Romero House is not currently accepting applications for the House Coordinator role. If you are interested in being notified the next time our applications are open, please email housecoordinator@romerohouse.org.
Role purpose
House Coordinators will live alongside refugee claimant families as they navigate their first year in Canada. They will facilitate a community atmosphere in the home, coordinate care for the house, and support residents’ wellbeing. They will do this as part of an intentional community of service with others of like spirit. House Coordinators will take an active role in the social life of Romero House beyond the home where they live. They will be part of a movement that is experimenting with community and neighbourhood-based welcome and support for refugees.
Time frame
This will be our first time having a member of the live-in community who is not working or volunteering in the Romero House office. This is a pilot project and the duration of the stay is for one-year, from September 2, 2023 to August 31, 2024. The first year will be subject to a three-month initial period of discernment by both the House Coordinator and Romero House about whether this is a good fit to complete the year. Based on the success of the pilot project, it may be possible to extend the stay.
A community of service
Living at Romero House is a commitment to live in a community of service. Like many intentional communities, there are various responsibilities such as attending and facilitating meetings, sharing in chores, and participating in the social life of the community. Romero House has the added dimension of also being a community that is called to serve refugee claimants and comes with additional responsibilities, such as collaborating with the staff to support residents in their immigration and settlement journeys.
This is a volunteer role and we are looking for people who earn their income elsewhere (or are in school) and are seeking to enrich their home lives through deep community engagement. The time commitment required varies depending on the needs of the people in the community and the skills and interests of the House Coordinators but, as part of the pilot, we are looking for people who can commit 5-10 hours/week to the community.
Spiritual life
Our intentional community is rooted in a Christian tradition with an openness to a wider spirituality. In practice, that means we offer gratitude before our weekly supper and have a few traditions around Easter. We spend Christmas morning with the refugee families in our homes and throw a big party the evening of December 25 (supper, talent show, and dancing!) for anyone who wants to be in community on that day, regardless of faith.
Please note that we have a strict non-proselytizing policy, that is, we do not seek to convert anyone (particularly the refugees with whom we live) to any religion.
Responsibilities
Living as good neighbours with our housemates:
- Facilitate a community atmosphere within the house, such as sharing tea, making art, playing music, or sharing a holiday meal.
- Coordinate chores, involving residents in the upkeep of the house. This includes setting out waste bins; shovelling snow; cleaning and tidying common areas; and gardening.
- Coordinate a monthly house meeting to discuss issues related to care of the home and to build community. This can be combined with care for the home e.g. tidying the yard together, decorating the home for a holiday.
- Offer and receive social and emotional support in the home
Being residents support
- Be attentive to the wellbeing of residents and share any concerns with their Companions/Workers*. Refer residents to Romero House Companions for support with their immigration and settlement needs.
- Support residents in case of emergency, in collaboration with Companions.
- Support with some settlement issues, as appropriate, such as learning how to use transit to get to an appointment.
- Participate in training as needed, such as first aid, suicide prevention, and nonviolent communication.
*Companions/Workers are staff of Romero House responsible for, among other things, immigration and settlement support for resident families.
Being in charge of maintenance and security
- Report any needed repairs in your unit or the common areas to the Maintenance Manager.
- Refer residents with concerns about maintenance or pests in their unit to the Maintenance Manager.
- Refer residents with any other concerns about their unit such as temperature, rent, or neighbours to the Assistant Director.
- Be attentive to the security of the home and report any concerns to the Assistant Director.
Being part of the Community life beyond your home:
- Participate in the intentional community (the staff, Workers, and House Coordinators who live at Romero House) such as a weekly supper and occasional retreats.
- Support community events of the wider Romero House community, such as an iftar during Ramadan, or taking kids Trick or Treating for Hallowe’en.
- Coordinate occasional retreats outside the city with interested families to rest and connect in nature.
Who we are looking for
House Coordinators should have the following qualities:
- Ability to communicate in English
- Strong social perceptiveness and self awareness
- Commitment to inclusion and building relationships across differences of race, gender, class, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, and more
- Strong communication skills (active listening, speaking, negotiation, etc)
- Strong judgement and decision-making skills
- Ability to take initiative
Some combination of these additional qualities would be a welcome bonus:
- Experience living at Romero House
- Experience living in another community of service, welcoming refugees or others
- Experience living in an intentional community (a group of people choosing to live together around a set of shared values)
- Experience organising activities for adults, teens, and/or kids e.g. games, parties, home improvement projects
- Experience living cross-culturally
- Ability to communicate in other languages (Spanish is particularly helpful)
- Experience in mediation and managing conflict
- Driver’s licence
- Flexibility when facing the unexpected
Living accommodations and rent
- Accommodations will be in one unit of a triplex or quadplex in one of Romero House’s homes. The specific unit will be determined based on a variety of factors. The unit could be a bachelor apartment, a one bedroom apartment, or a very small two bedroom apartment. The unit could be for a single person, couple, or shared with another House Coordinator.
- Rent will be about $500/month for a private unit (subject to Ontario’s maximum residential rent increase each year).
Accessibility and accommodations
We welcome and encourage applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for people taking part in all aspects of the selection process.