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DDO Handbook Section 3

The Assessment and Preparation of Candidates before the Bishops' Advisory Panel

Contents of this Section:

Discerning vocation

The assessment and preparation of candidates within the diocese prior to sponsorship to a Bishops’ Advisory Panel is the concern and responsibility of the diocesan Bishop and those appointed by him to share this particular concern.  If selection is best to be understood as a process of discerning, with others, the will of God for an individual with regard to the exercising of an appropriate ministry within the Church, then selection is more like a pilgrimage of discovery than an examination.  But this does not preclude a wise and careful appraisal of a candidate and the gathering and assessment of information concerning each individual.  Thoroughness of approach at this early stage may well save a candidate and a diocese unnecessary disappointment.  DDOs will be constantly aware of the need to encourage candidates and foster development on one hand and on the other form clear judgements about suitability for sponsorship.  The question of criteria for selection is discussed very fully in the Criteria for Selection for Ministry in the Church of England 2005 and the Bishops’ Advisers’ Handbook.  Copies of these documents are essential reading for DDOs.  Guidelines on the Care of Candidates may be found at Appendix 3A.

Diocesan procedure

Pre-Bishops’ Advisory Panel procedures vary from diocese to diocese but should be coherent, rigorous and appropriate for the purpose of enabling the Bishop to make well-informed decisions about sponsoring candidates to the Bishops’ Advisory Panel. The advice of Examining Chaplains, Vocations Advisers and the DDO will need to be offered to the diocesan Panel (where applicable) and Bishop in a way that enables the process of evaluation and which aids the making of the major decision of whether or not to sponsor the candidate. 

An overview of procedure

The following outline of procedure is offered as a guide:

 

Initial approach by candidate:

This should usually be through the candidate’s incumbent or chaplain.

Initial interview:

This will normally be with the DDO or Assistant DDO though some dioceses prefer this to be by a Vocations Adviser so that possibilities of various ministries are kept open.

Candidate’s form:

Basic information should be gathered, for example by a diocesan form.  Detailed information will become available through interviews.  A piece of written work of a more extended kind is often found to be useful.

References:

Dioceses who wish to take up their own references will need to ensure that they reflect the main areas of a candidate’s life and experience, the world of work, family, friends and church tradition.  Normally this will mean that references are required from the incumbent and or chaplain, a lay member of the church, an educationalist and someone who knows the candidate in the work situation. However, sensitivity needs to be exercised about the advisability of requesting a reference from a candidate’s employer where such a request could prejudice the candidate’s career prospects.  If, however, the candidate sees his/her employment as the focus of ministry, then another kind of enquiry needs to be undertaken between the diocese and the employer. DDOs will be asked to raise references and other papers for candidates, to be received in the Ministry Division no later than six weeks before the candidate goes to a Bishops’ Advisory Panel.  Or DDOs may choose to use the same set of papers. Referees should be made aware that they may well be asked for a further reference or an update of their initial reference.  If there are any difficulties in determining suitable referees, please be in contact with the Panel Secretary early on.

Further interviews:

The importance of careful interviewing of the candidate cannot be over-emphasised and the need to interview the candidate and spouse at home by at least one member of the discernment team is essential. When the DDO has made sufficient enquiry, the candidate may also be interviewed by an Examining Chaplain and/or a Panel of diocesan assessors.

Decision to sponsor:

Bishops have their own policy as to the timing of their interview with the candidates. Most wish to see candidates before a Bishops’ Advisory Panel. If the Bishop has not interviewed the candidate himself, it is particularly important that he be fully briefed by the DDO and have all reports available to assist him in the decision to sponsor or not. If more testing of a candidate is felt necessary at any stage - further work or parochial experience or a period of study - then another interview will be necessary.

Sponsoring Papers:

These should be sent to the Ministry Division and should summarise the views of others (for example, a diocesan Panel) who have seen the candidate where these will be useful to Bishops’ Advisers.

Post-Advisory Panel follow-up:

It is important that the diocesan procedure for a Bishops’ Advisory Panel is explained to the candidate before he or she attends a Bishops’ Advisory Panel.

Assembling a picture of the candidate

Finding out about a person is not merely a matter of assembling personal histories and achievements.  A reasonably systematic method can help to ensure that the main areas are covered so that as full a picture as possible is available.  The main areas include:

  • Personal history and family background
  • Educational history, qualifications, etc.
  • Occupational history - including jobs in vacations if recent
  • State of general health, including any special needs
  • Pilgrimage of faith and commitment, including understanding and experience of the breadth of the Anglican Church
  • Understanding of Christian faith and ability to communicate it
  • Spirituality and how it is nourished by private and  corporate prayer life
  • Sense of call and its working out in mission and ministry
  • Responsibility and sense of vocation in secular areas
  • Experience of sharing in mission and ministry in a local church
  • Interests
  • Personal maturity and ability in relationships
  • Marriage and family commitments
  • Financial situation

The gathering of such information can be achieved in a number of ways, including a diocesan form, references and personal interviews.  If dioceses wish to create new forms, they may find it useful to base these on the criteria for selection.  DDOs may wish to use their own forms for the discernment process in the diocese but we ask that they use the Ministry Division forms for the final stages of the process prior to a candidate going to a Bishops’ Advisory Panel. The following are some points which should be considered at an early stage.

Timescale for the preparation of candidates

Concerns have been raised that there is a lack of clarity in some dioceses about the discernment process and that some candidates take an inordinately long time between the initial contact with the DDO and sponsorship to a Bishops' Advisory Panel.  To this end our advice is that candidates should be given clear written guidelines explaining the diocesan process, including some indication of the timescale involved.  

Category of sponsorship

The House of Bishops in June 2004 agreed the following categories for sponsorship:

i)    Ordained ministry (including Ordained Local Ministry)

This category is intended for candidates who are offering for the distinctive diaconate or priesthood, including candidates from dioceses where there is an Ordained Local Ministry scheme recognised by the House of Bishops.

ii)    Distinctive Diaconate

This category is intended for candidates who wish to offer for a lifelong distinctive diaconate and who see their ministry as servants, both within the Church and in the wider community.  Their ministry encapsulates the servant nature of all Christian ministry as spelt out in the Common Worship Ordination Services as follows:

Deacons are called to work with the Bishop and the priests with whom they serve as heralds of Christ’s kingdom. They are to proclaim the gospel in word and deed, as agents of God’s purposes of love. They are to serve the community in which they are set, bringing to the Church the needs and hopes of all the people. They are to work with their fellow members in searching out the poor and weak, the sick and lonely and those who are oppressed and powerless, reaching into the forgotten corners of the world, that the love of God may be made visible.

