L’ARCHE ONTARIO
HOUSE LEADER
ROLE DESCRIPTION
1. SELF CARE:
The role of House Leader asks many things of you. If you are to be well, you need to take
care of your own well-being.
 Being attentive to the rhythm of the day.
 Being intentional about taking time for self.
 Caring for physical well-being and getting enough rest.
 Creating time for recreation, fun, laughter, and allowing time for healthy relationships.
 Taking time to attend to accompaniment and spiritual needs.
2. CORE MEMBERS:
Core Members are the heart of our homes.
Relationships:
 To build and model relationships of mutuality with core members
 To ensure team members develop relationships with core members based on respect, forgiveness and
mutuality.
 To ensure core members communicate and maintain relationships with family, friends, and circles of
support.
Choice:
 To ensure the participation of each member in his/her religious tradition.
 To ensure core members participate in their financial planning and banking.
 To ensure core members have choices and opportunities to plan for their personal growth and their
future. – i.e. Annual Reviews, Life Plans, P.A.T.H.’s, Dreams & Goals, etc.
Support / Accompaniment:
 To call forth core members’ gifts and empower them to share these gifts within the home and in the
larger community.
 To ensure core members’ physical and emotional needs are being met.
 To ensure core members have access to medical professionals regularly and as needed.
 To ensure appropriate accompaniment of core members to health care/personal appointments.
 To ensure core members have access to Individual Learning Plans.
Home:
 To create and maintain an environment which reflects all the individuals in the home.
 To ensure traditions and celebrations of each core member and of the home are maintained.
 To create an atmosphere of respect, affirmation and empowerment in the home and carry it into the
larger community.
 To create an environment that supports and encourages the spiritual growth of each household
member.
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3. TEAM & RELATIONSHIPS: An opportunity for growth.
Home Life:
 To encourage and support team members to take part in maintaining and planning household
schedules, routines and traditions.
 To encourage and support team members in creating home through the vision of L’Arche.
Functional Accompaniment:
 To accompany each team member with respect to their role in the home.
Team Dynamics:
 To supervise and support team members in their roles.
 To promote proactive and positive communication among all members – enabling them to share ideas
and concerns.
 To ensure each team member has adequate training, information, support and a clear understanding of
household routines and the special needs of each core member.
 To encourage and empower each team member to take ownership and responsibility for life in the
home and community.
4. COMMUNITY LIFE: Carries a holistic view of the community and nurtures relationships, which
strengthens the community as a whole.
Link with the Community at large:
 To represent homes within the context of the larger community and advocate for the needs of the
members of the home in a professional manner. (e.g. – with doctors, dentists, counselors, supervisors,
service clubs, etc.)
 To invite participation in community events as much as possible. (e.g.- church socials, fairs, bike-athons/walk-a-thons, etc.)
Link with the L’Arche Community:
 To act as a link with Homes Coordinator, Assistants Coordinator, Administrative Coordinator and
Community Leader.
 To connect with other homes on a regular basis for activities such as core member exchanges for
dinner, an evening visit, fun activities, etc.
 To invite former assistants back for a visit.
Link with Families and Day Programs:
 To assure the link between day/work programs, families and core members of the home, to ensure all
relevant information is shared with the different persons and members of the home, as appropriate.
 To ensure this information is shared in a way that encourages collaboration and mutual respect.
Coordination of Events:
 To ensure that all core members’, team members’, house events, and L’Arche community events are
appropriately celebrated and shared, and that these events are anticipated during schedule planning.
Welcome and Friendship:
 To foster and encourage a spirit of welcome for all who come to the home: members, families,
neighbours, guests, and visitors.
 To encourage the development of individual friendships for all assistants in the home.
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5. ADMINISTRATION:
Understands and practices the principles of good stewardship in all aspects of home life.
General:
 To be accountable to leadership/Homes Coordinator and communicate effectively regarding core
members and assistants, and the well-being of the home.
 To meet regularly with the other house leaders and participate with them in the community.
 To exercise good reading, writing, and communication skills.
 To demonstrate the ability to delegate responsibilities.
 To apply good judgment and common sense in decisions.
 To be respectful, discreet, and professional in all relationships.
 To maintain confidentiality when appropriate.
 To communicate in an accurate and timely fashion.
 To serve as a model to others – e.g. to model respectful language and attitudes in the home
Home:
 To monitor adherence to Ministry guidelines and (name of community) policies and procedures in all
appropriate aspects of home life.
 To plan and maintain household schedules and routines in a timely manner.
 To ensure maintenance of and proper use of all logs, including house log (communication book),
daily journals, medical log, maintenance log, all necessary forms and binders for ministry compliance.
 To ensure the necessary care of equipment, household goods, and furniture - both inside and outside
the house, including repairs, as they are required.
Finances:
 To hold expenses within allocated household budget.
 To ensure individual household expenses are recorded and collected as necessary. (e.g. – phone bills,
all receipts and various forms).
Core Members:
 To ensure core members’ binders are accurate and up-to-date, with appropriate medical information
in case of emergencies.
 To ensure the medical needs of each core member are addressed including proper medication storage,
dispensing, recording and knowledge of each medication in use.
 To ensure proper financial management of core members’ income, including banking procedures,
planning for holidays, recording of expenses.
 To ensure Individual Learning Programs and Annual Reviews are developed and documented.
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L’Arche Ontario, February 2006