DDO Handbook Section 4

The Bishops' Advisory Panel

Contents of this Section:

• Sponsorship
• Timing
• Booking a place on a Panel
• Ability Tests
• Sponsoring Papers
• Notes for DDOs completing the Sponsoring Papers
• The candidate's paperwork
• The Bishops' Advisory Panel
• The Written Reflection, the Presentation and the Group Discussion
• The Written Reflection
• The Presentation
• The Group Discussion
• The Personal Inventory
• How was it developed?
• What sorts of questions are asked?
• How is the Personal Inventory assessed?
• How can I help the candidates to prepare?
• What can I do personally to help the candidates to prepare?
• How do I answer any questions that the candidates might have?
• Medicals
• Bishops' Advisor Panel costs
• Resources
• Appendix 4A - Sponsoring Papers:  Part 1 and Part 2
• Appendix 4B - Registration Form
• Appendix 4C - Ethnic Monitoring Form
• Appendix 4D - Confidential Declaration - Protection of Children and Young People
• Appendix 4E - List of Referees
• Appendix 4F - Referee's Letter
• Appendix 4G - Reference Forms:  Incumbent/Chaplain; Lay; Occupational; Educational
• Appendix 4H - Final Invitation to Candidate

Sponsorship

All candidates for training for ordained or accredited lay ministry in the two English provinces are required to attend a Bishops’ Advisory Panel.  Candidates are sponsored by Diocesan or Suffragan Bishops, who also appoint the Bishops’ Advisers.  Approximately 54 Bishops’ Advisory Panels are held in a year, each with up to 16 candidates.

Timing

When initial Sponsoring Papers are sent to the Ministry Division you can expect the candidate to be invited to a Bishops’ Advisory Panel no less than twelve weeks ahead.  This is to allow enough time for the full Sponsoring Papers to be put together so that they can be forwarded to the Ministry Division no less than six weeks before the Bishops’ Advisory Panel.  It may be helpful to ask the Registration Officer about the current waiting period.  If candidates are going to start training as planned, then the full range of Bishops’ Advisory Panels, including those in winter months, need to be used as the Ministry Division cannot guarantee to offer candidates Panels between May and September, which is the peak period. To avoid disappointment DDOs should make every effort to send candidates to Bishops’ Advisory Panels during the autumn months and early in the calendar year.

The personal circumstances of individual candidates need to be considered when booking a Panel place.  No candidate or spouse should be encouraged to resign from current employment before a candidate has attended a Bishops’ Advisory Panel.  Needs of employers for notice of resignation should be borne in mind, particularly in the case of teachers, who are subject to strict limits concerning the timing of resignations.  Other issues such as the time required to sell a house, or for a spouse to change employment, should also be considered. 

It is good practice - both for the candidate and the training institution - for a candidate’s Bishops’ Advisory Panel to be completed well before the start of training.  This applies as much to part-time courses as to colleges and the Theological and Education Training Committee therefore agreed that the training institution will receive no central funding for a candidate who attends a Bishops’ Advisory Panel after the summer cut-off date and enters training the same autumn.

Booking a place on a Panel

A Panel place can be booked by sending Part One of the Sponsoring Papers to the Ministry Division.  This document contains all the factual information required and should be sent at the earliest opportunity.

It is also possible to ask the Registration Officer to reserve a Panel place for a candidate before sending in the Sponsoring Papers.  Reasons for doing this include finding a half term Panel for a teacher or ensuring that a candidate who works overseas can attend a Panel whilst on UK leave.

Ability Tests

For some candidates there is little or no evidence of academic ability or intellectual agility.  This may be because a candidate has no formal qualifications or has not recently engaged in any learning activities which could provide evidence to the Educational Adviser.  Previously this situation was catered for by the use of Ability Tests taken by all candidates.  Feedback suggested that although the tests introduced an objectivity into the system, the level of anxiety caused and the amount of time used was disproportionate in relation to the amount of useful information obtained from the tests.  It has therefore been decided that the tests should be removed from the programme. 

It remains the case that for some candidates the evidence from such Ability Tests would be helpful.   The Ministry Division has therefore engaged the services of an online testing service (Profiling for Success).  If a DDO feels that this would be helpful for any candidate they should make a request to the Ministry Division.

