Jobs & voluntary roles

Hummingbird Retreat House, Grenada The role of the assistant manager(s) is to support the Retreat House manager in the day to day running of the house and creating the right environment for guests to step into a therapeutic, creative and spiritual community. The role involves supporting the retreat house manager in overseeing the routine housekeeping and day-to-day decision making as well as being available to support guests during their stay. Duties will be personalized and discerned by the postholder and manager according to the talents and interests of the postholder. It is envisioned that in the first few years there will be frequent times when there will be no guests present because time is needed for the house to be established. This will give the assistant managers time to settle into their own way of living here and discovering what works for them. When the retreat house is busy, days off will be given each week according to the needs of the house and the needs of the postholder. The house offers a therapeutic, creative and spiritual space grounded in a contemplative rhythm of life (see www.contemplativefire.org/our-community/community-guide). The aims of the house are to provide hope, promote wellbeing and pursue wholeness, both for those staying at the house and for the local community. The assistant manager’s role is as much about who the person is, as it is about what they do and therefore their character and spirituality would need to be aligned with the ethos and vision of the retreat house and of Hummingbird HOPE, the non-profit charity which runs the house. The role of assistant manager is to be a loving presence and offering a listening ear to all guests and visitors to the Hummingbird Retreat house. The assistant manager will live at the house as a close neighbour to the retreat manager, sharing the work of the retreat house but also living a life that reflects the ethos of the house so that together they live alongside each other in community. This will involve giving time to developing a healthy lifestyle, developing their own ways of expressing creativity and deepening their spiritual life so that when guests come, their life models the house’s ethos and helps to hold the therapeutic, creative and contemplative space with the retreat manager. See www.hummingbirdretreat.org.uk for more information. The vision of the house is to be a non-profit making business to financially support community projects. So, if the post holder is interested in this the role could include community work according to the postholders’ giftings and callings, such as supporting the Startup project, helping with environmental projects and working with a children's literacy project. Other possible ventures will develop in time at the second site in Pearls, a twenty-minute drive from the retreat house. The postholder will be an important member of the core team of assistant managers who will create a community of volunteers supporting the manager. The postholder will stay for a minimum of three months at any one time on a rota basis with other post holders, coming on an annual basis. The postholder’s role will be shaped by the needs of the retreat house during their stay and what the postholder is able to offer and this will evolve as the post and retreat house develops. This team will vary throughout the year with assistant managers coming for short-term stays. They will support the retreat house manager to oversee a team of support staff of cleaners, cooks, gardeners, taxi drivers and maintenance workers. The post is open to an individual woman, and they would have free accommodation in an ensuite bedroom on the ground floor of the retreat house, with a sea view. They would have full use of the retreat house facilities available to guests and be supervised and supported by the retreat house manager. They would be expected to self-cater when there are no guests being catered for (but meals could be provided when the retreat house has guests being catered for). Shopping trips and other transport needs would be provided as needed and as the retreat house develops, a car could be made available to the assistant manager if required. Travel costs such as air fares for overseas volunteers or bus fares for local volunteers would be paid by Hummingbird Hope, subject to the availability of funds. The role will be reviewed after each visit to discern if it is appropriate to volunteer again in the coming year. UK residents can stay in Grenada for 3 months as a tourist and a visa would only be required if the stay is longer. The post will begin on a voluntary short-term basis but may evolve to longer stays as the retreat house develops, if this suited the postholder. The following list of duties is illustrative only and will vary according to the postholder and the needs of the house. All duties will be done in consultation with and supervised by the retreat house manager who will also share these duties. Duties · To spend time developing their own healthy, creative and contemplative lifestyle to encourage the ethos of a therapeutic, creative and spiritual space. · To provide a welcoming presence to all who come regardless of faith background, sexuality, racial background or any other personal characteristic. · Attend morning meditation and mindful movement (walking, yoga or Pilates) and evening reflections which may include leading some of these sessions. · Prepare breakfasts and lunches which may include some baking or basic cooking. To clear away after meals and wash up/use the dishwasher afterwards. To oversee evening meals which may include some cooking and/or liaising with local cooks to provide evening meals depending on cooking skills and interest in this area. · Oversee cleaning, gardening and maintenance staff which may include some involvement with these activities if this fits with the post holder's interests and skills, such as gardening the courtyard and basic DIY if they enjoy these activities. · Deputize for the retreat manager in the event of sickness or other unforeseen situations. · To help with shopping, bed making and laundry as needed. · To help guests to settle into the house, show them around and be available during their stay to respond to any practical needs they may have and to offer listening support. · To show guests the local area, to take guests on trips around the island and do airport pickups and returns which may include driving according to driving competencies. · To offer counselling and spiritual direction within the competencies of the postholder. · To co-facilitate quiet days, organized retreats and therapeutic and creative groups. To offer retreats, quiet days, creative and therapeutic groups according to competencies. · To facilitate the use of the library by guests and local residents through the administration of library membership forms and ensuring books are returned in a timely way. · To ensure areas such as the library, creative space and soul space have adequate materials and are tidy and ready to be used by guests. · To build friendships in the local community and support local community projects and activities as appropriate. · To help with animals as needed such as dog walking, feeding pets and collecting eggs when the retreat house has chickens. This again is dependent on the postholder’s interests and whether they enjoy contact with animals. Person Specification The retreat house is evolving and will continue to emerge into what it is meant to be and so we do not want to be too restrictive in defining who we think the right person would be for this post. However, we do envisage that the post holder will be older rather than younger so that they can bring maturity and life experience to the post. However, it would be good to have someone who is fit enough to join local walks and be able to manage the steps within the building. As a developing female community, we would only accept female applicants. The person would need to be called to a contemplative and simple lifestyle and be willing to live on their own, but alongside others in community. We would want someone who is sociable and able to talk to strangers, being able to relate to people from different cultures. The postholder should be someone with good listening skills and have had experience working in this field such as working within a retreat house, counselling, pastoral work or spiritual direction. For more information and to arrange an informal conversation about the role please email Hilary Garraway on hummingbirdhope@outlook.com

The Othona Community is seeking a full-time Catering Lead to live and work at site and centre near Bradwell-on-Sea in Essex. This role is more than just a job, it is a way of life to which you would bring enthusiasm, self-motivation and a can-do-attitude. The Othona Community is a dispersed community which strives to live out the values and teachings of the Christian faith through its two established communities which welcome people of all faiths & none to share this journey through a programme of events, retreats and group bookings. As Residential Catering Lead you will manage the operation of the kitchen ensuring good quality food and refreshments are provided for visitors and the resident team within a well managed budget. You will plan menus, source quality ingredients, maintain food hygiene standards, lead management of the kitchen and meet safety and other regulatory requirements. Your people skills will enable you to relate easily with guests, community and volunteers of all ages, backgrounds and circumstances and work effectively with them. What we offer in return ● Living within a core community in a beautiful coastal location ● Simple accommodation in a chalet room ● All meals, council tax and utility bills included ● A modest salary and annual contribution to personal pension scheme ● Flexible hours with 2 days off per week; 28 days annual holiday

Sheldon seeks to appoint a mature, highly-organised Office Manager/all-rounder to join the Community who will support the ongoing smooth running of all aspects of our specialist retreat house.