Deacons share in the pastoral ministry of the Church and in leading God’s people in worship. They preach the word, and bring the needs of the world before the Church in intercession. They accompany those searching for faith and bring them to baptism. They assist in administering the sacraments; they distribute communion and minister to the sick and housebound.

In October 1995 the House of Bishops agreed that, given the small number of stipendiary candidates sponsored for the Distinctive Diaconate, Bishops who sponsor candidates as stipendiary deacon should undertake to provide a post for the candidate on satisfactory completion of training.

iii)    Accredited Lay Ministry (ALM)

This category is intended for candidates who are offering for ministry as lay ministers in pastoral ministry or in church administration or in social and community work. 

ALMs are people who feel called to a professional  ministry in the Church of England, yet do not feel that God is calling them to be ordained.  They value their lay status, and wish to work alongside people, as Christ walked with his friends on the road to Emmaus, and seek to undergird their work with theological training. 

ALMs will be usually engaged in a pastoral capacity, serving ministry of some kind.  They are likely to work alongside people, visiting, leading groups as well as assisting in worship.  ALMs are also often found in specialist ministries which will vary according to the gifts and training of the person.  These include hospital, prison, community or industrial chaplaincy, mission, and in the creative arts or educational work.

ALM candidates go through an identical process of discernment to candidates offering for ordained ministry, and similar training and at the end of their training they are licensed to work as Accredited Lay Ministers.

ALM candidates must be able to articulate a sense of calling by God to this ministry.  They must be willing and able to work as part of a team.  They will be asked to attend a national advisory Panel together with candidates for the diaconate and priesthood.  If selected for training, they attend a theological college or course on a full-time or part-time basis.  The national Church pays for this training which takes 2-3 years.

If the candidate for Accredited Lay Ministry intends to draw a stipend the House of Bishops requires that there is a guarantee of a post for the candidate on satisfactory completion of training.

The intended focus of ministry

It is important that in all cases the sponsoring papers should set out as clearly as possible the intended focus of the candidate’s ministry.  Other matters to be investigated (particularly in the case of candidates who are looking to exercise their ministry in their home parish) may include confirmation that a candidate has the support of the candidate’s PCC.  In the case of Ministers in Sector Employment, an indication of the attitude of the candidate’s employer and how their ministry will be received in the secular context should the candidate be recommended for training.   (For further details see Section 4.)

Age (lower & upper limits)

While the regulations permit candidates to come to Bishops’  Advisory Panels at 18 years of age, in reality the usual lower limit is 20.  There is now clear and strong encouragement for young men and women to come forward for selection.  Any upper age limit is at the discretion of the Sponsoring Bishop.

Education

The formal educational qualifications for entering training are given in Section 7 of the Handbook.

In the Criteria for Selection for Ministry in the Church of England, for Ordained and Accredited Lay Ministry, 2005, Criterion I (Quality of Mind) refers to the importance of a candidate being able to cope with and benefit from theological training.  Often candidates need to engage in preliminary study in order to bring them up to the necessary educational qualifications or to give them a basic grounding in theology, possibly by one of the lay training courses arranged by some dioceses.  Where dioceses have asked a candidate to pursue some course of study, the DDO is encouraged to include a tutor’s report, or a summary of it, within the sponsoring papers in order to inform the work of Bishops’ Advisers.

One of the recommendations in the Formation for Ministry Within a Learning Church report under the title Education for Discipleship (GS1574) is that ‘high quality education should be offered across the church of at least Higher Education Level 1 (year 1 of a degree course) both to lay Christians and to those considering a call to ministry of various sorts.  With regard to potential ordinands, this learning should be available, but would not be a mandatory requirement as it is recognised that candidates vary in their needs and availability for learning’. (p. 4)

Some candidates may be asked to complete further preparatory work as a condition of their recommendation.  It is important that DDOs should inform candidates of the possibility of such a condition at an early stage. (See Pre-Theological Education Programme Conditions in  Section 5).

Initial exploration of theological training

Advice concerning training will be found in Section 7 below.  It is helpful to have a preliminary discussion about training at an early stage.  DDOs have an important role in helping candidates make an informed and appropriate choice of training (see Section 7).

It may be useful for candidates to visit one or two colleges (with the agreement of the diocese) or a part-time course before attending a Bishops’ Advisory Panel.  It is inadvisable for a candidate to make firm arrangements for training before attending a Panel.  The timing of attendance at a Panel (i.e. early or late in the academic year preceding entry into training) will obviously have an important bearing here.  The Bishops’ Advisers may make recommendations about an individual’s training in their report.  For example, they may suggest full- or part-time training.  They may not recommend particular colleges or courses to candidates.

Finance

The whole question of finance is discussed more fully in Section 6 below but a careful assessment of the financial situation of all candidates should be made before sponsorship and all candidates are expected  to complete a Statement of Financial Position form prior to sponsorship to a Bishops’ Advisory Panel.

As a result of the review published as Preparation for Ordained Ministry, DDOs responsibilities in this area are defined as follows:

  • To work with candidates on issues about personal finance as an integral part of the sponsorship process.  Whereas in the past principals of training institutions have formally had to ascertain a candidate’s financial position during training, this is now a diocesan responsibility.
  • To this end all candidates should be asked to fill in the Statement of Financial Position before they are sponsored for the Bishops’ Advisory Panel.
  • DDOs should begin the task of working with candidates on issues of debt as early as possible, but certainly once the decision has been made to sponsor the candidate.
  • Candidates who intend to draw a stipend should be asked by their dioceses to fill in the Statement of Financial Position for a second time on receipt of the interim report from the candidate’s training institution.

 Views on the ordination of women

Care must be taken to ensure that candidates who hold views for or against the ordination of women to the priesthood are handled fairly and with the same degree of rigour.  Where the DDO is in favour some dioceses have appointed an assistant DDO who is not in favour and the converse has also been the case.  This person will interview the candidate as part of the diocesan discernment process but in all cases it is the decision of the DDO as the Bishop’s officer to refer the candidate to the Sponsoring Bishop, based on the criteria in use for all candidates.

