''It is not my job to proselytise or to win souls,'' Canon Wooldridge said.

If that happened it would be a happy accident.

Neither would he be a welfare worker.

He would be responsible for pastoral care, which was about spirituality, self-understanding and self-worth.

''It is about sitting beside people for long enough to interact with their world like they do and to see things as they do.''

Canon Wooldridge has worked in the Anglican Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn since his ordination in 1978.

In 1984, he was the first chaplain at Radford College and before his appointment to Goulburn jail four years ago he was rector of Queanbeyan for 12 years.

His role at the prison includes running Christian chapel services and coordinating people of other faiths to conduct services.

He does not know whether his work will help some people not to return to the prison but said he would like to think so.

''I am not here to rescue anyone. I am not here to fix anyone ... My concern is that they are here and what they do in the face of that.''

In what seems a contradiction, he said, ''The difficulty for me is I am not naturally a people person.

''I am temperamentally a fairly strong introvert.''

Despite this, he will deal with people's anger, loneliness, disappointments, grief, hopelessness and terrible self-esteem.

Of the jail itself, he is impressed with its space and that prisoners can walk outside to see the horizon, ''so the physical design is very good''.

He had also been impressed with the culture and attitude of the staff.

The culture of prisoners and officers despising each other was not evident. His training for the position had emphasised the need for mutual respect.

His experience has taught him the importance of setting boundaries.

''People always want to know where the boundary is,'' he said.

Corrections Minister John Hargreaves said that with his tattoos, earring and love of motorcycles, Canon Wooldridge did not necessarily fit the stereotype of a clergyman.

He has a laconic, sometimes almost irreverent style, but frequently reflects his priestly calling.

''I think of my time here [the jail] as a lived-out invitation for this place to speak to me of God's love,'' the chaplain said.