Upon receiving such a request, the Ministry Division will email the DDO with information about the online service and the relevant access codes.  It is important that candidates are helped to understand why they are being asked to complete these tests and their place in the selection process. They should be assured that it is to their benefit that this information is available to the Advisers and that it will not be used to rule them out, but to assist the Advisers in giving appropriate advice with regard to training.

In order to undertake the tests, a candidate will need access to the worldwide web.  It is not essential that they are surpervised during the taking of these tests but there is no doubt that their anxiety will be reduced if they can do them, for example, in the comfort of a DDO’s office.  Please note that for each test there are some example tasks before the timed test begins.

Candidates will be asked to complete two tests, and the whole process can be completed within one hour.  The results will be sent to the Ministry Division where they will be analysed by a qualified member of staff who will give an interpretation to the Panel Secretary as information for the Educational Adviser.  In the case where the results give reason for concern, the Panel Secretary will speak to the DDO before the Panel, but normally a brief report will be included in the report to the Bishop which may be alluded to by the Educational Adviser.

Profiling for Success Reasoning Tests offer a flexible approach to the assessment of reasoning abilities for selection and development purposes.  The tests offered through the Ministry Division test two areas of reasoning abilities:

• Verbal - The ability to understand written information and determine what follows logically from the information.

• Abstract - The ability to identify patterns in abstract shapes and generate and test hypotheses.

Sponsoring Papers

DDOs, on behalf of Sponsoring Bishops, write Sponsoring Papers which give full details about the candidate.  These are sent to the Senior Selection Secretary at the Ministry Division. Ideally the request for a Panel place should include the full Sponsoring Papers and references.

Sponsoring Papers submitted by post should be addressed to the Senior Selection Secretary.  Submissions by email should be submitted to a dedicated mailbox: sponsoring.papers@c-of-e.org.uk.  This mailbox should only be used for Sponsoring Papers.

The Sponsoring Papers Pro-forma (Parts One and Two) are at Appendix 4A.  The Sponsoring Papers should not be mere reiteration of information included in the Registration Form and references.  What is important to the Advisers is your analysis of the information you have collected.  You should mention weaknesses as well as strengths and might wish to suggest particular questions or areas of concern for Advisers to explore.  The guidance notes about how to complete the Sponsoring Papers now follow.  The guidance notes indicate the type of information to be included in each section of the Sponsoring Papers.  Both the Sponsoring Papers pro-forma and the guidance notes are available from the website www.cofe-ministry.org.uk.

We encourage you to show the completed Sponsoring Papers to candidates so that they can sign the Candidate’s Declaration. Please ensure that you discuss with candidates all the issues mentioned in the papers.  This will help candidates to be prepared for and to fully engage with Advisers’ questions.

The Candidate’s paperwork

It is important to remind candidates that Advisers receive a minimum of 6 documents about them: Sponsoring Papers, Registration Form and 4 References.  The Registration Form is their only opportunity to speak about themselves before they meet Advisers at the Panel.  It is not appropriate to instruct candidates about what to include in the Registration Form, but they should be aware that it is taken seriously and read carefully by Advisers.  It therefore needs to be completed carefully, following the instructions and bearing in mind the Criteria for Selection.  It would be sensible for candidates to keep a copy of the Registration Form.

When the Sponsoring Papers are received in the Ministry Division a file is created for the candidate which is passed to the Senior Selection Secretary who will check that all the required information has been sent.  The file is then forwarded to  the Registration Officer who will allocate the candidate to a particular Panel.  When the candidate has been allocated to a Panel the Registration Officer will email the DDO with details of the Panel, and the name of the Panel Secretary.  The Panel Secretary will write to the candidate inviting him/her to attend, enclosing medical forms to be completed before the Panel and a copy of Going to a Bishops’ Advisory Panel.  A copy of that letter will be sent to the DDO.  This process may take up to a fortnight from the time the Sponsoring Papers are received in the Ministry Division.

The full Sponsoring Papers (Parts One and Two) are due to arrive at the Ministry Division no less than six weeks before the Panel, to be accompanied by:

1. Registration Form (Appendix 4B)
2. Candidate’s Written Reflection
3. Ethnic monitoring form (Appendix 4C)                                                                                                                                                                                                  
4. Incumbent’s reference (Appendix 4G)
5. Lay reference (Appendix 4G)
6. Occupational reference (Appendix 4G)
7. Educational reference  (Appendix 4G)
8. 4 Passport Photographs

If the paperwork is incomplete, please identify the outstanding items and indicate when you expect to send them to the Ministry Division.

