Live-In Volunteer Assistants

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L’Arche Cork is looking for live-in assistants to join their community. We need people who are willing to spend a year in Cork, Ireland living in a L’Arche home with adults who have intellectual disabilities, the core members of the community, sharing life, laughter, and friendship.

In L'Arche as a live-in assistant, you will provide hands-on assistance with daily living skills, finances, and health care and you will be supported and cared for by our core members. This is much more than a job; what we offer at L’Arche is an exceptional and life-changing adventure in friendship, self-discovery, and the opportunity to grow and develop as a person.

In return for the gifts you’ll bring, you will discover a very simple and honest joy in the relationships you build with other people, both with and without intellectual disabilities. That is what makes L’Arche so unique.

Live-In assistants receive food, accommodation, formation, holiday time and a personal allowance. In addition, they are offered a minimum of four training sessions throughout the year to improve their skills in areas such as emergency first aid, manual handling and working in a diverse community. Along with that, L’Arche also offers the opportunity to explore future life vocations.

Ready for a big challenge?

Our live-In assistants are a vital part of L’Arche communities, since they accompany core members in their activities of daily life and support them in sharing their gifts and abilities within the house and the larger community.

Such experiences can be hugely rewarding. But being a volunteer does require enthusiasm and perseverance. Usually our live-in assistants are attracted by the possibility of living in a new environment that is both unique and exciting. Assistants soon discover the wisdom and unpretentiousness of people with intellectual disabilities.

In that context, L'Arche might be a challenging place to live; personal illusions and weaknesses are confronted and strengths are built upon. Are you up for the challenge?

What are we looking for?

Our live-in assistants are as unique as our core members. They come from around the world and around the corner, and have a broad range of backgrounds, trainings and skills. They come to L’Arche from all stages of life: after college, as a shift from a previous career, or after their formal career. Some people have experience working with people with disabilities, but most do not.

So what do all of them have in common? Mainly, their desire to share life together in a community setting, their open hearts, willingness to learn and a deep belief in the unique value of every individual.

Our live-in assistants are:

• Warm and friendly
• Easy to work with
• Creative and proactive
• Effective communicators (Live-in assistants in Ireland must have at least a B2 level of English (according to CEFR) when they arrive
• Fun - A good sense of humour is always appreciated
• Strong team-oriented, with ability to take directions from staff and to lead when required
• Committed and reliable
• Good listeners and observers
• Willing to stay in the community for at least one year

If you are a caring, compassionate person looking to make a difference and ready for a challenge, we invite you to apply.

Please send an email to assistants.cork@larche.ie telling us about yourself and why you want to join us.