ASSOCIATION OF CHAPLAINS IN EDUCATION (ACE)
ACE - Spiritual and pastoral care for education
Professionalizing chaplaincy and holistic learner transformation in Ghana
Mandate
To professionalize, strengthen, and coordinate chaplaincy services within the education sector; particularly TVET through capacity building, ethical formation, mentorship, and spiritually grounded learner transformation programmes.
Strategic Position
ACE is not a church, not a revival ministry, and not a student fellowship.
It is a professional, systems-oriented chaplaincy body that operates within institutional rules while shaping moral, spiritual, and character outcomes in learners.
Scope of Work
ACE’s work is organized under five interlinked pillars:
Pillar 1: Chaplain Professionalization & Standards
Development of chaplaincy competency frameworks for educational settings
Ethics, safeguarding, and professional conduct standards
Accreditation and recognition pathways
Pillar 2: Continuous Training & Capacity Building
Induction programmes for new chaplains
Annual CPD programmes
Specialized training for TVET environments (youth at risk, discipline, counselling)
Pillar 3: Learner Spiritual & Character Formation
Values-based programmes embedded in school life
Moral leadership and citizenship development
Faith-informed life skills for TVET learners
Pillar 4: Experiential Faith & Values Engagement
Structured spiritual and ethical events aligned with educational calendars
Inter-institutional learner engagement activities
Pillar 5: Mentorship & Knowledge Transfer
Structured mentorship for young and emerging chaplains
Documentation and transfer of institutional chaplaincy wisdom
Strategic Targets
- Establish ACE chapters in all TVET regions of Ghana
- Register and profile 200+ practicing chaplains
- Train 500+ chaplains and assistant chaplains through CPD
- Reach 200,000+ learners through character and spiritual programmes
- Develop one nationally recognized chaplaincy practice framework for education
Projected Core Programmes & Activities
a. National Chaplaincy Capacity Building Programme
- Quarterly training workshops
- Topics: counselling, adolescent psychology, ethics, safeguarding, crisis response, interfaith sensitivity
b. TVET Learners Spiritual & Character Transformation Series
- Bible Quiz & Values Competitions
- Ethical Leadership Forums
- Purpose, Discipline & Work Ethic Seminars
c. National Faith & Values Festivals (Annual / Biennial)
- Prayer Festivals
- Praise & Worship Conferences
- Music & Arts for Transformation Festivals
- Drama & Spoken Word Nights
d. Chaplains Mentorship & Apprenticeship Scheme
- One-on-one and cohort-based mentoring
- Senior chaplains matched with early-career chaplains
- Documentation of lived chaplaincy cases and lessons
e. Chaplaincy Knowledge & Resource Hub
- Manuals, sermon frameworks, counselling guides
- Case studies from TVET institutions
- Digital repository (long-term)
Innovative Approaches
1. Competency-Based Chaplaincy Model
Clear skills, behaviours, and ethical standards
2. Event-as-Formation Model
Spiritual events designed with learning objectives, reflection tools, and follow-up activities
3. Mentorship as Institutional Memory
Systematic capture of senior Chaplain’s lived experiences
4. TVET-Specific Chaplaincy Practice
Addressing identity, discipline, employability ethics, substance abuse, and life purpose
5. Hybrid Faith Engagement
Physical events + digital devotionals, reflections, and learning tools
Governance & Management Structure
Governing Board
- Chairperson
- Vice Chair
- Secretary
- Finance & Audit Lead
- Programmes Lead
- Safeguarding & Ethics Lead
National Secretariat
- National Chaplain
- Programmes Coordinator (Chaplaincy & Training)
- Events & Outreach Coordinator
- Finance & Administration Officer
Required Operational Documents
- Constitution / Governing Instrument
- Board Charter & Code of Conduct
- Chaplaincy Ethics & Safeguarding Policy
- Operations & Administration Manual
- Financial Management & Procurement Policy
- Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) Framework
- Membership & Accreditation Guidelines
- Mentorship Programme Framework
- Partnerships & Stakeholder Engagement Strategy
- Risk Management & Crisis Response Protocol