 Engagement and marriage

It is important for candidates to discuss plans for engagement and marriage with the DDO.  When a marriage is intended before or during training, there should be  proper consultation with the Sponsoring Bishop.

When two sponsored candidates wish to marry each other care needs to be taken over the financial implications of such a move and over difficulties occasioned by different training times.  Ministerial couples should become the responsibility of one DDO only, by negotiation between the respective dioceses.

Partners in marriage and ministry

Occasionally a married or engaged couple offer for what is sometimes termed a joint ministry.  More commonly the spouse of an ordained minister may become a candidate after many years of living and working within the context of parochial or ministerial life.  In these instances, it is important for the DDO to be familiar with, and to discuss fully with, any such candidates the issues raised in Joint Ministries Consultation and in Partners in Marriage and Ministry, a practical guide for husbands and wives engaged in professional ministry together and for their advisers.  There is a need for the DDO to help the couple face the demands that two ministerial appointments can make upon a marriage and also the restricted financing and availability of such posts.

When dioceses specifically request that couples should attend the same Bishops’ Advisory Panel, it is possible to arrange this, although it would also be possible for them to attend different Panels in the same week.  There may well be special difficulties created when one or both candidates are not recommended for training.

Sexual orientation, marriage breakdown and divorce

There are occasions when a candidate’s personal life, such as their sexual orientation, marriage breakdown or divorce, reflect sensitive issues in the life of the Church and which are a matter of current debate.  The House of Bishops’ statement Issues in Human Sexuality (GS Misc 382, 1991) embodies the criteria which the House would wish to apply to ordinands and makes clear that all Christians are called to chastity and fidelity and to respect the will of the Church on matters of sexual morality (see Criterion E (Relationships)). This requirement is even clearer for ministers since they are called not only to live the Gospel but also be acceptable and accessible as pastors. In relation to the specific issue of homosexuality this means that: ‘clergy cannot claim the liberty to enter into sexually active homophile relationships’ (Issues in Human Sexuality para 5.17).

The House of Bishops’ Statementdoes not claim to be the last word on the subject but it was commended by Synod for discussion and response by the Church.  Nevertheless, it expresses the theological standpoint and pastoral practice of the House of Bishops and reflects the position on human sexuality of the Church of England and the Anglican Communion as a whole as stated in the General Synod motion of November 1987 and Resolution 1.10 of the 1998 Lambeth Conference. Some Issues in Human Sexuality (GS Misc 722, 2003) is a guide to the current debate on matters of human sexuality that complements rather than replaces Issues in Human Sexuality.

A new issue that will need to be considered in this area from the end of 2005 is that of candidates for ordination who are in civil partnerships or who are intending to enter into them. The House of Bishops ‘Pastoral Statement’ or statement on civil partnerships makes it clear that candidates in this position must expect to be asked to give assurances that their lives are in accordance with teaching of Issues in Human Sexuality outlined above. 

Paragraph 21 of the statement notes that:

…it would be inconsistent with the teaching of the Church for the public character of the commitment expressed in a civil partnership to be regarded as of no consequence in relation to someone in - or seeking to enter - the ordained ministry. Partnerships will be widely seen as being predominantly between gay and lesbian people in sexually active relationships. Members of the clergy and candidates for ordination who decide to enter into partnerships must therefore expect to be asked for assurances that their relationship will be consistent with the teaching set out in Issues in Human Sexuality.

Bishops’ Advisers would expect the DDO and Sponsoring Bishop to have explored fully matters to do with sexuality with all candidates before going to a Bishops’ Advisory Panel.  Were any fresh evidence to emerge at the Panel the Bishops’ Advisers would be asked to assess the candidate against the rest of the criteria and return a ‘No Decision’ verdict to the Sponsoring Bishop for his final decision.

Sponsorship of transgender candidates

In 2002 the House of Bishops agreed that Bishops’ Advisers should not be placed in the position of having in effect to decide with regard to transgendered candidates on an essentially doctrinal/ethical question.  To that end, any Bishop intending to sponsor a transgendered person for a Bishops’ Advisory Panel will certify that he has decided that he would be prepared to ordain and offer a Title to that person if during the course of training and formation she/he were deemed to have a vocation to ordained or accredited lay ministry. Bishops’ Advisers assigned to the Bishops’ Advisory Panel at which such a candidate was due to be considered would be given the opportunity of declaring in advance whether or not they could conscientiously recommend for training a transgender candidate.  In such cases, either they or the candidate would be moved to another Panel.

It is important that the DDO handles such situations sensitively and with integrity and that both the candidate and the Bishops’ Advisory Panel know the mind of the Diocesan Bishop in a given situation.  Any decision regarding candidates needs to bear in mind the public nature of the ordained ministry, an understanding of the human condition and the gospel imperative of holiness and integrity of life for all believers.  Criterion D (Personality and Character) and Criterion E (Relationships) are pertinent here.

Faculty under Canon C4

If a married candidate has a previous spouse living or is married to a partner with a previous spouse living, a Faculty under Canon C4.3 should be obtained from the Archbishops of Canterbury and York before that candidate can be sponsored for a  Bishops’ Advisory Panel.  The exact wording of the relevant Canon (C4.3 & 3A) is as follows:

3.  Subject to paragraph 3A of this Canon, no person shall be admitted into holy orders who has re-married and, the other party to that marriage being alive, has a former spouse still living; or who is married to a person who has been previously married and whose former spouse is still living.

3A.  The archbishop of the province, on an application made to him by the bishop of a diocese on behalf of a person who by reason of paragraph 3 of this Canon could not otherwise be admitted into holy orders, may grant a faculty for the removal of the impediment imposed by that paragraph to the admission of that person into holy orders, and any request made to a bishop for an application to be made on his behalf under this paragraph shall be made and and considered, and any application made by the bishop to the archbishop shall be made and determined, in accordance with directions given from time to time by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York acting jointly.

DDOs will need to bear in mind the time at which the formal enquiries to referees take place.  Thus, in some dioceses, the DDO speaks to the candidate and spouse, ascertains whether in principle there is the required ‘distance’ and then proceeds with all the usual interviews leading up to sponsorship by the Bishop.  Only when the Bishop is willing to sponsor should the detailed enquiries of referees who know the circumstances of the first marriage take place.

