Diaconia – Pastoral Formation Institute

(EN) Emotional Support In The Community: Basic Skills for Pastoral Workers

03/07/2024

For the version in Maltese, please refer to: https://pfi.edu.mt/course/emotional-support/.

This course is eligible for the Get Formed! scheme, allowing students to reclaim 70% of their course fees upon completion. For more information, visit: https://pfi.edu.mt/get-formed/.

The aim of this course is to empower individuals without academic backgrounds in psychology, such as pastoral workers, volunteers, and others interested in enhancing their fundamental knowledge, skills, and attitudes for interacting effectively with parishioners or others. This course introduces participants to helping skills, theories, and approaches.

Through study and discussion, students gain awareness of tools that assist them in their work with people from diverse cultural and social backgrounds. The course provides an opportunity to reflect on methods used in their work and relationships and evaluate their effectiveness.

By the end of this course, the participant will be able to:

Understand the basic theories and skills of helping.
Know how to listen and respond appropriately.
Provide emotional and spiritual support.
Identify when to refer someone to professional help

Individuals without an academic background in psychology, including:

Those who regularly provide support and companionship to colleagues and friends in their workplace, family, etc.
Pastoral workers, volunteers, or individuals who interact with people in need or visit residential homes.

Target Audience Age: 18+

In this session, participants will explore pastoral work’s helping skills, including active listening, providing support, and validating feelings.

In this session, participants will discuss the crucial skill of empathy in assisting others. Participants will have the opportunity to practice this skill during the session. Additionally, participants will thoroughly explore the practice of maintaining boundaries, as clear and established limits in our work contribute to safe and effective connections.

In this session, participants will cultivate self-awareness; they will be prompted to reflect on and acknowledge their strengths, challenges, beliefs, thoughts, and emotions.

In this session, participants will explore their own spiritual journey and recognize its manifestations in their personal lives and within the community. It will delve into cultural diversity, other religious denominations, and spiritual practices within the parish, examining their impact on individual and community life. Additionally, the session will address spiritual accompaniment and religious practices, differentiating between them and exploring their potential synergy.

In this session, participants will learn when to refer individuals to professional help, understand the significance of confidentiality in pastoral work, and recognize the boundaries of confidentiality.

The course will take place on Mondays from 6:00pm to 8:00pm

This course will be offered in English, for the version in Maltese here: https://pfi.edu.mt/course/emotional-support/

Date	Session
11th November 2024	Learning how to listen, contain and validate feelings
18th November 2024	Learning how to empathise while keeping healthy boundaries
25th November 2024	Learning how to support others emotionally as a pastoral worker/non-professional
2nd December 2024	How to support others spiritually as a pastoral worker/non-professional
9th December 2024	Learning when, where and how to refer someone to professional help

This course has three exit certificate options:

Certificate of Attendance

To obtain a Certificate of Attendance, students must attend all the course contact hours.

2. Certificate of Participation

To obtain a Certificate of Participation, students must attend all the contact hours and pass the short multiple-choice online exam.

3. Certificate of Achievement

To obtain a Certificate of Achievement, students must:

attend all the contact hours;
pass the short multiple-choice online exam;
and successfully complete a Case Study Analysis;

Every application will be considered on its individual merits. The Pastoral Formation Institute accepts a wide range of qualifications, and we always try to judge applications on the basis of academic potential. We do consider a very wide range of academic, vocational, and professional qualifications, as well as work and other appropriate experiences and skills.

Language: Participants must have a primary level understanding of English.

Digital: Participants must know how to access the internet and use office suites.

Award in Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults

17/02/2024

The Pastoral Formation Institute is licensed by MFHEA
(Licence #: 2013-FHI-023) as a Further and Higher Educational Institute. The Award in Safeguarding Children & Vulnerable Adults is accredited at EQF/MQF Level 4, as Further Education Programme.

This short course will assist employees and volunteers who work with children and vulnerable adults or handle their data, to recognise the key principles of safeguarding and learn to create a safe environment for children, young people, and vulnerable adults.

The intended learning outcomes:

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

familiarise themselves with safeguarding policies
understand the legal obligations with child abuse
identify signs and symptoms of abuse
know the disclosures of abuse
identify the principles of safeguarding
practice professional boundaries
know their legal obligations related to the Protection of Minors (Registration) Act (2011) and the Minors Protection Act (2019)
learn about the different types of abuse and poor practice
learn a standard response to a disclosure of abuse
be able to recognise signs of abuse
identify the actions to take if you have a concern and who can help

Click here to view and download a detailed course description

Employees who work with children and vulnerable adults
Employees who handle children and vulnerable adults` data
Volunteers who work with children and vulnerable adults
Volunteers who handle children and vulnerable adults` data.