Copies of the Registration Form, the References, Candidate’s Written Reflection and the Sponsoring Papers are sent to Advisers about three weeks before the Panel. A final invitation letter, Panel programme, and travel directions (Appendix 4H) are sent to the candidates about a fortnight before the Panel. Copies of all non-standard correspondence from the Ministry Division to the candidate are sent to the DDO.

The Bishops’ Advisory Panel

The content and design of the Bishops’ Advisory Panel is described in Going to a Bishops’ Advisory Panel  which will be useful in informing candidates and others about what happens.

It is an important part of the DDO’s role to prepare candidates for their Bishops’ Advisory Panel.   Candidates should know what form the Panel will take and what sort of exercises they will be required to undertake.  The following sections of this handbook offer guidance on significant aspects of the Panel:  the Written Reflection, Presentation and Group Discussion, and the Personal Inventory. DDOs may help to build up the confidence of candidates by ensuring that basic questions have been addressed.  The aim is that candidates should arrive at the Panel informed rather than groomed or coached.

The Written Reflection, the Presentation and the Group Discussion

Introduction

Going to a Bishops’ Advisory Panel involves candidates writing a Written Reflection, making a Presentation and facilitating a Group Discussion.  The Written Reflection stands alone and will be completed before the Panel.  The Presentation and Group Discussion are linked because each Presentation will be followed by a Group Discussion to be introduced, facilitated and summarised by the candidate who has just made a presentation and arising from the content of the presentation.

These guidelines provide details about what will be expected of candidates, how they might be helped in their preparations and what the Advisers will be looking for in their assessment of the tasks.

The Written Reflection

What is the aim?

The Written Reflection is intended to help Advisers in assessing the ability of candidates to express their thoughts clearly in written form.

Who is the audience?

The Written Reflection will only be seen by the Advisers who represent a cross-section of church members, lay and ordained.

What is involved?

The Written Reflection is a piece of writing of between 500 and 750 words, submitted before the Bishop’s Advisory Panel.  It should be typed and will be a separate document among the pack of papers circulated before the Panel.  It should be sent to the Ministry Division with the Registration Form, not less than six weeks before the Panel.

How should the topic be chosen?

The topic can be any subject which relates to an aspect of Criterion H (Mission and Evangelism) and to the candidate’s own experience and sense of vocation. The task will be: 'Write on an aspect of mission and evangelism that is related to your experience and to which you feel drawn as part of your calling'.  Such a topic should give the candidate wide scope for choice.

How should the topic be handled?

Candidates are free to handle their chosen topic in whatever way they choose.  For instance they could write about their own personal engagement with mission and evangelism in their own lives or how they live it out.  Alternatively, they may want to look at the mission and evangelism priorities of their parish or context and how they might engage with them.

In helping candidates to decide upon their approach, it would be useful for them to be aware of the five marks of mission:

• to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom;
• to teach, baptise and nurture new believers;
• to respond to human need by loving service;
• to seek to transform unjust structures of society;
• to strive to safeguard the integrity of creation, and sustain and renew the earth  (Anglican Consultative Council, Five Marks of Mission, 1988).

The topic should be something about which the candidate is interested and as enthusiastic and confident as possible.  However:

• The Written Reflection must be the candidate’s own work.
• The Written Reflection must relate aspects of Criterion H to the candidate’s own experience and sense of vocation.
• The candidate must be prepared to take ideas further during interviews.

There is no prescribed style or format, but the general requirements about subject, length and legibility must be followed.

To which Criteria for Selection does the Written Reflection refer?

In reading the Written Reflection Advisers will particularly look for the candidate's ability to:

• Articulate an authentic and convincing sense of vocation.
• Communicate thoughts appropriately in writing.
• Understand an aspect of Criterion H (Mission and Evangelism).

How will the Written Reflection be assessed by the Bishops’ Advisers?

The report will not include a separate paragraph about the Written Reflection.  However, Advisers will be able to refer to it as a source of evidence and it is expected that all reports should include such references.

Points of note for DDOs

• Candidates may need help and guidance in choosing the topic for the Written Reflection.
• It is important that the Written Reflection explores the candidate's own experience and understanding and not merely a theoretical discussion on mission, evangelism or vocation.

