Join Our Team: Deputy House Leader Opportunity at L’Arche Cork

Are you passionate about making a difference in the lives of individuals with intellectual disabilities? L’Arche Cork invites you to be part of our mission-driven team as a Deputy House Leader.

About Us:

At L’Arche, we're not just a workplace—we're a community. Joining us means becoming part of an international organisation dedicated to building inclusive communities for adults with intellectual disabilities. Here, you'll have the chance to foster meaningful relationships and create a positive impact every day.

Why Choose Us:

Meaningful Work: Help lead a team of dedicated assistants in providing personalised support and care to our residents.

Professional Growth: Gain valuable leadership experience while making a difference in the lives of others.

Community Impact: Be part of a movement that promotes inclusion, respect, and active citizenship for individuals with disabilities.

Supportive Environment: Enjoy a supportive work environment where your contributions are valued and recognised.

What We are looking for:

This role will support the core members and provide continuity for them and will assist the House Leader/Residential Care Leader in the tasks outlined below. On occasions when the House leader is unable to attend a meeting/task you will be asked to deputise for them. (for example, if the HL is on holidays, sick leave etc)

1. In Relation to Self:

· Takes good care of oneself –physically, emotionally& spiritually.

· Works closely with the house leader.

· Delegates duties appropriately, to the assistants and ensures that they carry out these duties in the absence of the house leader.

2. In Relation to the Residents (Core Members) :

Develop positive affirmative interpersonal relationships with each Core Member. This is the core foundation of all that we do, and all below follows from that.

Personal care- Provide support to male and female residents around personal hygiene, bathing/showering, skin, hair and nail care, appropriate dress, laundry, buying clothes, making appointments, and accompanying to hairdresser/beautician, assist with morning and evening daily care routines.
Medical needs-Monitor the wellbeing of the Residents, liaise with the Community Nurse re minor ailments, accompany Residents to the GP or specialist as needed, administer medication, keep records of all medical events.
Care Plans- be aware of all the care plans in the house and be willing to update wherever necessary.
Personal finances- Provide support for Residents in managing and using their money, keep accurate records and receipts of monies spent.

·Assist and support assistants to develop relationships with the Core Members and accompany them in a positive and meaningful way. Ensure that core members are involved in all aspects of their home.

· Ensure that support of the core member occurs in line with the HIQA standards

· Ensure a high quality of support to the core members which is in line with the HIQA regulations and goes beyond this to ensure the core members have a fulfilling life.

· Clarifies for the Core Members their responsibility in the home, ensuring that responsibilities are understood and they are encouraged to participate and praised for achievement.

· Ensures that assistants follow up and support Core Members in those responsibilities.

· Ensuring that there is good communication of community and house information and that it is understood.

· Ensuring that Core Members have communication boards and that they participate in their update and understand the symbols.

· Provides opportunities for growth by supporting choice and helping and providing information to make their decisions.

· Supporting the Core Members to develop the personal skills that will enable them to take as much responsibility as possible for their own lives

· Fosters their dignity, self-esteem and encourages their autonomy.

· Provides and supervises the use of the Communication Diaries.

· Support the Core Members in dealing with their own patterns of behaviour which are inappropriate and provide the support to help them to manage those behaviours.

· Supervises referencing of the Core Members and ensures files are kept in a confidential manner.

· Maintain all documentation in line with HIQA standards

· Documenting all accidents/ incidents.

· Reporting of all accidents/incidents/Doctor and Specialist attendances.

· Ensure good records are kept in the areas of:

- Care plans and PCP’s and the update of these

- Money

- Medical care

- Personal history/Important events in their lives

- Risk management

· Supervises the preparation of reports by Core Members for their annual review.

· Encourages and support the relationship with their family, friends, and professionals.

· Meets regularly for friendly chat about their life in the house.