Code	Mode of Delivery	Value
PFE/SCA4-23	Blended Learning	1 ECTS

The course is delivered over 5 contact hours. These 5 hours are delivered over two sessions:

3 hours – In person session (Face-to-Face Learning)
2 hours – recorded material which can be accessed on the PFI`s Moodle Portal (Blended Learning)

Students will also be given additional reading material which they can read in their own time.

Click here to view and download a detailed course description

You may find all the dates in the Calendar section below.

Each course is delivered over two sessions; (a) 3-hour, in-person session and (b) 2 hours of recorded material which can be accessed on the PFI’s Moodle Portal.

May 2024

Lecturing Period

Mode of Delivery	Date & Time	Venue
In-person	11th May 2024 from 9:00am to 12:00pm	Ta’ Mlit Pastoral Centre, Mosta
Recorded Material	11^th – 20^th May 2024	Recorded videos on the VLE platform

Assessment Period:

Assessment	Available From	Due by
Short Multiple-Choice Online Exam	11^th May 2024	Monday 27^th May 2024
Reflective Journal	11^th May 2024	Thursday 27^th June 2024

This course has three exit certificate options:

Certificate of Attendance

A Certificate of Attendance will be rewarded to students who have:

attended in-person session
watched all the recorded material
and did not submit any course assessments.

Certificate of Participation

A Certificate of Participation* will be rewarded to students who meet the attendance criteria and successfully conclude the course multiple choice test. (please check the calendar tab above for exam dates)

Certificate of Achievement

A Certificate of Achievement* is awarded to students who successfully concluded the course, that is;

meet the attendance criteria
sit and pass the short multiple-choice online exam (mentioned in point 2),
and also submit a written assessment

Click here to view the PFI`s Grading System

*_{To obtain a Certificate of Achievement or a Certificate of Participation, a student must; attend all the contact hours and successfully conclude the assessment/s}.

EQF/MQF Level: Level 4

Accreditation Category: Further Education Programme

Total ECTS: 2 ECTS

Teaching Institutions: Safeguarding Commission together with Pastoral Formation Institute

Award Institution: Pastoral Formation Institute

Qualifications: Every application will be considered on its individual merits. The Pastoral Formation Institute accepts a wide range of qualifications, and we always try to judge applications on the basis of academic potential. We do consider a very wide range of academic, vocational, and professional qualifications, as well as work and other appropriate experiences and skills.

Language: Primary level understanding of Maltese and English.

Digital: Knows how to access the internet and use a word processor.

For courses offered in face-to-face learning and Blended Learning, it is required that applicants reside in the Maltese Islands and use their Maltese address in their application form.

For further information regarding visa requirements, head to Identity Malta’s VISA requirement for third-country nationals.

The Jubilee – Pilgrims of Hope

25/10/2023

This course is eligible for the Get Formed! scheme, allowing students to reclaim 70% of their course fees upon completion. For more information, visit: https://pfi.edu.mt/get-formed/.

This course aims to help participants to prepare themselves and be able to prepare others for The Jubilee of 2025, centred around the theme of hope.

Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the biblical foundations of the words “jubilee,” “hope,” and “pilgrimage”. The course will delve into the teachings of Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis on the subject of hope. A dedicated session will be devoted to applying the concept of Jubilee in our contemporary context and understanding its relevance to the Church’s mission of Evangelisation.

Pastoral Workers
Individuals interested to prepare for the jubilee

Target Audience Age: 18+

TBA

This course has three exit certificate options:

Certificate of Attendance

The student will receive a Certificate of Attendance when attending a minimum 80% of all contact hours for this course.

Certificate of Participation

The student will receive a Certificate of Participation when attending a minimum 80% of all contact hours for this course and pass from short multiple-choice exam.

Certificate of Achievement

To obtain a Certificate of Achievement, students must:

attend a minimum 80% of all contact hours
pass from short multiple-choice exam
pass from written assessment

Language: Applicants must be fluent in English and have basic proficiency in Maltese.

Digital: Applicants must be digitally literate, especially on how to access the internet and use office suites.

Introduction to Diakonia

25/10/2023

This course is eligible for the Get Formed! scheme, allowing students to reclaim 70% of their course fees upon completion. For more information, visit: https://pfi.edu.mt/get-formed/.

This online course will explore the roots of Diakonia in Sacred Scripture and early Christian communities. Participants will have the opportunity to explore the relationship between Diakonia, faith, and prayer while delving into key areas of Catholic Social Teaching. Additionally, participants will examine the evolution of Diakonia in Malta and learn about available services.

This course is intended for:

Individuals who are already involved in Diakonia and wish to deepen their involvement in it.
Individuals who are interested in becoming involved in Diakonia.
Individuals who are interested in offering Diakonia-related services through a Church entity that they form part of.

_{N.B. completing this course does not entitle the student to automatically become a pastoral operator engaged in Djakonija within any specific parish. Such appointments are made at the discretion of the Parish Priest/Chaplain of the respective Parish/community.}

Target Audience Age: 18+

The course will be delivered entirely through a series of pre-recorded lectures accessible on our VLE platform at a time and place convenient for you.

In these pre-recorded lectures, the following subjects will be covered:

Biblical meaning of the word Diakonia and the word in the Old Testament;
Djakonija in the New Testament with special reference to Acts;
Djakonija in the first communities – the link between kerygma, koinonia, diakonia and liturgia;
Personal prayer life leads me to Diakonia;
The link between faith and life is one of the cornerstones of Christian theology and can be described in a variety of ways. For St Paul, “the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”;
Evangelisation, djakonija and the digital age;
Malta’s reality has changed – what are today’s sociological ‘pains’?;
The Preferential Option for the Poor & the four pillars of Catholic social teaching; human dignity common good, subsidiarity and solidarity;
How the Church in Malta was a pioneer in the Diakonia sector;
What Diakonia services are being offered today? What are the different types of professionals working in this field?

This course has three exit certificate options:

Certificate of Attendance

The student will receive a Certificate of Attendance upon viewing all pre-recorded lectures on our VLE platform.

2. Certificate of Participation

The student will receive a Certificate of Participation upon viewing all pre-recorded lectures on our VLE platform and passing short multiple-choice examinations.

3. Certificate of Achievement

The student will receive a Certificate of Achievement upon viewing all pre-recorded lectures on our VLE platform, passing a short multiple-choice examination, and passing from a written assignment.

Language: A primary level understanding of Maltese and English is required.

Digital: Ability to access the internet and use an office suite is required.

(MT) Emotional Support In The Community: Basic Skills for Pastoral Workers

09/10/2023

This course is eligible for the Get Formed! scheme, allowing students to reclaim 70% of their course fees upon completion. For more information, visit: https://pfi.edu.mt/get-formed/.

By the end of this course, the participant will be able to:

Understand the basic theories and skills of helping.
Know how to listen and respond appropriately.
Provide emotional and spiritual support.
Identify when to refer someone to professional help.

Individuals without an academic background in psychology, including:

Those who regularly provide support and companionship to colleagues and friends in their workplace, family, etc.
Pastoral workers, volunteers, or individuals who interact with people in need or visit residential homes.

Target Audience Age: 18+

In this session, participants will explore pastoral work’s helping skills, including active listening, providing support, and validating feelings.

In this session, participants will cultivate self-awareness; they will be prompted to reflect on and acknowledge their strengths, challenges, beliefs, thoughts, and emotions.

The course will take place on Mondays from 6:00pm to 8:00pm

Date	Session
7th October 2024	Learning how to listen, contain and validate feelings
14th October 2024	Learning how to empathise while keeping healthy boundaries
21st October 2024	Learning how to support others emotionally as a pastoral worker/non-professional
28th October 2024	How to support others spiritually as a pastoral worker/non-professional
4th November 2024	Learning when, where and how to refer someone to professional help

This course has three exit certificate options:

Certificate of Attendance

To obtain a Certificate of Attendance, students must attend all the course contact hours.

2. Certificate of Participation

To obtain a Certificate of Participation, students must attend all the contact hours and pass the short multiple-choice online exam.

3. Certificate of Achievement

To obtain a Certificate of Achievement, students must:

attend all the contact hours;
pass the short multiple-choice online exam;
and successfully complete a Case Study Analysis;

Language: Participants must have a primary level understanding of Maltese and English.

Digital: Participants must know how to access the internet and use office suites.

(EN) Emotional Support: Self Awareness and Self Care

06/10/2023

This course will be offered in English. A version in Maltese will be available at a later stage in the academic year.

This course is eligible for the Get Formed! scheme, allowing students to reclaim 70% of their course fees upon completion. For more information, visit: https://pfi.edu.mt/get-formed/.