The Presentation

What is the aim?

The Presentation is intended to help Advisers in assessing the ability of candidates to express themselves clearly in spoken form.

Who is the audience?

The audience is the group of Advisers and other candidates, who represent a cross-section of church membership.

What is involved?

The Presentation is a spoken presentation of up to five minutes on a topic related to any of the nine Criteria for Selection.

• Candidates will be able to make use of notes.
• There is no requirement to use visual aids and their use or otherwise will not automatically confer advantage or disadvantage on a candidate.
• A lectern, overhead projector, flip chart and pens will be available.  These may be used for images that illustrate the Presentation, but not to display notes of what is being said. Candidates may bring other visual aids with them, but for practical reasons, electronic aids cannot be used.
• Candidates will be asked not to provide any handouts to support their Presentation.
• If a candidate is disabled, appropriate provision and support will be made.
• Candidates are free to handle their chosen topic in whatever way they choose, within the parameters of time and content already given. 

How should the topic be chosen?

Candidates will need to bear in mind that the topic they choose for the Presentation will be carried over in to the Group Discussion. This means that the topic, and their handling of it, should lend itself readily to leading into group discussion.

How should the topic be handled?

• Candidates are free to handle their chosen topic in whatever way they choose, within the parameters of time and content already given.
• The term Presentation should not be interpreted as a requirement for an enormously polished production.  Candidates are being asked to talk for up to five minutes on a topic that interests them, which arises from one of the Criteria for Selection.
• The Presentation should not be an academic treatise, rather an example of interesting and lively spoken communication.

How will it be organised?

• Before the Presentations begin, candidates will be invited to pick up a card with a number on it face down.  The number denotes the order of the candidates in making their Presentation.  This will ensure a randomness of order, whereby Candidate 1 in the alphabetical list is not automatically first and Candidate 8 is not automatically last.
• In order to deliver the Presentation, the candidate will stand before the group of fellow candidates and Advisers. 
• The Presentation will be timed and must not take longer than five minutes.  A warning will be given when 30 seconds remain and the candidate will be asked to stop after five minutes.
• Candidates will be asked not to applaud after Presentations and will be told that it is not appropriate in this exercise to pray aloud before they speak (as might be their practice in giving a short talk in a worship context).
• At the end, the candidate will take his/her place in the group and then introduce and facilitate discussion arising from his/her chosen topic.

To which Criteria for Selection does the Presentation refer?

The Presentation should provide evidence for all three Advisers, but may do so particularly in regard to:

• Criterion F (Leadership and Collaboration) and Criterion G (Faith) in terms of spoken communication skills
• Criterion I (Quality of Mind) in terms of ability to engage intellectually with the chosen topic and relate life and faith
• The Criterion related to the topic of the Presentation.

How will the Presentation be assessed by the Bishops’ Advisers?

The Presentation is intended to help Advisers to arrive at an assessment of two areas:

i)      An assessment of the candidate’s spoken communication skills:  

• Did the candidate communicate clearly, effectively, and in a stimulating way?
• Was the Presentation accessible and understandable?
• Was the candidate able to relate to those listening to the Presentation?
• Did the candidate use appropriate voice, body language, eye contact, humour?

ii)   An assessment of the candidate’s understanding of an aspect of one of the Criteria: 

• Did the candidate understand the topic and present it in an attractive way? 
• Was the candidate able to relate life and faith? 
• Did the candidate demonstrate a commitment to and an enthusiasm for the chosen topic?

It would not be appropriate in assessing the Presentation to expect candidates to demonstrate all the skills of a polished public speaker. The Advisers will expect to see, in embryonic form, the skills needed by an accredited minister.

Report Writing

The Bishops’ Advisers will agree a statement regarding the Presentation.  They will be concerned primarily about the process, rather than the content, making appropriate allowance for nervousness or hesitation in delivery.  They will not be looking for a ‘slick’ or ‘clever’ performance, but for clear and interesting communication.

Points of note for DDOs

• Candidates may need help and guidance in presentation skills such as speed of delivery, voice projection and the judicious use of notes.
• It will be important to impress upon candidates the need to keep their Presentation within the five minutes time limit.
• Assessment of the Presentation will be concerned primarily with a candidate’s ability or potential to speak in public irrespective of how that skill had been achieved.
• There is no requirement for perfection.

