Profession pastoral worker

Pastoral workers support religious communities. They provide spiritual education and guidance and implement programmes such as charity works and religious rites. Pastoral workers also assist ministers and help participants in the religious community with social, cultural or emotional problems.

Personality Type

• Social / Enterprising

Related professions clergy

• Priest, minister, imam
• Religious activities centre manager
• Religious professional, all other
• Religious worker
• Salvationist

Skills

• Perform religious ceremonies

  Perform the ritual acts and apply the traditional religious texts during ceremonial events, such as funerals, confirmation, baptism, birth rites and other religious ceremonies.

• Build community relations

  Establish affectionate and long-lasting relationships with local communities, e.g. by organising special programms for kindergarden, schools and for dissabled and older people, raising awareness and receiving community appreciation in return.

• Mentor individuals

  Mentor individuals by providing emotional support, sharing experiences and giving advice to the individual to help them in their personal development, as well as adapting the support to the specific needs of the individual and heeding their requests and expectations.

• Observe confidentiality

  Observe the set of rules establishing the nondisclosure of information except to another authorised person.

• Respond to enquiries

  Respond to enquiries and requests for information from other organisations and members of the public.

• Establish collaborative relations

  Establish a connection between organisations or individuals which may benefit from communicating with one another in order to facilitate an enduring positive collaborative relationship between both parties.

• Provide spiritual counselling

  Assist individuals and groups seeking guidance in their religious convictions, or support in their spiritual experience, so that they are affirmed and confident in their faith.

• Promote religious activities

  Promote events, attendance to religious services and ceremonies, and the participation in religious traditions and festivities in a community in order to enhance the role religion plays in that community.

• Provide charity services

  Provide services for charity causes, or perform an independent activity related to community service, such as providing food and shelter, performing fundraising activities for charitable causes, gathering support for charity, and other charitable services.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB