Emmaus Oxford
Deputy Community Leader
[Jan 2014]
Job Description
Overview
The main purpose of the Deputy Community Leader is to assist in the running of Emmaus
Oxford (171 Oxford Road). Emmaus Oxford (also known as the ‘Community’) is a residential
provision for 28 ‘vulnerable adults’ (also known as Companions) and a social enterprise. All
the Companions have either been homeless or in danger of becoming homeless prior to
coming to the project. Many are struggling with longstanding addictions and chaotic life
styles. Most have difficult histories and some have criminal convictions. Emmaus Oxford
provides Companions with a supported living environment. They come off benefits and are
given work in our social enterprise recycling furniture and other household goods at our
‘Second-hand Superstore’ in Northway and shop in Cowley, both in Oxford. This is an
important part of the project and allows the Companions to gain valuable work experience
and self esteem through doing worthwhile full time work.
The successful candidate will help to ensure that the welfare and development needs of
Companions are met effectively through the provision of high quality support. They will also
help in developing and motivating Companions in their work. The job is varied, sometimes
‘hands on’ (including working alongside Companions), sometimes highly skilled. The
successful candidate will need to be very good at relating to a range of different people and
personality types. They will need to be able to be consistently kind but firm in a range of
challenging situations. It is desirable that applicants have a driving licence and are
competent to drive a minibus although this is not essential.
1
Main Duties and Responsibilities
Responsible to the Community Leader
Emmaus Oxford Structure
Trustees
General Manager
Community
Leader
Deputy
Community
Leader
Admin and
Finance Officer
Deputy
Community
Leader
Admin
Assistant x2
Store Manager
Deputy
Store
Manager
Drivers x3
Companions
Maintaining the Community Ethos




With the Community Leader, ensure the welcome, welfare and care of Companions.
Assist with the integration of Companions into the Emmaus Community and the
wider community at large. To assist Companions around move on/resettlement and
employment.
Ensure Companions are involved in all aspects of Community life and are part of its
organisation, development and decision making procedures.
Help to maintain Community rules and boundaries.
Adopt and maintain environmentally sound practices.
Developing Companion’s Skills




In conjunction with the Community Leader and Store Manager, supervise and coordinate the management of Companions, in all aspects of Community life.
Facilitate the development of Companion’s skills, individually and collectively,
through motivational and supportive interactions.
Supported by the Community Leader, provide informal training options such as
literacy skills, house-keeping principles and basic money management.
Help to identify Companion’s needs and cater for them in a firm, supportive and
encouraging way.
2

Support Companions towards greater independence and eventual resettlement,
through creative move on options, including into the Private Rented Sector.
Ensuring the Community runs smoothly




Assist with general administration and record-keeping.
Be part of a rota providing on call cover and act as the responsible person on duty.
Work alongside staff and volunteers and with customers and visitors.
Ensure that the Community environment is kept safe and that all policies are
followed including health and safety, food handling and hygiene, fire, first aid,
building maintenance, working with violence and aggression etc.
Social Enterprise [our stores]





Liaising with the Store Manager to ensure the appropriate use of Companions,
matching skills and abilities to tasks and the needs of the business and producing
effective rotas for different aspects of the work to fit the needs of both the
companions and the store.
Encourage Companions to develop skills that enable greater independence and
possible future employment.
Helping to ensure effective communication between our different locations.
Supporting and motivating Companions to effectively undertake their work.
Ensuring that any difficulties arising in relation to the Companions at the Stores are
effectively dealt with and that good communication in relation to this is kept with
both the Store Manager and the Community Leader.
Administration


Assist the Community Leader in the day-to-day administration, organisation and
effective operation of the Community and the maintenance of appropriate records.
Keep accurate, up to date records of 1-2-1 support sessions with Companions.
External Relations





Maintain good local, national and international community relations, promoting the
ethos of Emmaus where possible.
Liaise with other relevant outside agencies and involve them in the Community
where appropriate.
Help the Community Leader in developing and maintaining the Community’s
relationship with the Emmaus movement at regional, national and international
levels.
Liaise with and form links with local authorities, landlords etc in relation to move on
opportunities.
Support resettled companions by sign posting them to relevant support services and
assessing any other support they may need in order to sustain tenancies.
Other Duties
3