Enquiries concerning the process of obtaining a faculty should be directed to the office of the Archbishop of the province in which the candidate is to be sponsored.  Lately there have been some applications for faculties under Canon C43A in which the current marriage is very recent.  The Archbishops’ guidelines say that the current marriage should be stable and well established.  The Archbishops have sought to clarify this guideline and have decided that they will not normally consider an application for a faculty where the current marriage is less than three years old. 

Candidates for the Scottish Episcopal Church do not require a faculty.

The norm is for the Faculty to have been granted before a candidate attends a Panel.  The Sponsoring Papers should indicate if a Faculty is required and that it has been granted by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York.  If a Faculty is required and for some reason has not been obtained, for example because of a Vacancy in See, the candidate will be conditionally recommended with the following wording:

… A Faculty in respect of Canon C4.3 is required before Candidate’s Full Name may be ordained.  A Faculty has not been granted by the Archbishops.  She/He may enter training but is Conditionally Recommended and may not be ordained without the Faculty.

Disclosure of criminal record

In 2003 it was agreed that the policy with regard to candidates should be in line with the House of Bishops’ policy document, Protecting All God’s Children: the Child Protection Policy for the Church of England (2004).

The House of Bishops’ policy document outlines a two-stage process that is operative for clergy and others working with children and vulnerable adults:

  1. A confidential Declaration, i.e. self-disclosure on the basis of a standard form;
  2. Enhanced Disclosure from the Criminal Records Bureau.

In the light of the above decision it was agreed that an Enhanced Disclosure from the CRB should be required for all candidates at two points: before going to a Bishops’ Advisory Panel and prior to ordination.  These checks should be sufficient for most placement situations but occasionally a placement agency may (on its own initiative) require an ordinand to acquire a further disclosure. 

It is important that the initial check is made reasonably early in the exploration process and certainly before a candidate is sponsored to a Bishops’ Advisory Panel.  This would allow for any sensitive issues that emerge to be dealt with much earlier in the discernment process. 

In view of the seriousness of this matter the VRSC agreed that CRB checks would be a pre-requisite to a candidate attending a Bishops’ Advisory Panel (as with the Canon C4 procedure, and the completion of the Statement of Financial Position).  Where a candidate  goes to a Bishops’ Advisory Panel without clearance then they would be conditionally recommended subject to clearance.  CRB Checks are the responsibility of dioceses and not the training institutions.

DDOs should get candidates to show them the certificate and take up any issues if necessary.  DDOs should inform the Ministry Division in the Sponsoring Papers or subsequently when clearance has been received.  Where clearance has not been obtained candidates will be conditionally recommended subject to clearance.  The Ministry Division should be informed when clearance has been obtained.  DDOs should raise these issues with candidates at an appropriate stage although the advice of the national Child Protection Officer is that such inquiries should be made as early as possible in the process.  If the Enhanced Disclosure has not been obtained the candidate will be conditionally recommended as follows:

…On condition that an Enhanced Disclosure from the Criminal Records Bureau is obtained.

In addition candidates will be required to make self declaration by completing a Personal Disclosure criminal record form declaring whether they have committed an offence in the civil courts.  A copy of this document should be sent to the Ministry Division, along with the set of papers for the Bishops’ Advisory Panel. 

It is usual for an officer, other than the DDO, to be appointed in the diocese to deal with CRB checks, under the auspices of the Diocesan Secretary or the Diocesan Bishop.

Health issues

DDOs will need to be aware of any medical or psychological issues evident in the period of sponsorship and training and to keep the relevant parties informed, subject to appropriate standards of confidentiality and data protection.

In particular, DDOs should:

  • Inform training institutions about any significant health issues that have come to light during the discernment and selection process;
  • Ensure candidates fill in the pre-Bishops’ Advisory Panel Medical Questionnaire
  • In conjunction with the interim report on candidates in training, ensure that the candidate fills in the Medical Declaration Form in conjunction with the Interim Report .  Both the Medical Questionnaire and the Medical Declaration will be reviewed by the Ministry Division Senior Medical Adviser who will follow up any issues with the candidates and the DDO as appropriate.

It is vital for ordaining Bishops to have an accurate picture of the candidate’s health and any treatment they are receiving.  This may affect the exercise of ordained ministry and because of pastoral relationships between the candidate/minister and the incumbent. 

In view of this issue the House of Bishops agreed that part of the final reporting from the training institutions should include a review of the candidate’s health.  Training institutions need to answer the health question in the report format (available on the Ministry Division Website under ‘Format for reporting’).  The candidate needs to make the health declaration which is sent to the Senior Medical Adviser who may want to look into the issue.  In these circumstances the Senior Medical Adviser  would be in touch with the candidate and with the candidate’s permission, the candidate’s doctor.  If consent is given the Senior Medical Adviser would contact the DDO or Bishop, keeping the candidate fully informed.

It is possible that in the light of the evidence before him the Bishop might decide that it was not right to proceed to ordination (to take an extreme case) or that he might wish to alter the focus of ministry envisaged.  As with all candidates, in the end the Bishop has to decide on these matters.  It also might be that extra pastoral care or support might be arranged to enable ordained ministry to be exercised by the candidate. 

It is also possible that the Senior Medical Adviser makes the decision that the candidate should not proceed on health grounds.  If in this scenario the candidate and diocese are not in agreement with the Senior Medical Adviser, a second medical opinion can be arranged with the medical advice coming back to the Senior Medical Adviser who makes the final medical decision in the light of the second opinion.  Arrangements for a second opinion would normally be made by the Senior Medical Adviser in consultation with the Senior Selection Secretary and the DDO.

Disabilities

The primary expectation for any candidate, including those with disability, is one of effective ministry.  There is a need for the gifts of disabled people to be taken seriously and their    contribution to the life of the Church to be affirmed, alongside a concern for realism in relation to the limitations imposed by the disability.  The Ministry Division’s Senior Medical Adviser and the Secretary to the Committee for Ministry of and among Deaf and Disabled People are always ready to help and advise in specific cases. Advice on general medical clearance may be found at in the section on health issues above.

Some guidance for particular types of disabilities can be found below:

Candidates with epilepsy

Candidates with a history of epilepsy may attend a Bishops’ Advisory Panel provided that they have first obtained clearance from the Senior Medical Adviser.  Sometimes the medical diagnosis may result in a candidate not being permitted to proceed. It is therefore important for DDOs to consult with the Senior Selection Secretary and, through him/her, with the Senior Medical Adviser, as early as possible when consideration is being given to sponsoring a candidate who has a history of epilepsy.

