Here at Middlesbrough College, we have a large network of support services to help our students and staff. Providing support to our community is of the utmost importance to us, as we know how vital it is to take care of your personal wellbeing.
We are proud to be working closely with Naomi along with her delightful Therapy Dog Brengle and are delighted to offer a Chaplain Service for our College community.
Our official Middlesbrough College Chaplain Naomi provides pastoral and spiritual guidance to anyone who wishes to speak to her, with the option to have Brengle at your appointment too for extra cuddly support!
Naomi has been involved with Middlesbrough College for 3 years, bringing her golden retriever to meet students and spread happiness across the building! During this time, Naomi’s role has developed, and she is now the official College Chaplain, working alongside the Safeguarding and Welfare team. Naomi and Brengle are so important to our College community and their roles have made a significant difference to the wellbeing of students and staff.
We asked Naomi about Chaplaincy and what the service provides, she said:
“Chaplaincy is an opportunity for students and staff to come and talk to me about anything! They might have questions about faith, or it might be something completely unrelated to faith. You don’t need to be religious to talk to a chaplain! Chaplains are there to be a listening ear and to help people feel listened to and valued.
“In my regular work life, I am a Christian minister within The Salvation Army. Therefore, if people do have ‘bigger’ life questions, then I’m a good person to talk to about these too. However, it’s also perfectly fine to come along and chat just because you need someone to talk to.
“Appointments can be booked in with me. These can include my therapy dog, Brengle, or can be just with me. Sometimes people who are shy of talking to humans might want to come along and cuddle the dog instead.
“It’s so important to make sure we have good support networks. Nobody at Middlesbrough College needs to be stuck. There are plenty of services there to support everyone and chaplaincy is a part of this.
“There is no topic too big or small. You might have had a bereavement and want to talk about life after death. Or you might be struggling with exam stress and need to sit and destress for a while. You might be having relationship issues and need to talk to someone about it. Chaplaincy is designed to be non-judgemental, accessible, and friendly.”
If you are a student or staff member and you are interested in speaking to Naomi or having a visit from Brengle, please book an appointment!
For further details on available dates and times to see Naomi and Brengle, speak to your tutor or a member of the safeguarding team. There will also be posters around the College and displays on the screens which have a QR code to directly make an appointment.