What is Community Chaplaincy?  The term doesn't appear in a dictionary and the spell check on the computer catches the word "chaplaincy" every time.  With the ministry/program being relatively new, the answer is also new.  Perhaps for that reason many will not know.

The simple way to describe Community Chaplaincy is "all the work that is done by Chaplains to bring about the reintegration of a person from a Correctional Institute".  The longer way to describe it is "the many hours of work that it takes to get about 15 volunteers, working for many hours, to see one man return to the community and to see the community remain safe and the man treated with dignity" - which requires a life time.

The community chaplain is the key person that contacts the ex-offender building an initial bridge with the offender as the transition begins.  The community chaplain also is actively involved in establishing the community links.  Community Chaplaincy describes the forming of vital partnerships with community volunteers and community professionals to assure that the community will remain a safe place to live and that the ex-offender will be able to return "home" after his incarceration.

To understand the scope of Community Chaplaincy, let's follow the steps of a Chaplain from the very first contact with the Offender in the Correctional Institute to the reintegration in the community.

9 Steps to Freedom

1.  Contact - A call is made to inform the Community Chaplain that a man is going to arrive in the community on a certain date.  Contact with the Chaplain may come from a Correctional Service Canada Chaplain within the Institute or from other CSC staff members.  This contact ideally happens about six months in advance - however may vary down to a few weeks.

2. Meeting - The community Chaplain travels to the prison to meet with the Offender.  This step is important as the initial assessment gives the Chaplain some idea of the team that will need to be assembled to meet the man as he comes to the community in six months time.  More meetings will take place over the next months with regular communication with the community chaplain.

3. Assessment Stage - Each offender has different needs.  Some have a lower risk to re-offend, others are at a much higher risk.  Each ex-offender, as he is released, comes with a considerable amount of documentation that has been assembled by the CSC staff that have worked with him over the time of his incarceration.  This documentation paints a fairly clear portrait of the individual.  A lower risk ex-offender will need somewhat less help than the higher risk individual.  But most important  - each man needs help.  Careful consideration is given to the overall safety and concern of the community where he will live as well as the needs of each man.

4. Volunteer Team - Based upon the assessment a team of volunteers are brought together over the next six months.  One of two streams are possible with variations possible within each.  Each stream include close contact with community volunteers.

5. Stream One - When working with "high risk" ex-offender a valuable tool entitled, "Circles of Support and Accountability", is used extensively.  This is a life time community support group that works to surround the an ex-offender with support and accountability - just as its name suggests.   Each day of the week is covered with contact being made by the COSA member with the ex-offender, the Core Member,  to offer support and to help monitor his welfare and community contact.  This may be through a telephone call or a personal meeting. The COSA group meets weekly with the "high risk" ex-offender.   A COSA team leader stays in contact with his team members and the Core Member.  The team leader is also in regular contact with the local police officers who are also part of the ongoing monitoring of the individual.

6.  Stream Two - When working with the ex-offender in the lower risk category  the intensity of the contact is less.  But regular and available contact is just as important.  After lengthy periods of incarceration - more than 10 years - this is particularly true.  Society for the ex-offender has changed radically.  His understanding of the new world around him may well be as traumatic as moving to a different country.  While this individual may not need the daily contact that the higher risk ex-offender needs it is still very important in helping to find a job, find housing, transportation and understanding without condemnation.

7.  Release Day - The ex-offender is met at the prison by the Community Chaplain.  The relation they have built over the last six months is important at this time.  The trust they have for each other will be the strength in their new journey together.

If he has been released under parole supervision the first stop in the community is the Parole Office for the initial introductions to the supervising personnel.

If he is an ex-offender that is known as "high risk" the next stop will be the Police Station where he will meet the supervising team of police officers.  He will be registered under the new Christopher's Law Registry of sex offenders.  This is an Ontario wide registry of all "high risk" ex-offender that is kept to help track the ex-offender and give further assurance to the community that everything possible is being done to assure a high safety factor.

Following the meeting at the police station the next stop will be to meet with the new landlord and see the new accommodations that he will live in.  The chaplain has already done considerable work searching for appropriate places for the man to live.  This will be based on the income or pension that is available to the ex-offender.  This area is perhaps one of the toughest needs to solve for each ex-offender.  There is little of no savings plan for an offender in prison.  The $5.50 per day that he perhaps has made in the prison job he worked at was spent internally to meet his personal needs.

If he is released under stat release, the Parole Office is not necessary but rather they head directly to the police station.

Very likely the arrival of the high risk ex-offender to the community will be announced by the police with the help of the local newspaper.  Depending on the risk factor, on the sensationalism possible by, his history and the community awareness; his story could run for three days or more while the press plays it out in its coverage.  During this stage the contacts with the COSA is vital.  The fear the man feels at this moment is more than can be described.  He has served a considerable time in prison and he now realizes that he will likely never be free.  To say these are dark moments is putting it lightly.  The potential to flee and find another hiding place is high.  However hiding and entering a secretive hidden life style is possibly the worst thing that could happen to the "high risk" ex-offender.  This was the life style that originally provided for his first offence to take place.

"Community Rage" heightened by the press and local vigilante spirit is the Community Chaplain's greatest concern.  With a steady reassurance and the help of their growing friendship, the ex-offender and the Community Chaplain face these days together.

If there are medical needs a doctor's appointment or clinic appointment will be necessary.  This may also include a visit to a dentist or other special services that were not provided within the prison system but are now necessary to assure a success to his re-entry.

8. Days and Months following - Often the first day, first weeks and the first encounter with our outside society is overwhelming for the ex-offender.  The steps walked with the Community Chaplain or his volunteers are important to the bonding with the ex-offenders new friends.

Coffee that was once Ten Cents a cup is now $1.50.  The theatre that once cost 25 Cents is now over $8.50.  Gas that was once 27 Cents a gallon is now over $3.00 a gallon.  Litres, kilometres and kilograms make no sense at all.  Rent for an apartment that should only cost $125 per month at the most has sky rocketed to well over $800.  A single room, in a low rent area, with unlovely neighbours rents for more than $500 per month.

These are the realities of a man returning home to our society.

Getting a job or registering at an employment centre rely heavily on the use of a computer.  After having been removed from society for more than 30 years this aspect of his new life is overwhelming.  The typical telephone approach to a supporting agency that requires you to listen closely, remember a lot and press either 1 - 2 - 3 or 4 can be intimidating for the ordinary community member.  For the ex-offender this is another frightening step to conquer.

9. Support and Stability - The community volunteers along with the Community Chaplain are key to success and the building of a safe community.  From places to work, housing that affordable, furniture that is available and people that care; there is a wide range of opportunity to get involved.

The goal for all Community Chaplains and his or her volunteers is see the ex-offender, now our neighbour, live a supported and stable life style - never to return to prison again.