Blind or deaf candidates

DDOs should consult the Senior Selection Secretary at an early stage when they have a blind or deaf candidate, as special arrangements for their assessment may need to be made and these are likely to take longer than in the case of a sighted or hearing candidate.

The Council for the Deaf and RNIB Clergy Group offer specialised support and advice to DDOs and candidates if required.  The Senior Medical Adviser and the Secretary to the Committee for Ministry of and among Deaf and Disabled People are available for consultation by DDOs.

Dyslexia and related learning difficulties

Candidates who have specific learning difficulties may find the processes of selection, and theological training itself, a struggle if they are unsupported.  For this reason, it is important that this group of disabilities are correctly identified prior to a candidate's attendance at a Bishops’ Advisory Panel.  DDOs are urged to have those candidates for whom reading, writing and/or spelling are problematic, tested prior to a Bishops’ Advisory Panel. The weaknesses in many of these candidates may relate to a poor educational background.  However, some may have previously unsuspected problems.  Those with specific learning difficulties can then be assisted in finding strategies to help them cope with the demands of training.  Where a learning difficulty is identified, the Panel Secretary will need to know so that adjustments can be made to the administration of the Personal Inventory, and the Group and Pastoral Exercises.

Guidelines for the sponsorship and care of candidates with a disability

  • The DDO is to alert the Senior Selection Secretary when a candidate with a disability is sponsored (in accordance with current advice).

  • The Bishops’ Advisory Panel Secretary will discuss with the candidate any particular needs at the Panel.

  • The Panel Secretary will discuss the implications of each case with an appropriate person, such as the Secretary for the Committee for Ministry of and among Deaf and Disabled People, who currently holds the portfolio for all disabilities, to ensure appropriate care at the Bishops’ Advisory Panel.

  • The DDO is to let the candidate know that if the particular candidate is recommended, she/he will be invited to a case conference to discuss particular needs, and to identify the most appropriate training institution.

  • The case conference will take place as soon as possible after the Bishops’ Advisory Panel and should include the candidate, someone with specialist knowledge of the disability, someone from the finance and administration unit of the Ministry Division, the Panel Secretary and someone from the training institution if this has already been identified.

  • The Ministry Division recommends strongly that issues of deployment are considered by the sponsoring diocese at the time of sponsorship, and that a title parish is assisted in preparation for receiving a candidate prior to ordination.

Candidates from Local Ecumenical Partnerships

Candidates from Local Ecumenical Partnerships bring with them positive benefits of broad ecumenical experience.  Where a candidate from such a background has joint membership of another denomination there are no legal requirements which prevent him/her from being a candidate for selection for training.  However, the primary denominational allegiance of such a candidate should be to the Church of England. Candidates from such backgrounds may not have as much experience of Anglicanism as other candidates.  This will be borne in mind in the selection process, and may be highlighted as a training need by the Bishops’ Advisers.

Ministers of other Churches

Ministers of other Churches fall into three categories:

  1. those whose orders are recognised. These include Roman Catholics, Orthodox and Priests from the Porvoo Churches and Old Catholics, with whom we are in full communion under the Bonn Agreement. However, in the case of Priests from Porvoo Churches who have been ordained by women bishops (in Sweden and Norway), the advice of the Legal Unit ought to be sought before proceeding.  This will remain the case while the current debate within the Church of England on women in the Episcopate is unsolved;
  2. those with whom the Church of England has Meissen-style agreements, namely the Evangelical Church in Germany (Meissen Agreement), the French Protestant Churches (Reuilly Agreement), and the Moravian Church in Great Britain (Fetter Lane Agreement), and
  3. Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI) member churches.

Clergy from Churches under section 1 are allowed to minister in the Church of England under the Overseas Clergy Measure 1967 or after the advice of the Candidates Panel.

The following section concerns those ministers under sections 2 and 3:

The Bishops agreed in 1989 that no minister of a member church of the (then) British Council of Churches or an associate member of that Body, seeking ordination in the Church of England should be sent to a Bishops’ Advisory Panel.  Such candidates should always be referred to the Bishop who will normally seek the advice of the Candidates Panel.  Ministers of other Free churches and former ministers who are no longer on their church’s ministerial list will be required to attend a Bishops’ Advisory Panel in the normal way.  However, the Bishops have given the Candidates Panel discretion in the case of ministers outside of CTBI membership as to whether or not it is thought appropriate to consider their cases rather than require them to attend a Bishops' Advisory Panel in the normal way. 

The British Council of Churches was replaced in 1990 by the Council of Churches for Britain and Ireland (CCBI now CTBI).   The following churches are members of CTBI (as stated in the current edition of The Church of England Yearbook, under Churches Together in Britain and Ireland):

  • Baptist Union of Great Britain
  • Catholic Bishops’ Conference

  • Cherubim & Seraphim Council of Churches

  • Church in Wales
  • Church of England
  • Church of Ireland
  • Church of Scotland
  • Congregational Federation
  • Coptic Orthodox Church
  • Council of African & Caribbean Churches
  • Council of Oriental Orthodox Christian Churches
  • Evangelische Synode Deutscher Sprache in Grossbritannien
  • Free Churches Group
  • Oecumenical Patriarchate (Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain)
  • Independent Methodist Churches
  • International Ministerial Council of Great Britain
  • Joint Council for Anglo-Caribbean Churches
  • Lutheran Council of Great Britain
  • Methodist Church
  • Methodist Church in Ireland
  • Moravian Church
  • New Testament Assembly
  • Presbyterian Church of Wales
  • Religious Society of Friends
  • Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales
  • Roman Catholic Church in Scotland
  • Russian Orthodox Church
  • Salvation Army (British Territory)
  • Scottish Episcopal Church
  • Undeb yr Annibynwyr Cymraeg (Union of Welsh Independents)
  • United Free Church of Scotland
  • United Reformed Churc

Associated Members:

  • Roman Catholic Church in Ireland

  • Seventh Day Adventist Church

In the case of those who would not need to be ordained (e.g. a Roman Catholic priest, who wishes to exercise his ministry in the Church of England) the Candidates Panel will advise the Bishop on the candidate’s acceptability and on what training would be appropriate. (See Appendix 3B for Guidelines on the Preparation and Assessment of Ministers from other Churches).