The Group Discussion

What is the aim?

The Group Discussion is intended to help Advisers in assessing the group skills of candidates, as both facilitator and group member.

What is involved?

The Group Discussion involves two aspects:

• First, the candidate’s facilitation of a discussion for 13 minutes on the topic of their Presentation.
• Secondly, the candidate’s participation and interaction as a member of a discussion group when others are introducing.

In particular, candidates will need to think carefully about how they will introduce their topic to the group and lead into discussion.  They will also have to think about what strategies they may need to develop for continuing the discussion.

How will it be organised?

• Immediately after a candidate’s Presentation, he or she will facilitate a Group Discussion of 13 minutes arising from issues raised by their own Presentation.
• As facilitator, the candidate will be expected to introduce and facilitate the discussion and finally to summarise it.
• A warning will be given when two minutes remain, and the summary should be given during this remaining period.
• The summary should be a reflection of the discussion which has taken place and not merely a reiteration of the candidate’s own point of view. 

To which Criteria for Selection does the Group Discussion refer?

The Group Discussion should provide evidence for all three Advisers, but may do so particularly in regard to:

• Criterion D (Personality and Character) and Criterion E (Relationships) in terms of interpersonal skills
• Criterion F (Leadership and Collaboration) in terms of leadership skills and ability to collaborate
• Criterion G (Faith) in terms of ability to communicate and work in a small group
• Criterion I (Quality of Mind) in terms of ability to introduce and summarise a discussion, and to relate life and faith
• The Criteria to which the topics of the Group Discussions are related.

How will the Group Discussion be assessed by the Bishops’ Advisers?

The Group Discussion is intended to help Advisers to arrive at an assessment of two areas:

i)   An assessment of the candidate’s ability as facilitator:

• Did the candidate introduce the discussion clearly and accessibly?
• Did the candidate facilitate the discussion, drawing people in and moving the discussion on?
• Did the candidate summarise the discussion accurately and even-handedly?

ii) An assessment of the candidate’s contribution as a group member:

• Did the candidate make clear and articulate contributions?
• Was the candidate able to relate life and faith?
• Did the candidate listen to and take on board the contributions of others?
• Did the candidate behave sensitively and with courtesy towards others?
• Was the candidate able to challenge others and have the courage to argue against prevailing views?
• Did the candidate make appropriate use of self in their voice, body language, eye contact, humour?

Report Writing

The Bishops’ Advisers will agree a statement on how the candidate facilitated the Group discussion and how they contributed as a member of the group. Advisers will be concerned primarily with matters of process.

Points of note for DDOs

• In preparation for attending the Bishops’ Advisory Panel, candidates should be encouraged to decide on strategies for leading into, facilitating and summarising the Group Discussion.
• Candidates may need help and guidance in any or all of these aspects of the task.

The Personal Inventory

Introduction

The Personal Inventory was introduced into the Selection procedures in response to a recognition that there are additional benefits to be gained from exploring issues of the personality, style and motivation of the candidates in more depth within the Panel interviews.  The questions on the Inventory are designed to offer stimuli and opening prompts to candidates to allow them to talk about the important points in their lives, their formative experiences and how they see these link to their understanding of vocation and a future ministry.

It was decided as part of the 1995 review of the Selection Procedures that the Personal Inventory would not be a personality test that was marked, but a tool to be used in discussion in interview to allow candidates and Selectors to be more prepared and focused in their exploration of personality, character and motive, as required by the Criteria.

How was it developed?

The Personal Inventory was developed specifically for the Church of England by professional Occupational Psychologists.  The development included detailed observation of the interviews which it would inform, as well as consultation with Selectors.

The finally selected questions were chosen according to the following criteria:

The questions should

• be interesting and stimulating to the candidates
• cover the core elements of all the criteria
• provide focused, pertinent information to each of the three Advisers when carrying out final preparation for their interviews
• require a range of response styles - including open questions, questions that ask for specific examples and experiences, and those that ask for reflection on feelings and sources of motivation
• be fair to all candidates.  They should be equally relevant to candidates of different background and experience and not discriminate against different gender and ethnic groups
• encourage concise but personal responses which can form the basis of in-depth interviews against the Criteria.

