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609. County Kilkenny, Ireland 611. Dublin, Ireland 612. Tecklenburg, Germany 613. Belfast, Northern Ireland Please note: Assignments at the project will depend on the individual skills of the volunteer and the needs of the project. Therefore the specific work may vary from the job description. INFORMATION FOR THE PROSPECTIVE L'ARCHE ASSISTANT Thank you for your interest in learning about L'Arche and how we try to live. I will try to facilitate your understanding by outlining for you what it is that is the essence of L'Arche. L'Arche is a world-wide Federation of Communities for people who have mental handicaps/learning difficulties. These people are at the centre of each Community and other interested people are invited to come and share their lives, as assistants, in l'Arche. You may wish to choose to come as an assistant, and if so the following information will help you to decide. Firstly, it is important to say that l'Arche provides a home for life for its residents (if they so choose). l'Arche, in most countries, also provides a work situation, which is an intrinsic part of the life of the Community. Home in l'Arche is very close to what 'home' is for any family. It is distinct from "institutions", hospitals and other residential centres in that the assistants live in the house and share life in all its aspects, with the residents. In fact, we try to make as little distinction as possible between the assistants and the people who have a mental handicap (residents). Our aim is to accept each other for what each one of us is, as a person, regardless of our capabilities. We aim to live Community, celebrating the joys and delights which are part of Community life, but also confronting, and walking with each other in the struggles and darkness that are also, sometimes a part of life. Secondly, l'Arche offers home to assistants who come to share their lives with us, for whatever length of time they are with us. We ask the prospective assistant to bear in mind, however, that you are coming to live in the home of people who have already been here many years. Their l'Arche home is their home and they are inviting you to come and join them. We ask you to respect this very important aspect of l'Arche, and if you come, be prepared to settle in slowly, to get to know people gently and gradually, and be prepared to learn from the people you will meet. In l'Arche we welcome an abundance of diversity - diversity of culture, of language, of Church tradition, of personality, and of ability. This diversity, while often presenting challenges, adds a great richness to our Community life and we try to remain open to all comers. Therefore, we ask you to also try to be open to the different experiences with which life in l'Arche will present you. With regard to culture, we welcome applications from anyone, anywhere in the world. (Our particular Community is home for all adults, therefore we limit, at present, out intake of assistants to those who are over 21 years of age.) We also expect that you will be able to speak English with some confidence, as otherwise you will find it very difficult to settle in and we will have a lot of problems communicating. If at all possible, we ask you to visit your nearest l'Arche Community so that you can experience l'Arche in your own culture before coming to Ireland and in order to help you to decide. Regarding Church tradition, we welcome people of all religions and denominations, but it is necessary to emphasise that l'Arche Kilkenny is Roman Catholic in identity and we ask you to respect this. It is important to say that the population of the Republic of Ireland is, for the most part, Roman Catholic, therefore, our local churches are also of this tradition, for the most part. It can be difficult for people of other churches to get to services on Sundays because of distance, though we try to accommodate each person's needs as best we can. Diversity of personality is very much welcomed in l'Arche and we value people's gifts enormously. Should you choose to come to l'Arche, you will be choosing to live with people who each have their own story, their own history, people of different gifts and cultures, people who are intellectuals, non-intellectual, serious, funny, critical-minded, open, accepting, etc. You will need to be someone who is able to fit in well with a group of quite different and unique individuals. You will meet people of many different abilities in l'Arche and the challenge often presented is to be able to accept each other for whatever we are capable of contributing to Community life. Things may not always be done exactly as you want them done; people have abilities in different areas, and Community is being true to itself when it can encourage each person to develop to their fullest potential and grow through their weaknesses as well as build on their strengths. If you choose to follow up on your interest in l'Arche by applying to become an assistant, it is important to remember that your primary role will be at home; you will not be working with the people who have handicaps during the hours of 9.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m., as they will be out at work. During this time you will be sharing household tasks with the other assistants and having three hours rest-time for yourself. It is intended that this will allow you to have ample energy to welcome the residents home in the evening from work and be present to them until bed-time, sharing with them in whatever activities they wish to undertake. At weekends, residents and assistants are at home together, and there is plenty of time for outings to the city, to the pub, to cinemas, as well as leisurely time at home together. Some factual information:
To conclude, we hope that this information will encourage you in your application to come to l'Arche. If you are successful you will be assured of a very fulfilling experience of growth, challenge and fun in the building of Community and relationships at l'Arche. 609. County Kilkenny, Ireland L'Arche: It's Origins and History in Kilkenny & Ireland L'ARCHE (the French word for 'the Ark') began in 1964, when a French priest, Pére Thomas Philippe, encouraged his friend Jean Vanier to welcome the poor into this world. Jean Vanier, an ex-officer in the Royal Canadian Navy, bought a small house in the village of Trosly-Brevil, France, and welcomed two men with mental handicaps to share his life with him. Their names were Raphael & Philippe. and they in turn shared their lives with Jean Vanier. The house was christened "L'Arche," and the adventure of L'Arche began. From small acorns great trees grow, and nobody was more surprised at the scale of the growth than Jean Vanier himself. Despite his best attempts to keep the thing called L'Arche small, it continued to evolve with a life of its own. People came - from here, there and everywhere - and were touched and inspired by the simplicity and vision of what they witnessed. They carried those seeds back to their own countries, and more trees grew. Today there are over 100 L'Arche Communities, spread all over the globe. Each community is small - by institutional standards - but large in its impact and message of shedding a different light on the gospel, or rather of viewing the same gospel from a different stance - the stance of the marginalised, the poor, the "handicapped." The philosophy of L'Arche is very simple, but not simplistic. It is based on the Beatitudes of Jesus - the Sermon on the Mount - and is centred on the first Beatitude:
Is it any wonder therefore, that these people called L'Arche into being? The only wonder is that it took so long. But thanks be to God for Pére Thomas Philippe, Jean Vanier, Raphael and Philippe. The Irish L'Arche story began about ten years later. It involved a lot of people, but Jean Vanier, as the founder of L'Arche, was at the helm. He was a friend of Bishop Peter Birch of Kilkenny, and the groundswell of support was so good that the seeds of L'Arche in Ireland began in Co. Kilkenny. A house was donated in the village of Kilmoganny and gradually, through the prayers, good will, support and sweat of many people, local and not so local, the first L'Arche house in Ireland came into being. (1978) Today it is home to five people with a mental handicap and five assistants. The sister house in Callan, which opened in 1988, houses eight people in all; and the workshop, also in Callan, is a hive of industry for people from both houses, as is the garden project in Kilmoganny. The L'Arche Cork Community came into being in the early 80's and now has four houses and a central workshop in Togher. L'Arche Dublin, situated in Baldoyle, is the newest community in Ireland, but there are plans afoot for a L'Arche house in Belfast following on a recent visit by Jean Vanier to Belfast in October, 1998. L'Arche, as Jean Vanier has often said, does not attempt to change the world, but simply "to do little things with love." It has a Charter, but no high-brow philosophy, and attempts to live a simple life in the spirit of the gospel. Life in L'Arche is often very ordinary, but rarely boring! Assistants come for a year, two years, maybe more, to share their lives with their residents (Core members). The salary is small and so it is seen much more as a vocation than a 'job'. After some time an assistant may feel called to announce a 'covenant' with the core members of L'Arche and put down roots in a community. It is a constant challenge for L'Arche to find such assistants who are willing to give a long term commitment. There are certain structures in L'Arche but they are not overbearing or authoritarian in any way. Democracy and consensus generally hold sway, with the wishes of the core members at the centre of any decision making process. And so L'Arche, unlike larger institutions, is able to give a voice to handicapped people. Each community has a local committee, usually consisting of friends and professional people. Then there is the Director of the community who is usually gifted with being a good administrator and more importantly a good shepherd. Each house in turn has a houseleader. There is a work overseer, an assistants co-ordinator, and work project leaders. There are also a few other administrative roles. Where possible each community also has a chaplain. Most of the workshops specialise in weaving, card making, candle making, gardening, and growing organic vegetables. L'Arche communities are rarely self-sufficient but would try to provide for some of their own needs. The ethic of work is very important. Productivity is not the aim, but rather the work is chosen for each core member as best suits his / her needs. People work at their own pace, sometimes slowly, haltingly, but always with dignity. The life in the houses at the end of the working day is more relaxed - very much like a family home with all the joys and squabbles that entails! Religious festivals and birthdays are given huge importance in L'Arche, emphasising the celebratory nature of life in community. And daily prayer is normal in both houses and workplaces. At the end of the day the distinction between the 'handicapped' and the 'able' tends to dissolve. The nature of community means that we are all in the same boat together. Assistants who have lived in L'Arche generally agree that they have received far more than they have been able to give. This spirit of mutual growth is best summarised in the L'Arche Prayer: Father, through Jesus our Lord and our brother, SUMMARY OF EXPECTATIONS OF AN ASSISTANT The primary task of a house assistant in a l'Arche Community is to live in, and build. Community with people who have learning difficulties and other assistants, as a place of mutual belonging. Attitude: A general attitude of openness to relationship and respect for dignity, autonomy, choice, privacy and integration underpins all of the specific responsibilities outlined below. Particular responsibilities within the team of assistants include:
All of these arc exercised as part of a team of assistants where the individual assistant:
Arche Gemeinschaft Regenbogen Project Form
Tasks and work are discussed in the team and divided among the assistants. Interests and wishes can be accommodated. Regular team meetings and supervision meetings offer support for the assistants... minimum requirements:
description: Each assistant has his/her own room in one of our two houses. Kitchen, living room, and bathroom are all shared by the residents of the house. Each of the two houses also has a garden/yard. Die Archegemeinschaft Regenbogen in Tecklenburg stellt sich vor
When all requirements were fulfilled, in March 1986 a roomy old house with a large garden was found on the outskirts of Tecklenburg, a pretty town with many old "fachwerk" houses. Tecklenburg lies between Osnabrueck and Muenster, on the crest of the Teutoburger Forest. The hilly landscape and beautiful natural surroundings are conducive to a relaxing environment and long walks... The Apfelallee 23 house belonged originally to the nearby "Haus Mark" castle (with a moat) which is the birthplace of Friedrich von Bodelschwingh. (German Protestant church person who founded an institution for the care of handicapped people - in Bielefeld, I think.) Eight mentally disabled people and six assistants who accompany and support them comprise this house community. In the spring of 1993 a second house was opened. This is at Bodelschwinghweg 6 and is in the adjacent settlement just a few minutes' walk away from the first house. Here 2 women and 2 men with mental handicaps live, plus four assistants, as well as the community leader. In these house communities we live and work together, celebrate birthdays and religious holidays, enjoy each other, argue and get frustrated with each other, grieve together, and try to accept ourselves and each other. This is not always easy. In life together, where it's not always possible to avoid each other, we always reach our limits and experience hurts and unfulfilled desires. In community life and especially in relation to our disabled members lies the opportunity to experience/accept oneself, to receive and to give love and trust. Using this opportunity presents the largest task and challenge for each of us... Our daily life is influenced by regular routines: on working days our mentally disabled members go early (by bus) to work at a nearby workshop for handicapped people. After they leave, the assistants do the housework and gardenwork. Prayer, team meetings, and "supervision" (German word for regular work evaluations) are also a part of the workday. In the afternoon when the residents have returned from work, all of us come together for coffee/tea to talk about the day. After that, we take walks, or do more work. Three times a week both houses get together for "evening prayers" which is especially attuned to our handicapped members. The evening is for relaxation. We sit together and talk, write letters, sing, do arts and crafts, listen to music, watch TV, or plan the weekend. On Saturdays we begin the day slowly and use the time for group activities. Sunday is the day for visiting church services in the area congregations and the ecumenical "evening prayer" at the village church in Ledde. Our disabled members come from Catholic and from Protestant backgrounds. Thus we as a community respect both traditions and are ecumenical. Once a month we do a worship in the community. Otherwise we visit the local churches' worship services together. The assistants also come from various backgrounds. Not all are rooted in a Christian tradition when they come to the Ark. We expect, though, that openness to the Christian faith and readiness to accept new experiences, would be a requirement for being part of our community. Also necessary is the ability to sustain psychological stress in order to meet the demands of the residents and the challenges of living in community. The community is supported by "friendship with God" and from the relationships of the community members with each other and with a large circle of supporters. Without the support of many committed and true friends, this community would be much poorer and probably not even sustainable. Thus the many contacts and meetings are a major part of our community life. Belonging to the international L'Arche federation is of importance to us. Regular accompaniment visits from representatives of the international L'Arche, contact with other L'Arche communities, and meetings at L'Arche retreats or workshops help us to retain and deepen our identity as a L'Arche community. April 1999
Wichtige Informationen für neue ausländische Arche-Assistenten
Despite all the difficulties that may occur, you with your foreign background are an enrichment for us because we can learn a lot from you as well. It's important for us to respect each other in this process. (German = "It is our common task to deal carefully with each other in mutual respect.")
April 1999
Assistentinnen und Assistenten in der Arche
The House Assistants live and work in the living areas and help with all necessary work such as cooking, cleaning, shopping, laundry, etc. They are responsible for the accompaniment of the disabled residents. The Work Assistants - at the moment there are none of these in Germany - live in the houses or in room outside the community and work in the workshops or in the community. In Germany we have none of our own workshops. No special education is required, but each works according to his/her abilities wherever this is possible or sensible. Each assistant will have a prior discussion about his/her previous work and life as appropriate with the person responsible for the assistants. The ability to "sustain psychological stress" is a requirement, as well as the willingness to engage in dialogue and teamwork, plus the ability to fit into community life. Each assistant gets an accompanier with whom she/he can discuss questions concerning the community. Being an assistant in an Arche (Ark) community does not mean having a "job" or doing qualified "social work," but means the willingness to enter into a life of relationships with different people, to live daily life and holidays together, to grow together through crises, and to take on the challenges and responsibilities of community life. The basis for life in the Ark is our charter.
Applications should be addressed to the leader of the community. Larger communities have a coordinator for assistants. The application should include the person's motivation for wanting to come to the Ark, the potential starting time and duration, plus experiences, education, etc. Most of the communities take assistants who can stay for at least a year (BVSers - two years - but a review will take place after one year.) After acceptance etc. and arrival, a three-month introductory and trial phase begins. All of the communities have committed themselves according to the L'Arche charter to a simple lifestyle. The assistants should commit themselves to joining the "solidarity fund." From the start, they get room and board and a monthly pocket money which is regulated according to the constitution of each community. This differs according to cultures and venues.
Not all of the information in this paper is applicable to all Ark communities since each place determines its own rules. Etc. April 1999 Link to Disabled Persons Project Listing |
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