Reception into the Church of England

Candidates for ordained ministry in the Church of England who have been baptised but not episcopally confirmed shall be confirmed prior to ordination.  If they have not been confirmed prior to attendance at a Bishops’ Advisory Panel, they shall have been received into the Church of England.  Candidates who have been episcopally confirmed with unction or with the laying on of hands shall have been received into the Church of England prior to attendance at a Bishops’ Advisory Panel (see Canon B28, 2 & 3).

Members of religious communities

It has been agreed by the Advisory Council on the Relations of Bishops and Religious Communities that candidates from religious communities will usually be expected to attend a Bishops’ Advisory Panel in the normal way.

In some cases special circumstances may apply.  The Advisory Council on the Relations of Bishops and Religious Communities’ A Directory of the Religious Life refers to these and should be consulted in such cases (see chapter 10, para. 1014).  The Directory points out that ‘the most likely exception will be a candidate who would expect to exercise the ministry wholly within the community’s houses’.  It goes on to say that ‘applications for this special procedure should be made by the community chapter to the Visitor.  On the Visitor’s recommendation, the ordaining Bishop will then consult the Ministry Division’.

Where there are grounds for this special procedure to be used, a candidate should be interviewed by an experienced Bishops’ Adviser instead of attending a Bishops’ Advisory Panel.  The Bishops’ Adviser, who should preferably be a person with knowledge and understanding of the religious life, will provide a report to the Candidates Panel of the Vocations, Recruitment and Selection Committee.  Advice will then be sent to the Bishop who has sponsored the candidate.  Alternatively, the Bishop is of course free to request the advice of the Candidates Panel about the candidate, as in any ordinary case.

Candidates who are selected in this way are subject to the Bishops’ Regulations for Training in the same way as all other candidates.

The need for caution in applying this special procedure must be stressed.  The Directory underlines this in advising that ‘Bishops should bear in mind that a lay religious may be tempted to seek ordination as a precaution against possible separation from the community or closure of the community’.  When candidates who have been selected by this special procedure leave the community and wish to exercise their ministry outside it, the advice of the Candidates Panel should be sought by the ordaining or licensing Bishop in the same way as for candidates who wish to change their focus of ministry.  This requirement applies both to candidates in training and those who have already been ordained.

The Sponsoring Papers for a candidate should include a statement from the community to which the candidate belongs indicating the nature of the proposed ministry.

Forces candidates

All DDOs dealing with candidates currently serving in Her Majesty’s Forces should contact the relevant Forces DDO before considering sponsorship of those candidates for a Bishops’ Advisory Panel.  This is because a Forces candidate is subject to specific terms of engagement.  The Forces DDO will be aware of the provisions made for release and will help to ensure that the candidate is fully aware of the ramifications of seeking sponsorship for ordination.  The contact will also help to establish whether the candidate should by sponsored by the Forces Bishop or a diocesan Bishop.  Also there are sometimes financial advantages accruing to ordination candidates serving in, or having served in, HM Forces and it is important that these are not lost.

With regard to those who have recently left the Forces, the relevant Forces DDO may have information of value in building up an informed and accurate picture of the candidature and should be consulted in these cases, too.

Church Army Officers

Church Army Officers offering for ordained ministry are required to attend a Bishops’ Advisory Panel.  At an appropriate point in the dealings with a candidate DDOs should liaise with the Church Army authorities to alert them of the candidate’s intention. It may also be appropriate to ask the Church Army to provide a reference.  Sponsoring Papers should contain details of proposed training plans for the particular officer concerned; if the officer is recommended for ordination training and the diocese wishes to make a request for a reduction in training, the proposal will require the approval of the Candidates Panel.

Candidates subsequently recommended for training will be required to resign their Commission at ordination.

Accredited Lay Ministers and deaconesses

DDOs should be in touch with the Senior Selection Secretary about any cases of transfer by accredited lay ministers and deaconesses to ordained ministry.  The normal regulations and guidelines on transfer between categories and for training apply (see Section 7 and Section 8).  Candidates will be asked to fill in a registration form and provide a list of referees.  The procedure involves the candidate being interviewed by three experienced Bishops’ Advisers and for the report to be sent to the Sponsoring Bishop.

General guidance concerning Immigration

The quickest and most up to date way of finding out about the immigration rules is the Immigration & Nationality Directorate website at www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk.  This will give you information about coming to the UK or applying for British Nationality, Asylum-related queries, work permit enquiries pre-entry enquiries and switching status in the country.

Students in-country switching

Students Rules were changed in October 2004.  Under the new provisions, non-visa nationals seeking to switch in country to student status may do so only if they have been accepted to study on a course at degree level or above.  A non-visa national who proposes to study on a course below degree level will need a valid student or prospective student entry clearance for leave to remain to be granted.

However, the position for visa nationals has not changed.  They still require a valid student or prospective student entry clearance for leave to remain in the UK as a student to be granted, regardless of the level of course they wish to study. This means that if a student requires a visa to study in the UK they will need to apply for a Student Visa from abroad.  To avoid having to return to the country of origin a student may contact their embassy before travelling, to ensure that his/her application would be accepted. 

The Rules do allow for those here in some other capacity to switch into the Minister of Religion category if certain requirements are met.  They only provide for those who have completed their training and/or have been ordained, and have been or are about to be appointed ministers of religion in the UK.  The Minister of Religion rules do not provide for those who wish to embark on training here, they would usually be expected to bring themselves within the student provisions.

Ministers of Religion and the Immigration rules

The Government allows appropriately qualified overseas persons already in the UK in another capacity to switch their immigration status, in country, to fill local vacancies as ministers, provided the applicant meets the other requirements as set out in the House of Commons Paper 395 (H395) paragraphs 170-176.  It would also need to be shown that there was a need to fill a genuine vacancy supported by the local faith community.  Such a post does not require a work permit.  Paragraph 170 reads:

“The requirements to be met by a person as a minister of religion to enter the United Kingdom as a minister of religion, missionary or member of a religious order are that he:

(i)  if seeking leave to enter as a minister of religion has either been working for at least one year as a minister of religion or, where ordination is prescribed by a religious faith as the sole means of entering the ministry, has been ordained as a minister of religion following at least one year’s full time or two years’ part time training for ministry; or

(ii)  intends to work full time as a minister of religion, missionary or for the religious order of which he is a member, and

(iii)  does not intend to take employment except within the terms of this paragraph; and

(iv)  can maintain and accommodate himself and any dependants and adequately without recourse to public funds; and

(v)  holds a valid United Kingdom entry clearance for entry in this capacity.”