The Personal Inventory includes sixteen questions to be completed by the candidates in 40 minutes.

What sorts of questions are asked?

The Personal Inventory is not included in this handbook but is available for reference in the Bishops’ Advisers Handbook, but not the online version.  It is not intended that candidates practice this element of the Panel.  However, the booklet Going to a Bishops' Advisory Panel provides some helpful information for candidates. 

It is important to emphasise that the Personal Inventory is not a personality test and there are no right or wrong answers. Rather it is a pre-interview questionnaire that consists of a series of open-ended questions drawn up by professional psychologists.  It is designed to stimulate candidates' thoughts around certain issues, and on occasion asks them to think of relevant examples.

Examples of the type of question asked in the Personal Inventory are given here, but not necessarily ‘ideal’ responses are presented.  The responses indicate that the questions can be answered in a variety of ways.

Example question 1:  Outline an instance when you had to deal with a person who was really upset about something.  What did you do and how did they respond?

This type of question is very specific, encouraging candidates to think back to an actual event and state exactly what they did and how the other person responded.  Advisers may well follow this up further during the interview asking the candidate how effective they felt their behaviour was, what they had learned from the incident and how it may help them in pastoral situations.

Example question 2:  How has your relationship with God changed since you decided to respond to your call to ordination?

This type of question asks candidates to reflect upon their own perceptions of the situation, in this case, any changes in their relationship with God. The candidate’s response would provide an important lead into a richer discussion within the interview regarding the precise nature, depth and value of this relationship and why they think it may have altered in any way.  For both this example question and the previous one it should be emphasised to candidates that they may respond in ‘bullet points’ or concise phrases rather than lengthy text.

Example question 3: What things make you cry?

This is an example of a short question which simply asks candidates to state what they associate with something. Clearly there would be no right or wrong answers here.  Rather the answer would give an indication of themes the Adviser might explore further during the interview.

How is the Personal Inventory assessed?

The Personal Inventory is not designed to be ‘scored’ or ‘marked’.  The reason for this is that there are no right or wrong answers to each question.  However, the Advisers are provided with Interpretation Guidelines which help them to consider the content of the candidate’s answers against the Criteria.  These guidelines offer prompts to the Advisers to consider the breadth and depth of the candidate’s answer and help them to formulate follow-up questions for the subsequent interview.

The Interpretation Guidelines are included in the Adviser’s Handbook. Clearly these guidelines should be treated as highly confidential and should not be divulged at any time to candidates. The primary aim of the Personal Inventory is to stimulate the candidate to provide personal responses to each question that give deeper insight into their personality and understanding of vocation and future ministry. It would be misleading and unfair to candidates therefore to make any attempt to shape or change their natural response - a possible outcome of sharing the Interpretation Guidelines with them. It is recognised that some DDOs are also Advisers and so a fundamental respect of this need for confidentially is required.

There are, however, other important ways that DDOs can help to prepare candidates, and these are discussed further below.

How can I help the candidates to prepare?

All candidates will be sent a copy of the booklet Going to a Bishops' Advisory Panel at the time of the formal invitation to the Panel, so please do check that candidates have received it.  This explains the purpose and nature of the Personal Inventory and how it will be used by the Advisers. 

The following elements will also be explained and emphasised:

• The Personal Inventory is not a test and there are no right and wrong answers.
• It is a tool to offer stimuli and prompts for the interviewer to follow up and answers are therefore not scored.

• It is quite possible that the interviewer will not choose to follow up all the responses. This is quite normal and simply reflects the fact that the interviewers have a lot to cover and may feel that it is more important to focus upon other areas.  It is also possible that Advisers may feel that they have enough information from the written response so further exploration is not required.

• The Inventory is not an assessment of the candidate’s written communication skills, nor will spelling, grammar or handwriting be considered.
• The use of key points, short phrases and summary notes  is not only acceptable, it is positively encouraged.
• Candidates will find that time is quite tight and they will need to work quickly through the questions. They should give their first reactions and feelings, without pondering and agonising over the precise responses that they are going to give.
• The Panel Secretary will give an indication of time throughout the 40 minutes and say when to move on to the next set of questions.  This is important to ensure that the candidates  provide some information to all three Advisers.
• Candidates should try their best to give some response to all questions, but if they find any that appear irrelevant to them, or run out of time on the final one(s) in each section they can still talk about these in the interview.
• The best way that candidates can prepare for the completion of the Personal Inventory is to familiarise themselves with the Criteria, outlined in Going to a Bishops’ Advisory Panel, and to think of examples or events that help to illustrate their views, feelings and understanding of each of these in turn.  They may find it helpful to talk these through with someone (such as yourself) to help clarify their thoughts and think how best to summarise the key points.