This is a follow-up course which complements the ‘Emotional Support in the Community: Basic Skills’ course. This course focuses on and encourages the participants to engage in reflective practice, and to enhance the skills of self-awareness. It takes an in-depth look at issues related to transference and countertransference, and how these influence the individuals receiving the service.

The course then delves into the topic of mental health, focusing on supporting people with mental health issues, particularly when it comes to depression and anxiety. The course also aims to create an opportunity to discuss self-care practices, which are crucial to providing the best possible care.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this course, the student will be able to:

Understand the importance of self-awareness and how to apply it to themselves in a personal and pastoral care context.
Define and describe transference and countertransference and what prompts them.
Comprehend the meaning of reflective practice, and hence begin to analyse their practices to gain a better understanding of quality service, which ensures a safe and positive working environment.
Grasp the concepts of mental health and mental health issues and how they affect daily life.
Explore what depression is (and is not) and highlight the difference between ‘normal’ anxiety and anxiety disorders.
Understand the importance of taking care of themselves as service providers.

The course is highly recommended for:

Those who completed Emotional Support in the Community: Basic Skills with the Pastoral Formation Institute.
People who desire to enhance their listening abilities, to improve their relationships with family members, and co-workers.
Supportive individuals who wish to care for themselves in the process of helping others.

Target Audience Age: 18+

During their personal commitments, pastoral workers have a variety of experiences that help them better understand themselves.

Knowing oneself and becoming self-aware helps those involved in pastoral work relate to those with whom they are called to be in a relationship more effectively. It’s vital as they strive to treat others’ feelings, points of view, and circumstances with kindness and faithfulness.

In addition to self-awareness, emotional self-awareness encourages pastoral workers to investigate how their emotions influence their pastoral work. Hence, it is vital that they keep their emotions in check.

Countertransference occurs when the person receiving the service triggers the pastoral worker’s unconscious wants, desires, or experiences. In certain circumstances, pastoral professionals may be unaware of the needs or sentiments developing within themselves. As a result, a volunteer or pastoral worker must have good psychological health and emotional maturity.

Due to unresolved feelings, the pastoral worker or volunteer becomes a person from the past for the individual receiving the service through transference. A significant relationship is formed through association when a pastoral worker reminds a layperson of someone who has been a nurturing influence in their life.

Reflective practice in pastoral ministry is associated with an increased awareness of the minister’s own style in service, as well as validation of his or her own ideas. There may be room for constructive challenges to customary practices. This will aid in clarifying the role of the ministry in society.

Reflective practice also assists pastoral workers in identifying their own strengths and limitations and using this knowledge to encourage their peers to enhance their performance or service. Reflection will help the volunteer improve their self-directed learning ability, motivation, and the level of care they can provide.

Because pastoral workers engage with people on a daily basis, it is critical that they are aware of any mental health concerns that may be harming their service users’ well-being. During this session, we will have an overview of mental health concerns that may be affecting individuals we meet through our volunteer work.

As a result, they will recognize that good mental health entails being able to think, feel, and behave in ways that you need and want to live your life. However, if you experience a period of poor mental health, you may find that the ways you often think, feel, or react become difficult, if not impossible, to manage.

During this session, pastoral workers will gain a better understanding of the causes that contribute to depression, as well as how trauma can contribute to it. They will also appreciate the connections between childhood trauma and how adults function with and without depression and anxiety issues. With all this information, pastoral workers will learn how to support these individuals while respecting their autonomy.

There may be a misconception that self-care is unnecessary during pastoral work because a minister is supposed to devote their lives to others with boundless love. However, pastoral workers will become more conscious of the importance of self-care during this session. They are less likely to break boundaries, burn out, or engage in risky behavior if they practice self-care, which helps lower overall stress and helps them achieve balance. They are becoming more aware that when they take care of themselves, they are also taking care of others.

The course will take place on Mondays from 6:00pm to 8:00pm

This course will be offered in English. A version in Maltese will be available at a later stage in the academic year.

Date	Session
13th January 2024	Understanding self-awareness
20th January 2024	Discussing transference and countertransference
27th January 2024	Understanding that reflective practice is an important tool in our work
3rd February 2024	Understanding mental health and supporting people with mental health issues
17th February 2024	Working with people who are depressed or anxious while dealing with trauma
24th February 2024	Appreciating and practicing self-care

Certification: 

This course offers three exit certificate options

1. Certificate of Attendance

To receive a Certificate of Attendance, students must attend a minimum of 80% of the course contact hours.