Our advice is for candidates to check with the Home Office first.

Proficiency in the English Language

In 2004 the Government decided that Ministers of Religion coming from overseas will need to provide a certificate of English competency under the International English Language Testing Scheme at Level 4 before they are allowed entry.  Level 4 competency is characterised by a ‘basic competence limited to familiar situations, frequent problems in understanding and expression, inability to use complex language’.  A minister will need to reach Level 6 within two years.  Language centres abroad can issue these certificates. 

Candidates sponsored by a Bishop of another diocese in the Anglican Communion seeking training in Englan

  1. See paragraph above for general guidance concerning immigration. 
  2. Candidates sponsored by a Bishop of another diocese in the Anglican Communion seeking training in England may be accepted at a theological college at the request of their home Bishop without attending a Bishops’ Advisory Panel.  However, principals may ask them to attend a Bishops’ Advisory Panel in order to have guidance about the most appropriate form and level of training for them.
  3. These candidates are not eligible for grants from the Central Church Fund for Ministerial Training which is only for the support of candidates who will work in the two English Provinces.  However, there are funds given to overseas dioceses by the Church of England through mission agencies societies and other channels which are often used by these dioceses to support their candidates.  These candidates would not be eligible for public education authority grants until they had been resident in England for at least three years.
  4. If such a candidate wished to be ordained/admitted in England then this would be by Letters Dimissory from the overseas Bishop.  The Archbishops of Canterbury and York and the Bishop of London can give a Commission Dimissory for an overseas Bishop.  The diocesan Bishop must be satisfied about the fitness of the candidate.  The assurance of the overseas Bishop may normally be considered a sufficient guarantee of this.  The Bishop can ordain/admit by Letter Dimissory an alien without the requirement of an Oath of Allegiance.  Following ordination such a candidate would need permission to officiate in this country from the Archbishop of the relevant English province under the Overseas and Other Clergy (Ministry and Ordination) Measure of 1967.

Candidates from other Anglican Provinces seeking ordination in the Church of England

  1. The position and advice is similar to that outlined in the first paragraph under Members of Religious Communities above..  In addition candidates may require a training and work experience permit.  This is obtained by the candidate and with the support of the ordaining Bishop. Applications for student visas and work permits can be made to the Immigration & Nationality Directory at Website address: www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk  as stated above.
  2. Such candidates are required to fulfil the Bishops’ Regulations for Training.
  3. Such candidates must be sponsored either directly by an English diocesan Bishop, or by an English diocesan Bishop to whom they have been commended by their home Bishop.
  4. In order that such a candidate may become acclimatised to the English situation and have personal experience of English church life, the Bishop would normally expect him/her to have lived here for at least three years before starting ordination training.  After two years’ residence he/she might be sponsored to a Bishops’ Advisory Panel.
  5.  A candidate accepted for ordination/admission in this way would be expected to serve in post in the English Provinces for at least three years after ordination/ admission.  On condition that he/she intends to do so he/she would be eligible for assistance from Central Funds.  A candidate who has established three years’ residence in the United Kingdom may be eligible for a public authority grant.

  6. A candidate who intends to return to his/her home Province after serving a first appointment in England is required to be accepted as a candidate also by his/her home Church.

  7. In order to be ordained to a title post in England a candidate from an overseas province or sponsored by the Bishop of an overseas province, must either have attended a Bishops' Advisory Panel, or have had the selection procedures undergone overseas scrutinised by the Candidates’ Panel on behalf of the Bishop offering the title post.  In this latter case the Candidates’ Panel may recommend that a Bishops' Advisory Panel is appropriate.

American citizens and the Oath of Allegiance

Questions are often asked concerning citizenship implications for Americans wishing to be ordained in the Church of England.  In February 1996 the Consul at the Embassy of the USA wrote:

‘The Department of State has held, and continues to hold, that the Oath of Allegiance to her Majesty The Queen taken by American citizen clergymen solely as a requirement of their positions as ecclesiastics within the Anglican Church Establishment is not considered to be an expatriating act.

‘Naturalization as a British Citizen does not place one’s American citizenship in jeopardy unless one specifically intends to lose one’s US citizenship.  The United States Government presumes that United States citizens intend to retain their citizenship when they obtain naturalization in a foreign state.  Please note that it is no longer necessary to file an affidavit of intent to retain American citizenship before one naturalizes as a British Citizen.’

Candidates from Wales, Scotland and Ireland

Stipendiary candidates for ministry in the Scottish Episcopal Church attend Bishops’ Advisory Panels organised by the Ministry Division. Such candidates who subsequently seek to be ordained within the Church of England should seek the sponsorship of an English Bishop who will seek the advice of the Candidates Panel.  This procedure is necessary both to maintain the integrity of the selection process and to make it possible for Central Church funds to be available for training.

Candidates from Wales and Ireland should seek the sponsorship of an English Bishop who would sponsor them for a Bishops’ Advisory Panel in the normal way.  Candidates who have been trained in Wales or Ireland but who subsequently wish to be sponsored for ministry in the Church of England will be required to attend a Bishops’ Advisory Panel.  Candidates are eligible for funding from the Central Fund for Ministerial Training once the Sponsoring Bishop has accepted the advice of the Panel.

Care should be taken to ensure that candidates have convincing reasons for their wish to train, to be ordained and to work in England.  In all cases, following ordination it is expected that a candidate will serve for at least three years in the Church of England.

The Bishops of Scotland and Wales have agreed that Church of England candidates can be ordained in Scotland and Wales respectively, and that each church will pay for the training of those in their own training institutions without regard to where the candidates will exercise their ministry.

 

Resources

Joint Ministries Consultation, ACCM Occasional Paper No. 16, 1983

Partners in Marriage and Ministry, ABM Ministry Paper No. 11, 1995

Issues in Human Sexuality.  A Statement by the House of Bishops, GS Misc. 382, 1991

Some Issues In Human Sexuality, A guide to debate, GS Misc722,2003

 

Appendix 3A

GUIDELINES ON THE CARE OF CANDIDATES

 

The care of all candidates before and after the Bishops’ Advisory Panel is extremely important and DDOs need to bear the following issues in mind:

Work with the candidate before the Bishops' Advisory Panel.