What can I do personally to help the candidates to prepare?

The first thing is to be familiar with the above elements of the familiarisation material so that you can respond appropriately to any questions that candidates might have.

Please do not show candidates the actual questions. As noted above some are deliberately written to elicit an immediate response and the answers will be less natural and revealing to the Advisers if candidates have deliberated over them at length. 

Following the above, the  process of preparation will help to:   

• reduce anxiety in candidates
• produce the most relevant and insightful information for the Advisers
• ensure that all candidates complete the Personal Inventory on an equal footing.

How do I answer any questions that the candidates might have?

The questions below are some that candidates might well ask. These are replicated for candidates in Going to a Bishops’ Advisory Panel, along with some suggestions and answers that you and they might find useful.   

What is the Personal Inventory?

It is important to begin by emphasising that the Personal Inventory is not a personality test. Rather it is a pre-interview questionnaire that consists of a series of open-ended questions drawn up by professional psychologists. It is designed to stimulate your thoughts around certain issues and on occasion asks you to think of relevant examples.  This means that you will have the opportunity to reflect on your views in advance of your interviews and begin to provide some thoughts for yourself and your interviewer that can be further explored during your interview.

It is hoped that this will encourage you to be as relaxed as possible and be able to 'be yourself’.  In addition, it should help both you and your interviewer to move more smoothly into a discussion of some of the key areas of concern as Advisers seek to discern whether it is appropriate for you to enter ministerial training.

Will my answers be scored - can I fail?

The Personal Inventory is not a test, and so as such there are no right and wrong answers.  Rather it is a tool to enable the Advisers to gain as much about you as possible.  Your responses will not be scored, but rather considered by the Advisers and used as they prepare the framework for their subsequent interviews with you.  So - you cannot fail and you do not achieve a high or a low mark.  The Personal Inventory is to help you and the Advisers have smoother, more relaxed but more in-depth interviews, so try to fill it in as openly and honestly as possible.

Advisers will receive a copy of your completed Personal Inventory and will consider this, along with all of the other supporting information, when they prepare for the interview.  Whilst they are likely to pick up a number of your responses for discussion, do not be alarmed if they do not cover all the questions with you during the interview, as it may be that they feel your written response is clear enough and hence requires no further exploration.

Writing skills are not my strength - will I be penalised?

Absolutely not. The Advisers will not be focusing on your spelling, grammar or handwriting.  Do of course try to make your writing legible, but otherwise focus on the content rather than the presentation style of your answer.  You will be urged to be as succinct as possible, writing in note form or highlighting the key points, which may be individual words, phrases or in a list format.

Will it be timed?

Yes.  You will have 40 minutes in which to complete the Personal Inventory so it is important not to spend too long pondering over any particular question.  It is better to move on and come back to it later on.  Obviously you should aim to complete the whole questionnaire, but do not become unduly concerned if your responses to some questions are less detailed than others.  The aim is for you to get across the key points to the Advisers in advance of your interviews with them.

What if I do run out of time?

Do try to give some response to all of the questions.  The Personal Inventory is in three sections, one for each of the Advisers.  It is important to try to ensure that, in each section, at least one of the questions is answered fully.  However, there will be an opportunity to talk about any of the questions at the interview so don't worry if some of your answers are brief or incomplete.

What happens if I think of a better answer later?

Try not to think of answers as 'better' or 'worse' - remember that there are no right or wrong answers.  Your first response is likely to be the one that is most true to you so do not discount it for what may seem a 'cleverer' answer.  It is likely that you will think of additional things that you will want to add to what you’ve already written - but that's fine because the interview may well offer an opportunity for this.

What sort of questions will I be asked?

You will be asked a series of questions relating to each of the nine Criteria for Selection. Some questions will ask you to give an example of an incident so you will need to outline briefly what happened, who was involved, what the outcome was and how it made you feel.  There are a few questions which literally ask for your word associations with certain concepts, so in these cases jotting down key words will be adequate.  Other questions will ask for your views on issues, so highlighting the main points is the best approach.  Ultimately the Advisers can always ask for more information during the interview, so your responses are often just a good way into discussing the topic.

