Vacancies and How to Apply
We frequently have openings for Short Term Core Members. See the following job description. There is no closing date - you can apply for Short Term Core at any time.
Short Term Core Member
As a short term core member you assist colleagues in a wide range of tasks, which may change over time. So your motivation and flexibility are likely to be more important than a particular skill set. Your overall aim will be to help create the accepting and efficient setting within which visitors can best experience an authentic taste of community.
You will probably find you are given specific jobs on a regular basis relating to the responsibilities of the Caterer and/or the Facilities Co-ordinator. For instance, you may be asked to be a regular kitchen assistant, or to operate our laundry.
Those who have enjoyed serving as short term core members include gap year students and early retired people, newcomers to Othona and long-established regular visitors, UK citizens and people from as far away as New Zealand and South Africa.
Short term core members usually stay with us between 3 and 11 months. They receive full board and lodging (and council tax paid) and £35 a week, often rising to £58 after some months' experience.
Common Tasks and Competences
The following are all essential to the running of the centre and will be carried out by a combination of long and short term core members and local volunteers. They offer variety and sometimes the opportunity to use (or develop) special skills or pursue a personal interest.
Common Tasks
The following tasks are shared between core members, often on a rota basis:
• cooking
• worship leading (with support/training as appropriate)
• cleaning
• hosting (event liaison with facilitators and visitors)
• rubbish and recycling
Additional Tasks
The following tasks are usually allotted to core members for a period of time and then sometimes swapped. They allow you to pursue an area of interest in addition to your lead role:
• garden oversight
• librarian
• art room oversight
• verger (care of chapel and worship resources)
Common Competences for All Core Members
Commitment to the Work and Ethos of Othona BB
The core members are at the heart of this Othona centre. They need to be committed to the work of the community, its ethos and values. Core members work actively to live these out in their everyday life, and to further them. The competences below provide good examples of what this means in practice. The programme explains what Othona is about. Our policy statements show how Othona seeks to realise these values in the way it manages people, its policies of equal opportunities and the green policies for house and grounds, and in its open Christianity.
Interest in and Skill with People
The heart of Othona is people – core colleagues, visitors and all those who we interact with. People come because they know they will be welcomed, accepted and valued for who they are. Our role is not to be therapists or counsellors, but we do need to be interested in people and willing to listen and share. We also need to be aware of our own responses and feelings, and especially of the impact of our own behaviour on other people.
Flexibility
Othona core members live and work together, and are hosts to an ever-changing number of visitors. Core members have to be flexible, able to adapt to varied and changing circumstances and people.
Responsible Teamwork
The main purpose of Othona is to provide visitors with a taste of life in community. The core members need to be able to live and work together co-operatively, and provide support (and challenge). This is important not only to carry out our work but equally so we can enjoy our life together, relax and have fun.
Spiritual Practice
Othona West Dorset offers an experience of Christian community of a very open sort – rooted in the Christian heritage, open to the widening future. This is an approach to spirituality where you may experience the fellowship of the spirit in everyday life. Although core members do not have to be Christian, and may be of any faith tradition or none, we expect that they will respect the importance of the Christian tradition and the values that are at the heart of Othona. They adopt a 'Rule of Life' as a framework for shared life, and participate actively in the spiritual aspects of community life including leading and joining in chapel services.
How to find out more and consider an application
Please contact Monica King: bbrecruitment@othona.org.
Monica is both a Core and Committee Member and handles all initial enquiries from potential recruits. She can send you fuller details than you see here.
