In 2009, St Peter’s Saltley Trust helped recruit participants to the pilot of a Certificate in Faith Community Development. A dozen Christian, Muslim and Sikh chaplains were recruited to the pilot course, devised by NIACE on behalf of DCLG.
In 2008 the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) was commissioned by the Department for Communities and Local Government to develop an introductory ‘faith community development’ course for leaders of local places of worship. Sessions covered topics including leadership, diversity, improving engagement, safeguarding and organisational stability. The programme was trialled in several locations around the UK, with slightly differing emphases in each. The West Midlands pilot project was focused on chaplaincy development, and delivered in partnership with then then-City College, Birmingham. St Peter’s Saltley Trust was commissioned to recruit for, and evaluate the learning from, this chaplaincy course. 17 chaplains or aspiring chaplains took the Level 1 or 2 pilot course, representing three different faiths and several different sectors (including prisons, healthcare, further education and transport).