Manage and participate in a rota and on call service to ensure 24 hours, 7 days per
week Community and Companion support.
Support Companions through regular 1-2-1 support sessions.
Assess Companions suitability for move on. Identify areas the Companions may
need support and assistance in order to be able to move on.
Engage with Companions at the stage they wish to move on, working with them to
gain skills needed to make them ready for move on. Assessing possible options for
move on.
Perform any other tasks or duties deemed necessary by the Community Leader.
Assist the Community Leader with the running of any move on accommodation
attached to Community.
Budgetary Control
Although the post holder will have no specific budgetary control they need to understand
and follow budgeting practices. Emmaus Communities aim to be self sustaining financially
and the Deputy Community Leader is expected to contribute towards this goal, adopting
‘value for money’ principles.
Location
This post is based at the support office which is at: 171 Oxford Road, Cowley, Oxford OX4
2ES. Our Second-hand Superstore is based at: Westland’s Drive, Northway Estate, OX3 9QY.
Our second store is located at: 31 Upper Barr, Templar’s Square, Cowley, Oxford OX4 3UX.
We require this role to work across all these locations. By June 2015 we plan to have
replaced the Northway store with a new store on Barns Road, Cowley, Oxford.
General
Staff must observe the proper demarcation and professional boundaries while performing
their role.
The Deputy Community Leader must always act in a way which will maintain the good
reputation of Emmaus Oxford, upholding the policies and procedures of Emmaus. The
Deputy Community Leader will strive to preserve good working relationships with Staff,
Volunteers, Companions and the Trustees. Keeping the appropriate key personnel well
informed of all significant matters relating to the Community. They must abide to the
Emmaus Oxford Code of practice.
4
Deputy Community Leader
Person Specification
Essential
Desirable
Education:
 Formal qualifications are not essential although it is a
requirement that the Deputy Community Leader can
demonstrate
effective
written
and
verbal
communication skills (in English) and mathematical
skills.
Skills:
 Effective listening skills
 Effective administrative skills
 Effective time management and organisational skills
 Competent IT user including Microsoft Office
packages , internet and email
 Ability to remain calm under pressure
 Good attention to detail
Education:
 General education to include Maths and English GSCE
or equivalent
 Housing related qualifications
Experience:
 Working with, and relating to, a diverse range of
people
 Professional boundaries
 Motivating people and developing their skills
and work ethic
 Working with homeless/ex-homeless people
and providing support for them
Experience:
 Working with excluded groups including offenders and
asylum seekers.
 Working in a therapeutic environment
 Experience of working with people with challenging
behaviours
 Working with private landlords and/or Social housing
 Working with people with substance misuse and
addiction problems
Professional boundaries
 Helping to run a residential facility
Providing Move on and resettlement support
Knowledge:
 Knowledge and understanding of homelessness issues
 Demonstration of a belief in, and the ability to adopt
and work within, the Emmaus ethos and principles
 Housing options, types of tenure
Knowledge:
 H&S – food handling and hygiene, working with
violence and aggression,
manual handling,
risk
assessments, first aid
 Welfare – Understanding and/or experience of mental
illness and addictions
 Housing Legislation
Skills:
 Facilitation skills
 Counselling
 Conflict resolution
 Driving, with a valid driving license
 Driving large vehicles (such as a minibus)
5
Other:
 A belief in the potential of each individual and an
understanding of the importance of the Community in
helping an individual achieve their potential
 Effective team worker. Able to discern when to share
decisions and when to take them alone
 Compassionate understanding of a wide range of
needs and experiences
 Awareness and acceptance of own limitations
 Confidence to take on and resolve difficult issues, with
decisive action as necessary and an ability to make
and carry through unpopular decisions.
 Commitment to environmental sustainability and
social development
 Awareness and understanding of Equal Opportunities
 Able to welcome people into the Community with no
prejudice
 Able to work unsocial hours
 Ability to travel regularly within the local area and
occasionally throughout the UK
 Willingness to undertake further training where
appropriate
 Understanding and agreement with Emmaus culture
 Proven ability to work alone and without intensive
support.
 An honest and straight forward approach with the
readiness to admit mistakes
 Sense of humour is essential
• Must live within half an hours travel time of the
Community house [Cowley].
6