About the host organisation – “Kaunas l’Arche Community” Kaunas l’Arche community

About the host organisation – “Kaunas l’Arche Community” Kaunas l’Arche community is a community which mission is to reveal the gifts of people with or without disabilities through close and communal relationships. It is a small faith-based community of friendship and mutuality between people with intellectual disability and those who assist them. Community life, spirituality and professionalism are the desired basis of our organisation. Kaunas l’Arche community is based on Christian values and strives to live its daily life in Christian spirituality. It is young organisation and community (established in 2010) permanently searching for the best way of being open, welcoming, professional and co-responding to the actual needs. Kaunas l’Arche community is a part of The International l'Arche Federation (www.larche.org). The community operates as a day center and living home (two units). During the day people with disability assisted by employees and volunteers do simple art works and daily duties together. Whatever activity is being done, the most important thing is to do it with (not instead of!) a disabled person and to be open to create a personal bonds and friendship with him/her. Also there are common activities, feasts, trips, camps, other events during the weekends or other time. We are going though discernment process towards the type of community where people with disability and assistants would permanently live together sharing their everyday lives. Our present community consists of 31 adults with intellectual disability, 16 employees, 5-8 volunteers, board members and a circle of friends, parents, supporters etc. Not all the persons come every day, according to several factors they are spread over the week so that everyday there are 15-20 persons in total. Since its very beginning Kaunas l’Arche community has involved volunteers as we believe that personal relationships between people with and without disabilities are the most important and mutually benefit both to a person with disability and a volunteer. Organisation is permanently developing a structure of work with volunteers: regular meetings, reflections, seminars, feasts are organised. There is a person responsible for voluntary work in our organisation. Most of the employees have volunteering experience.