Be an Assistant

Assistants come to L’Arche Halifax from around the world and locally, so our community includes Canadians as well as people from many other countries. The key to life in L’Arche – for everyone – is being open to relationship.

Assistants and core members (people with intellectual disabilities) create home together in households of three to eight people. Days are filled with the ordinary tasks of daily living – meals, bathing, cleaning and household chores, laundry, shopping, accompanying people to the doctor or the dentist – and regular community meetings and events. Home life is the cornerstone of L’Arche. The evening meal, birthdays, and times of prayer are small but cherished celebrations that strengthen the bonds between people who live and work together. Most people come with an initial commitment of one year.

Assistants come with a broad range of backgrounds and qualifications. All new assistants participate in a program of orientation and training. Compensation and benefits are provided. Please continue reading below for more details around becoming an assistant in our community or visit the L’Arche Canada Recruitment Website to read more about applying to any Canadian L’Arche community.

Live-in Assistants

As part of a team of 4 – 5 assistants, Assistants coordinate and participate in caring for the members of the home, ensuring adherence with the Department of Community Services Guidelines and L’Arche Halifax’s policies and procedures.

Ideal community members possess the following:
  • warm and friendly nature
  • easy to work with
  • initiative
  • effective communication skills – a good sense of humour is always appreciated in our homes!
  • creative problem-solving skills
  • strong team-oriented perspective
  • open to a spiritual journey