Chaplain Buffy Harper on The Canadian Association for Pastoral Practice and Education/Association canadienne pour la practique et l’éducation pastorals

“Engaging the Soul Deeply”

The Canadian Association for Pastoral Practice and Education/Association canadienne pour la practique et l’éducation pastorals (CAPPE/ACPEP) is a national multifaith organization which is committed to the professional education, certification and support of people involved in pastoral care and pastoral counselling. It provides educational programs for lay persons and clergy who are preparing to become chaplains, pastoral counsellors, ministers, priests or community based pastoral care workers. It also provides education and certification for supervisors and specialists.

CAPPE/ACPEP is concerned with a holistic approach to health care and personal development with a special focus on spiritual and religious care. Members of CAPPE/ACPEP are employed in a variety of ministries and work settings, some of which include:

• Health care facilities
• Pastoral counselling centres
• Prisons and correctional facilities
• Industrial facilities
• Developmental handicap services
• Parishes, congregations
• Private practice

The geography of our vast country which extends from the Pacific Ocean to the Arctic Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean, has contributed to the development of nine unique regions within the organization. About half of the members are employed in a variety of settings found in the large cities of Ontario, while the remaining half are spread across the rest of the country, many in rural settings.

An important goal for CAPPE/ACPEP is to provide a network of support and encouragement for its members and to this end it relies on electronic communication through emails and the website (www.cappe.org). Each year a region hosts a national conference where the membership gathers to renew relationships, to replenish spiritually and to participate in an educational event. The CAPPE/ACPEP Board organizes an Annual General Meeting (AGM) at that time as well as sponsoring meeting for the Commissions and Committees that provide leadership within the association.

Recent Initiatives

• The CAPPE/ACPEP Foundation was created for the purpose of promoting the advancement of pastoral practice and education in Canada by fostering research and enhancing training and service possibilities. Its objectives are to fund charitable purposes of an educational nature and in particular, to provide scholarships, fellowships, bursaries and financial assistance to students of religious organizations and to provide equipment, furnishings, teaching aids and supplies to educational institutions.

• The DACUM (Develop a Curriculum) Project (2006) brought together a panel of Certified Spiritual Care Specialists representing all the regions. The end result was to paint a picture of the job responsibilities and tasks of the spiritual care specialist in an observable and measurable manner. CAPPE/ACPEP is presently using that data to produce a curriculum resource which will be available to all our membership.

• Participation in the Spiritual Care Collaborative (SCC). CAPPE/ACPEP is honoured to be a participant in the SCC which includes five sister associations from the United States. The participating organizations have collaborated in the development of and adherence to common professional standards and code of ethics and are committed to providing quality spiritual and pastoral care. CAPPE/ACPEP continues to be actively involved with the other SCC participants in the organization of a joint conference, Summit 09, in Orlando, Florida.

Ongoing Challenges

CAPPE/ACPEP recognizes the diversity found within the membership and within the regions where they work as professional counsellors and spiritual care providers. The association is committed to providing excellence in spiritual and pastoral care education so that the members are trained to offer best patient and client care. This commitment has prompted us to re-examine our educational requirements and to look closely at competency-based education. This exercise promises to be an invigorating undertaking and we embark upon it with lively discussion and positive energy.

For more information about CAPPE/ACPEP, visit our website: www.cappe.org.

Do you have thoughts about advocacy you’d like to share with your colleagues? Send an e-mail to info@PlainViews.org.