Westmead CPE Centre

The Westmead Centre for Clinical Pastoral Education offers introductory, foundational and advanced courses at Westmead Hospital, Queanbeyan Hospital, Canberra, Pacific School for CPE (Tonga) and Lismore Aboriginal CPE.

Rev Dr Peter Powell

Centre Director

Dr Powell is an ordained Minister of the Word in the Uniting Church in Australia, a Registered Psychologist, a Clinical Member of the Australian and New Zealand Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers, a Clinical Member of the NSW Child Sex Offender Counsellors Accreditation Scheme and a Provisional Educational Consultant with the NSW College of CPE. Currently semi-retired, Dr Powell is a past NSWCCPE President and Convenor of the Committee for the Asia-Pacific Conference of the International Council for Pastoral Care & Counselling 2021. Dr Powell is the trainer for Aboriginal CPE in Lismore and the Pacific School of CPE, Tonga.

Supervisors

Rev Morris Sing Key

At present Rev Morris Sing Key is a Provisional Educational Consultant with the NSW College of CPE and is working alongside Rev Dr Peter Powell. Rev Morris Sing Key has been a Chaplain for over 26 years in Sydney Hospitals and a CPE Supervisor for over 23 years. His research interests include models of Pastoral Care and Spiritual Assessment models and Theological Reflection. He is an adjunct lecturer at Morling College in the Master of Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care Program. Morris also is available for Professional Individual Supervision.

Susanne Schmidt

Susanne Schmidt is a Provisional Clinical Educator with the NSW College of CPE. She has been working in Pastoral Care for over 15 years and in Clinical Pastoral Education for most of that time. She is currently a Pastoral Care Manager at a Canberra Hospital and has a special interest in research, having published several papers. Her pastoral and spiritual care interests include patient documentation, new models of spirituality, and reflection in spiritual care (theological reflection) in the post-modern spiritual era.

What courses are offered?

CPE Introductory Level Courses

(40 hours)

This is the minimum requirement to join a hospital chaplaincy team: The introductory CPE course is suitable for lay people, theological students and clergy wanting an orientation into pastoral care in the hospital environment and also insight into the needs and vulnerability of hospital patients and their families. The principles of this course can be translated across into other Pastoral Care settings. This course may be available over one intensive 40 hour week or one day a week over 5 weeks. Students will also be introduced to theological reflection, spiritual assessment and pastoral care models during this course.

Basic CPE Program

(400 hours)

The course will help participants become more aware of their listening and responding skills, understand the power of empathy, have a better understanding of the needs of hospital patients and provide students with an opportunity to explore and examine a case study (verbatim) of a visit to a patient by a chaplain or a CPE trainee. The 40hr INTRODUCTORY course acts as a pre-requisite for the BASIC 400hr course and is the minimal hospital requirement for any volunteer pastoral carers to visit in NSW Hospitals.

 

Who can apply?

  • Parish workers and volunteers
  • Those wishing to work in pastoral and spiritual care and chaplaincy
  • Nurses/teachers interested in holistic care
  • Those seeking more effective ways to care for people's spiritual needs
  • Those wishing to discern their suitability to be a pastoral or spiritual carer
  • Kind hearted people with a genuine care for others
  • Those interested in spiritual care in Aged Care Facilities

2024 Course Dates

 Queanbeyan campus 

Susanne runs regular 40 hour Introductory courses in-person, usually on a Wednesday, when there are sufficient numbers.

Please contact her to indicate your interest.

400 Hour Foundational CPE

Fridays March 1- August 9, 2024 Canberra (in-person)

Contact Susanne Schmidt on susannecpe@gmail.com for details


 

Westmead Hospital campus 

400 Hour Foundational CPE

Semester 1 - 2024

A two day Orientation on Mon & Tues 29th & 30th Jan 2024

Course is then run on Mondays:

Feb: 5 , 12 , 19, 26 (wk 5)

Mar : 4 , 11 , 18 , 25 (wk 9)

Apr : 8 (MTE)  , 15 (MTE)  , 22 & 29 ( wk 13)

May : 6 , 13 , 20 , 27 (wk 17)

June: 3 ,  17 (FE) , 24 (FE) (wk 20)

MTE = Mid Term Evaluation.  FE = Final Evaluation

Semester 2 - 2024

A two day Orientation on Mon & Tues 8th & 9th July 2024

Course is then run on Mondays:

July: 15th , 22nd , 29th (wk 4)

Aug : 5th , 12th , 19th & 26th (wk 8)

Sept : 2nd , 9th (MTE) 16th (MTE) , 23rd & 30th (wk 13)

Oct :  14th , 21st & 28th  (wk 16)

Nov: 4th , 11th , 18th (FE) 25th (FE) (wk 20)

MTE = Mid Term Evaluation.  FE = Final Evaluation

Year Long Multi – Faith CPE Unit

There will be a Year Long Multi-faith CPE Unit meeting once a month over 10 months from February to November 2024.
Rev Mark Muss an Experienced Prison Chaplain will co-supervise with Rev Morris Sing Key.
You must be available to participate On line via ZOOM Mode on Thursdays & Fridays once a month.
Total of 20 DAYS ( we meet each month from Feb to Nov)
Feb : 15th & 16th  ; Mar : 14th & 15th ; Apr : 11th & 12th
May : 9th & 10th ; June : 6th & 7th  ; July 18th & 19th 
Aug : 15  & 16 ; Sept : 5th & 6th ; Oct :  3rd & 4th Nov : 7th & 8th

 

What is the cost?

Introductory CPE Courses

$400.00

Includes the cost of the CPE certificate

400 Hour Basic CPE Program

$2200.00

Includes the cost of the CPE certificate

CPE Unit

For students enrolled in the MA (Chaplaincy) degree program

$3404.00

Advanced CPE Unit

2024 fee to be advised

For Further Information Contact

Peter Powell

@ peterpowell1944@gmail.com

or

Morris Key

@ msingkey@gmail.com

Academic Recognition

As a Member Institute of the Sydney College of Divinity, the NSW College of Clinical Pastoral Education provides Master of Arts degrees specialising in Chaplaincy and Pastoral Supervision, and gives credit for Basic and Advanced Units of CPE.

Students with a Bachelor degree or other relevant qualification may enrol in a Master of Arts (leading to a Specialisation in Chaplaincy) which is offered by the NSW College of CPE through the Sydney College of Divinity. Students undertake three core units of CPE (CPE 1, 2, 3) and receive 54 credit points, half the course work.

The remaining 54 credit points may be gained by enrolment in related courses (such as theology, Biblical studies, pastoral counselling) offered through the other member institutes of the Sydney College of Divinity.

Find out more about student life at NSWCCPE

Call our Registrar on 0420 359 097 or send an email message

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