Episode 7: Institution Guest or Valued Team Member?

What does chaplaincy look like when your context is a children’s ward, a school corridor or a secure training centre – and your conversation partners are toddlers, teens and everyone who cares for them?

How do you show the difference chaplaincy makes when so much of the work is hidden in quiet conversations, long journeys with people in crisis, or simply being there if needed?

Is chaplaincy only “proper” when it comes with a job description, salary and badge – or is professionalism something deeper? This episode dives into the tensions between paid and volunteer roles, training and formation, boundaries and holy ground, and invites you to rethink what makes chaplains truly professional. If you’ve ever wondered whether you count as a professional chaplain, this one’s for you.

This special episode of the Chaplaincy Chain Podcast marks Black History Month by listening to the voices of Black chaplains. Together, our panel shares their lived experiences of chaplaincy in the UK - affirming identity, dismantling stereotypes, and witnessing to God’s liberating love.

What happens when ministry sits 'between' institutions, identities and places - the shop floor, the towpath, the prison landing, the ICU bedside? In this episode, the team explores chaplaincy’s liminal nature and how 'in-between' spaces can become sacred places of honesty, hope and (sometimes) celebration.