Excursions & Workshops

About the Workshop:

As higher education institutions navigate the complexities of pluralism, the design of shared spiritual space often defaults to a sterile “neutrality.” This frequently results in soul-less environments that satisfy institutional policy but fail to foster true community or belonging. This workshop challenges the “neutral room” model, offering a transformative, relational approach to creating spaces that resonate with a “spirituality-seeking” generation.

While the context of postmodern Aotearoa New Zealand serves as our spring-board, the challenges addressed are universal. Whether in the secularized cities of Europe or the diverse campuses of North America, chaplains are searching for ways to make “interfaith” spaces feel authentically spiritual. We will explore the universal tensions of naming and hospitality: How do we include the “nones” and those wounded by religion? How do we move beyond a “prayer room” booking system to build a shared ethos?

This session is designed as a collaborative laboratory rather than a lecture. Using the facilitator’s experience establishing Te Mana o te Whakapono (a Faith and Spirituality Centre) in a policy-void environment as a case study, we will investigate how indigenous spiritualities and Pacific perspectives on hospitality provide a vital “third way.” By centering whanaungatanga (intentional relationship-building), we will examine how naming, hospitality, and shared values move the campus community from being mere “visitors” to becoming kaitiaki (guardians) of the space’s mana.

This workshop seeks strategies for:

• Moving beyond the “secular vs. religious” binary to embrace contemporary spiritualities.
• Applying relational, values-based indigenous frameworks to solve modern administrative and social frictions.
• Consideration of the impact of naming and of authentic hospitality on the inclusion of marginalised identities and the “spiritually independent.”
• Transforming under-utilised “prayer rooms” into vibrant, co-owned community hubs.

The Collaborative Process Participants from the Global North and South will

troubleshoot the “secular-spiritual” frictions on their own campuses through a values exercise. This co-design process will identify the core pillars of an ideal spiritual hub—focusing on who people see and what they feel when they walk in. The insights and “best practice” methodologies shared will be synthesized into a collaborative “Working Paper” for inclusion in the conference proceedings, serving as a global resource for the design and use of spiritual environments. Our goal is to develop an international peer network for ongoing dialogue on the ethical and practical evolution of campus chaplaincy.

About the Speaker:

Jill Shaw has earned two degrees in Theology, has done research in African Traditional Religions, the origins and similarities of wisdom literature across cultures and holds certifications in Professional Supervision and Clinical Pastoral Education She serves on the executive of Aotearoa New Zealand Tertiary Chaplains’ Association, is Vice-Chair of the International Association of Chaplains in Higher Education and volunteers with the NZ Religious Diversity Centre. In these roles, she advocates for constructive social change and stronger interfaith understanding.

Jill is a trusted advisor to the NZ Ministry of Ethnic Communities, Whaikaha Ministry for Disabled People, YES! Disabilities, and leads initiatives, such as Weaving Empathy and the Inclusive Faith projects fostering healing, social cohesion and meaningful community engagement. Jill has presented and consulted on the religious leaders’ role in countering violent extremism for the United Nations Asia Pacific Conference of Religious Leaders 2017 in Bangkok, Thailand, and for the Foreign Ministry of Kosovo’s Countering Violent Extremism International Conference 2016. Jill is currently a Co-coordinating Chaplain at Massey University, Auckland, where she provides spiritual support, cultural guidance, and a safe space for students & staff, having served on the chaplaincy team since 2003.