
Planning Process

Field Placement Volunteers

As part of their learning in each Theme Year, each student spends a minimum of 12 hours a week working/learning in a supervised ministry setting (from September to April). In addition to the hours spent in ministry in the placement, the student meets for the equivalent of one hour per week with a Learning Facilitator, meets six times during the placement with a Local Committee, and spends the equivalent of ½ day per month with a diaconal/vocational mentor. (More info about Field Placements...)

Learning Facilitators

A Learning Facilitator is someone who can reflect with the student on the practice of ministry (or issues related to work of the placement) and who is available on-site or close by to work with the student to provide support, direction and helpful feedback - for an equivalent of one hour per week.

There are resources related to the Learning Facilitator in the Field Kit (see "section for Learning Facilitators" in the Field Kit and "Learning Facilitator Resources" in Additional Online Resources).

Local Committee

The Local Committee is made up of four or five people from the setting or community willing to meet regularly with the student to provide feedback and support.

There are resources related to the Learning Facilitator in the Field Kit (see "section for Local Committees" in Field Kit).

Diaconal/Vocational Mentor

The Diaconal or Vocational Mentor is someone in the area, usually a diaconal minister, available to meet with the student for an equivalent of 8-9 times during the year, to explore with the student the meaning and practice of diaconal ministry.

There are resources related to the Learning Facilitator in the Field Kit (see "section for Diaconal/Vocational Mentors" in Field Kit and "Diaconal Mentoring Resources" and "Readings for Mentoring Sessions" in Additional Online Resources).

Forms related to Field Placement:

Field Placement Covenant Agreement and Acknowledgement of CCS Harassment Policy Form - from the Field Kit
Mid Term Review Process and Form - from the Field Kit
Year End Review Process and Form - from the Field Kit

Harassment

The Centre for Christian Studies seeks to be a community of learning characterized by relationships of mutual respect, free from exploitation, harassment, and abuse. CCS has a Harassment Policy (pdf) and a Harassment Advisory Working Group to educate and support the CCS community (including CCS students, staff, and volunteers) on issues around harassment. If you have questions or concerns about harassment, please contact the Harassment Advisory Working Group.

CCS Harassment brochure (pdf)

Note: Students, Learning Facilitators, and Diaconal/Vocational Mentors in a field placement relationship are required to sign a form acknowledging that they have reviewed the CCS Harassment Policy.

Volunteer Enhancement Working Group

The Volunteer Enhancement Working Group is tasked with supporting the volunteers of CCS. If you have questions or concerns to raise with the working group, the CCS office can put you in contact.

Policies

CCS policies

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