· Supervises the Core Member clothes (i.e. purchasing, maintaining, appearance)

· Ensure prompt referral to MDT, i.e. doctor, behaviour support specialist, dietician, etc

· Supervising Doctors and Specialists appointments in liaison with the Community nurse (Eye appointment, ordering shoes, Chiropodists, care Doctor etc.)

· Supervises the administration of Core Members medication and ensure that signatures are complete.

· Ensures that high standards of Health and Safety is maintained in relation to the following, Core Members rooms are clean, clothing in good order, healthy lunches, money is safe.

· Annual goals are supported (via Reference person).

3. Supporting the House leader: In Relation to the Assistants:

· Ensures that the ethos and values of L’Arche are maintained in relation to Mission and Identity of L’Arche, relationship building, spirituality and Sign of Hope in our world

· Facilitates with the House Leader the weekly team meeting.

· Welcomes new Assistant i.e. explains the day to day running of the house, their role, and their expectation and complete “New Assistant Information checklist”

· Ensures that assistants attend the Formation and Training as provided by L’Arche Cork.

· Ensures that each assistant is building relations with the Core Members and other assistants.

· That assistants are fulfilling their role in relation to Core Members and their needs

· That Core Member, community and house information is passes on to them

· Manages house assistant holidays, rest time and rest days.

· Facilitates the assistants in sharing and expressing their views in relation to matters within the house.

· Encourage House Assistants to take initiative and to grow.

· Enforces rules on use of Computers/internet in the house (Rest time only)

4. In Relation to the Residential Person in charge/Community Leader in the absence of the House leader:

· Presents a detailed report of life within the house to the PIC

and in line with HIQA standards

· Assists with Formations/ training as required.

· Keeps the house leader informed of difficulties and problems arising within the house.

· Ensures that all relevant forms are signed and returned to the relevant co-ordinator/administrator as required

5. In Relation to the House

· Ensure a good overall diet and the proper storage of food in the house.

· Encourages the spirit of welcome to new arrivals and visitors.

· Maintains the Spiritual life, the regular prayers in the house and attendance at Mass on Sundays and other Holy Days.

· Manages the House purse money used for groceries and expenses.

· Ensures everyone is participates fully during a fire evacuation procedure.

· Maintains the routines and structures of daily life in the home.

· Ensures that a weekly team meeting and House Night Activities takes place and is organized properly (i.e. sharing a prayer and reflection, passing on the correct and relevant information, etc).

· Organises the Monthly House Schedules (i.e. Days off, cooking, routines, events.)

· Ensures that the Structure and Contents in the house are maintained in a secure and safe manner and that all equipment is in good working order.

· Ensures that the House and all its contents are maintained to a clean healthy standard with regular daily cleaning and in Accordance with the Health and Safety Policy.

· Maintains” Communication Boards” for Assistants and core Members.

6. In Relation to the Community Life (As a house of L'Arche):

· Respect the religious traditions of all who come to L'Arche Cork.

· Create an inclusive environment for the spiritual growth of all in the house.

· Ensures the continuity of prayer life within the House.

· Assist with the House Leader, that celebrations within the house are organized e.g. welcome cards and flowers or sweets in new assistants’ room, birthdays, feast days, leaving dinner…

· Carries a knowledge of the ethos and philosophy of L'Arche as identified in the Identity and mission of L'Arche and can articulate it to others.

· Assumes the leadership of the house in ways which helps providing a loving environment where everyone can develop and grow.

· Liaises with the local community.

· Have detailed knowledge of the L'Arche policy and procedures manuals

7. In Relation to the House Leader:

· Supports the House Leader in his/her role.

· Shares responsibilities appropriately

· Shares with the house leader where there are difficulties or problems.

· Meets with the House Leader for support and supervision regularly

· Provides Support and Supervision for assistants, if requested by the house leader.

· Meets with the Residential Person in Charge, as necessary.

As the context in which we work and the needs of the core members change, this job description is not exhaustive and may change.

Candidates must have the right to reside in Ireland.

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Deputy House Leader