Is there an advantage to having done it before?

Because there are no right or wrong answers you do not gain by 'practice'.  However, you will probably find that thinking through and discussing examples of experiences and feelings that you have had regarding the areas covered by the Criteria will help you to be clearer and more concise when you complete the Personal Inventory.

Why can't I see the Personal Inventory before the Panel?

A number of the questions in the Personal Inventory ask you for your first response, or your reactions and feelings about issues.  These are often difficult to give openly and honestly if you have lots of time to ponder and agonize over them.  So, to be sure that everyone is completing the Personal Inventory on an equal same footing it is kept confidential until the Panel. 

Why can't I keep a copy of my responses to take into the interview with me?

There is no need for you to keep a copy of your responses as you will not be assessed on whether or not you can remember the exact details of your answers.

How can I prepare for it?

It is a good idea to read through the Criteria headings outlined in Section 3 of this booklet and think of examples or events that would help you to illustrate your views, feelings and understanding of each Criterion in turn. Please remember that the reason behind using the Personal Inventory is to provide a richer source of information to the Advisers by helping you to begin to communicate your experiences, thoughts and feelings to them ahead of the interview. 

In conclusion

As with all assessment techniques it is likely that candidates will feel some anxiety and ambivalence towards the Personal Inventory. It is important that they appreciate the rationale behind its development and the way in which it will be used (and not used). You can do a lot to allay any fears that they might have and therefore help them to give of their best, both when completing the Inventory and in subsequent stages of the Panel.

Medicals

Every candidate attending a Bishops’ Advisory Panel  is requested to fill in a medical questionnaire and to ask his or her General Practitioner to complete a form for the Senior Medical Adviser of the Ministry Division.  On the basis of this information the Senior Medical Adviser assesses the fitness of a candidate to proceed to a Panel and may require either a pre- or a post-Panel medical.  The medical situation in the case of recommended or conditionally recommended candidates will always be indicated in the Panel report.  The undertaking of a physical, psychiatric or psychological assessment to the satisfaction of the Senior Medical Adviser of the Ministry Division might be a condition attached to a candidate’s recommendation for training.  It is possible for the Senior Medical Adviser to rule that someone should not enter training on medical grounds. (For further details see Section 3, Health Issues).

In some situations, where a diocese is not sure about a candidate’s health, it is possible to ask the Senior Medical Adviser to undertake a pre-sponsorship medical.  In this instance the diocese will be asked to meet the candidate’s medical fees.

Bishops' Advisory Panel costs

An Internal Audit report conducted in 2003 revealed that it cost the Church approximately £560 to send a candidate to a Bishops’ Advisory Panel.  The bulk of this cost is borne by the Ministry Division.  However, the Sponsoring Diocese makes a contribution of £35 per candidate towards the costs, as a token of commitment. Candidates’ travel expenses are met either by the Sponsoring Diocese or by the candidate.

Resources

A Summary of the Criteria for Selection for Ministry in the Church of England (Ordained & Accredited Lay Ministry), 2005 Ministry Division (leaflet)

Appendix 4H

Wording of Final Invitation Letter to Candidates

Dear

We are looking forward to meeting you at __________ from _____________ to ______________. The first session will be at 5.00 p.m. and you are asked to arrive in good time for this. The Panel will end by 4.00 p.m. on the third day (__________) and we assume that you can reach home the same day but if not please let me know as soon as possible.

You are asked to bring your own soap and towel.  If you require a special diet (vegetarian, non-eggs etc.) please contact the Warden of the conference centre direct, at least a week beforehand.

Panel expenses

There will be no charge made to you for the cost of the Panel. You will be able to claim for travelling expenses at the cheapest practicable standard class rail fare from your sponsoring diocese. Your DDO will provide you with information as to how to recover these expenses.

Going to a Bishops’ Advisory Panel

You will find it helpful to bring with you the book “Going to a Bishops’ Advisory Panel” which was sent to you with your initial invitation letter.

If you have any queries do not hesitate to contact me on my direct line ____________ or my Support Secretary ________________ on the direct line listed below.

Yours sincerely

Panel Secretary