2. Certificate of Participation

To obtain a Certificate of Participation, students must attend all the contact hours and pass the short multiple-choice online exam.

3. Certificate of Achievement

To obtain a Certificate of Achievement, students must:

attend all minimum of 80% of the contact hours;
pass the short multiple-choice online exam;
and successfully complete a Case Study Analysis.

Teaching and Awarding Institution: Pastoral Formation Institute

Qualifications: Every application will be considered on its individual merits. The Pastoral Formation Institute accepts a wide range of qualifications, and we always strive to evaluate applications based on academic potential. We consider a diverse range of academic, vocational, and professional qualifications, as well as work and other relevant experiences and skills.

Language Skills: A basic understanding of both Maltese and English.

Digital Skills: Proficient in internet access and word processing.

Introduction to Holy Communion

01/01/2023 Online

This course is eligible for the Get Formed! scheme, allowing students to reclaim 70% of their course fees upon completion. For more information, visit: https://pfi.edu.mt/get-formed/.

Course Description

The course Introduction to the Eucharist is designed to give the extraordinary minister formation and direction for distributing communion during masses and to be a guide to help him/her in taking communion to those who are unable to join the community in person. By the end of this course the student will:

have a basic biblical and theological understanding of the teachings related to the Eucharist.
know the language in which liturgical worship is explicit.
learn most matters concerning the rite of Communion.
learn to appreciate more the sacrament of Holy Communion.
acquire a deeper knowledge of the role of the extraordinary minister.
grasp the spiritual meaning that this role entails

Intended For

Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion who provide a service during church masses, in residential elderly homes or homebound sick persons.
Those who wish to learn to appreciate more the sacrament of Holy Communion.
Those who are starting their service as extraordinary ministers.

Please Note: Doing this course does not entitle the student to become an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion. Extraordinary ministers are chosen by the pastor of the parish/community.

Curriculum

Part 1: God With Us – Dogmatic Theology

Christian theology on God’s revelation in the Eucharist.
The communitarian dimension of the Eucharist.
Eucharistic miracles around the world.
Re-actualisation – understanding the past, present and future dimensions of the sacraments.
Terminology for the Blessed Sacrament.

Part 2: The Biblical Foundations of the Eucharist

The scriptural perspective of the Church’s teachings on the Eucharist.
The foreshadowing of the Eucharist in the Old Testament.
The Last Supper narratives.
The testimony of St Paul on the Eucharist.
Exegesis.

Part 3: The Eucharist in Daily Life

The role of the extraordinary minister at mass and at home.
The effects of the Eucharist on the community.
Cultivating my relationship with God through the Eucharist.
Way of life of the extraordinary minister.
The spiritual dimension of the role of the Eucharistic minister – testimonials:

Calendar

The course is delivered in short, recorded sessions which are each about 18 minutes long. The student will be provided with a username and a password so s/he can watch these sessions on his/her own device. The total number of minutes amounts to 5-6 hours including the assessment.

Usernames and passwords will be sent to students within a week of payment confirmation.

Assessment & Certification

Assessment: Multiple choice test after each online session. The pass mark is 60%.

Certificate: Certificate of completion will be awarded to those who complete all the sessions and pass all the assessments.

An electronic certificate will be sent via email, within a week of successfully completing the course.

Awarding and Teaching Institution: Pastoral Formation Institute

Entry Requirement

A very well-prepared course – portraying the beauty of the Sacrament of Holy Communion.
Unfortunately, we tend to take the Eucharist for granted. After following the course, you become more aware of the importance behind this ministry.

Maria Farrugia

It is more than an introduction – it highlights the treasure we have in the Catholic faith of having the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist and how honoured we should feel when we are called to share in the eucharistic ministry.

Sr Teresa Tonna

Thank you for this enriching experience. It helped me grow spiritually and gave me the opportunity to look at the sacrament of the eucharist in a profound way.

Melanie Ungaro

Since I work in a church school and I’m directly involved in the spiritual formation of our students I had wanted to do this course. The way it was presented was very convenient to do it at my own time. Found it very informative and interesting

Eugenia Blake

The course has challenged me and also helped me to believe more in the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. I also thank the team of PFI.

Sr Rosemary Onyinyechi Akamnonu

I thoroughly enjoyed this course. Lectures were short, to the point & well delivered. Apart from providing me with factual information about the Eucharist, this course has deepened my appreciation and love for the Blessed Sacrament.

Christine Galea