L’Arche Brecon is a welcoming place where people with and without learning disabilities live together in one community. The centre lies in the foothills of the beautiful Brecon Beacons National Park, popular with walkers and cyclists, and a designated Dark Sky Reserve.
As a volunteer assistant joining L’Arche Brecon, you will live together with six people with learning disabilities and other assistants in Glasfryn, the hub of daily living and the setting for numerous gatherings and celebrations. Volunteers are accepted from the UK and around the world. Placements are full time and you get an allowance as well as accommodation and meals.
You will support people with learning disabilities to take part in community life: to cook, clean, and run a household, to have a social life, and to see friends and family. You will receive a comprehensive training programme, so that you can confidently support someone in everything from going to work to personal care. All assistants participate in a personal development "formation" programme, with optional retreats and times for reflection.
L’Arche Brecon is a small, but international, community which also provides work opportunities for people with learning disabilities in the wider local area, through an upcycling enterprise in the town centre (www.reboundbooks.co.uk) and a large garden growing fruit and vegetables.