  • The importance of careful discernment and exploration of the vocation, looking at different kinds of ministry (including involvement of Vocations Advisers and others).
  • Information about the discernment and selection process, both within the diocese and nationally (e.g. a diocesan leaflet or booklet outlining the process and giving an indication of the timescale).  It should be made clear that the process might be lengthy (e.g. 9-24 months from the initial point of seeing the DDO to going to a Bishops’ Advisory Panel).
  • Information about and preparation for the possible outcome of the process, including non-recommendation e.g. CPAS Resource Sheet No.13, On Being Not Recommended for Training and When the Church says No, by Helen Thorp, Grove Booklet No.98).
  • The need to help the candidate to respond maturely to the outcome of the process.
  • The importance of ensuring that the candidate (and family, where appropriate) has sufficient and effective support (e.g. spiritual director, good pastoral care, independent advice).
  • Offer of help from an independent person not involved in the process.
  • The value of a meeting with the Sponsoring Bishop or suffragan Bishop before and/or after a Bishops’ Advisory Panel.

In the immediate aftermath of the Bishops’ Advisory Panel

  • The importance of debriefing with somebody other than family or friends before the outcome is known.
  • The manner in which the Bishop's decision is communicated should be considered carefully.
  • The recognition that the candidate, especially if not recommended, will find it difficult to absorb detailed information at this initial stage. Therefore, a fortnight after the Bishops’ Advisory Panel, careful debriefing with the candidate, which might usefully include some clear notes about the reasons for the Bishop's decision and/or a copy of the Panel report.
  • The importance of reminding the candidate of the help available from a counsellor or listener.
  • After three months another meeting to talk about how the non-recommended candidates is coping with the decision, what the process will be from now on.  This might involve initial contact with other agencies (e.g. those involved in vocations advice, lay training, adult education, Reader training, etc.).

In the long term

  • After six months the opportunity of another meeting with the non-recommended candidate.  The agenda for this meeting may cover issues of redirection, the possibility of coming back for sponsorship to another Panel, or letting go.  In some cases the DDO will maintain contact with the candidate, in others candidates need to leave the ‘discernment and selection process’ altogether.

Appendix 3B

 

Guidelines for the Preparation and Assessment of Ministers from other Churches

 

Ministers from other Churches are interviewed by three members of the Candidates Panel.  The question is normally; ‘May this minister be prepared for ordination in the Church of England?’ or in the case of Roman Catholic priests or priests from overseas, ‘May this priest be licensed to exercise his ministry in the Church of England?’  A subsidiary question is usually, ‘If so what training is required?’  Each interviewer is assigned a specific selector category for interview – Vocational, Pastoral and Education  or a combination of two out of the three sets of criteria - and this seems to work well.

There is a proper ecumenical courtesy to recognise the ministry of those who have already been called to minister in another part of the Christian Church.  However, at the same time there is a need to recognise that this is a serious process of discernment to see if that ministry should be exercised in the Church of England.  The balance between welcome, affirmation and distinction and discernment is an important one.  Both elements need due emphasis in personal dealings with the individual and throughout the process.

The following guidelines have been drawn up to help assess and prepare such candidates:

  1. Careful preparation needs to be given at every stage of the preparation and assessment process. Dioceses need to take the process at least as seriously as sending a candidate to a Bishops’ Advisory Panel.

  2. There is a need for consistency across dioceses, not least because candidates tend to move around dioceses if they find that progress is slow or not successful in one.

  3. While extending due courtesy to Ministers of other churches they should not be given premature assurances of a positive outcome by the process of discernment by Bishops, DDOs or the Ministry Division.

  4. Candidates need to be helped by the diocese to see that it is important for the wider Church of England, through the Ministry Division to be involved in the discernment process, while respecting the Bishop’s ultimate right to decide at the end.
  5. Candidates need to be challenged early on in the process to think through the theological, pastoral and practical issues for the sake of their future ministries and so that they come to interview well prepared.  This calls for careful preparation by the DDOs.  Failure to do this is likely to disadvantage the candidate.

A simple leaflet, along the lines of ‘A Summary of the Criteria for Selection for Ministry in the Church of England’, will be produced for the candidates outlining the procedures for preparation and assessment.  Such a leaflet will outline the role of the Candidates Panel and the areas that would be addressed by the three interviewers.

 

Appendix 3C

Sponsorship of Candidates with a Disability

 

When a diocese sponsors a candidate with a disability the DDO alerts the Senior Selection Secretary at an early stage (in accordance with advice contained in the DDO handbook) so that appropriate arrangements may be made for attendance at a Bishops’ Advisory Panel.  For a candidate with mobility problems this may involve choosing a venue with rooms and chapel on the ground floor (both Ely and Shallowford have such facilities).  For a deaf candidate it may involve liaison with the Secretary to the Committee for Ministry of and among Deaf and Disabled People, to ensure provision of communicators.  For a blind candidate arrangements have to be made to translate material into brail.  Over the years, the Ministry Division has generally been able to handle these matters well.

However, care taken over selection, and the provision of a fair environment for selection, needs to be carried through into training.  There is no point in selecting candidates with disabilities unless appropriate training can be delivered effectively.  Clearly such training comes at a cost.

It is therefore important that a formal assessment is made of the support needs of the candidate during training and the cost implications involved.

The Ministry Division recommends strongly that issues of deployment are considered by the sponsoring diocese at the time of sponsorship, and that a title parish is assisted in preparation to receive a candidate prior to ordination.

This would establish a process by which the needs of candidates with disabilities can be taken seriously and assessed properly, and by which the cost of training may be established and met by the Ministry Division.

The following guidelines are offered as a possible way forward:

  1. The DDO is to alert the Senior Selection Secretary when a candidate with a disability is sponsored (in accordance with current advice).
  2. The Panel Secretary to whom the candidate is allocated will discuss with the candidate any particular needs at the Bishops’ Advisory Panel.
  3. The Panel Secretary will discuss the implications of each case with an appropriate person (e.g. The Secretary to CMDDP) to ensure appropriate care at the Panel.
  4. The DDO is to let the candidate know that, if the candidate is recommended, she/he will be invited to a case conference to discuss particular needs, and, if not already done, to identify the most appropriate training institution.
  5. The case conference will take place as soon as possible after the Panel and should include the candidate, the Panel Secretary, the DDO, someone with specialist knowledge of the disability, someone from the finance and administration unit of the Ministry Division, and someone from the training institution if this has already been identified.