Placements and Fieldwork
Learning in context is an important part of the LCT programme, and is integrated into the study programme for all students. Placements and fieldwork provide opportunities for this experiential learning. These are conducted under the supervision of experienced practitioners and, as part of Lindisfarne modules, take place alongside classroom learning.
Placements involve students being placed outside of their home parishes, in order to encounter social contexts and church traditions that differ from their home contexts. A typical programme of study at LCT includes two types of placement. The first of these is a chaplaincy placement, typically 25 hours, in which students shadow experienced practitioners, particularly (although not exclusively) chaplains, in a world-facing context. The second placement is in a church-based context that differs from a student’s home parish. It lasts 5-6 months and, during this period, students are immersed in a new church context, learning through direct work experience how to function as ministerial practitioners.
Fieldwork, on the other hand, requires students to engage intentionally with a particular ministry or missional aspect of their home parish. All students engage in 25 hours of fieldwork as part of a mission module and the fieldwork is missional in orientation.
Chaplaincy placement opportunities:
Chaplaincy placements enable students to encounter pastoral care in a variety of settings including hospitals, hospices, retail contexts, prisons, foodbanks, an airport, and schools, and to work with people who are homeless, elderly, vulnerable or seeking asylum.
“Studying with Lindisfarne has been a deeply enriching experience. Looking back over the past two years of my 3-year Reader training programme, I feel privileged to have been taught by well-informed, creative and disciplined teachers. It has been exciting to be challenged intellectually, but also reassuring to be cared for within the exceptionally strong pastoral arrangements.
Placements have been a useful learning tool and an opportunity to build on experience gathered elsewhere. Hearing of other students’ placement experiences was also interesting and underlined the diversity of ministry open to us.” Helen, Student