PART OF THE LEE ABBEY FAMILY 57/67 Lexham Gardens Kensington London W8 6JJ Tel: +44 (0)20 7373 7242 Fax: +44 (0)20 7244 8702 www.leeabbeylondon.com [email protected] [email protected]
Section A: Personal details
First name:
Family Name (Surname): Contact Address:
E-mail Address:
Telephone (including country code): Single/Married*
Mobile (including country code): Male/Female
Date of Birth**(dd/mm/yyyy): Nationality:
Community Member (volunteer) Application Form
Please attach a passport sized photograph of yourself here
Section B – Dates of Service & Language
When would you like to join the community at Lee Abbey London? dd/mm/yyyy
Can you stay for one year? If “No”, how long can you stay? What is your first (home) language?
Is your spoken English poor/adequate/good/fluent?
How did you hear about Lee Abbey? If you heard from a friend, please give his/her name. Have you written to us before?
*This information is required so that we can plan accommodation requirements ** Lee Abbey is unable to accept applications from under 18s
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A HOME FROM HOME FOR INTERNATIONALSection C – Education and Employment History
Education
Year(s) School/ College/University Course Taken
Employment
Year(s) Name of Employer/Company Position Held
Please mark with a tick (3) any of the following in which you have
experience:-Domestic Work Typing Decorating
Cooking General Office Work Electrical Work
Accounting General Maintenance Engineering
Computer Skills Plumbing Driving
Receptionist Carpentry Gardening
Please indicate with a tick (3) which of the following programmes you are familiar with:
Microsoft Word Microsoft Excel Photoshop Microsoft Access
Section D – Church background and Community Life
What is the name of your home Church?
What Denomination do you belong to? e.g. Anglican, Baptist, Catholic, Pentecostal etc.
Date of Baptism (dd/mm/yyyy):
Why do you want to come to Lee Abbey London?
The aim of the Lee Abbey Movement is ‘communicating Christ through relationships’. Please explain what this phrase means to you.
Please provide details of any other voluntary work or community service you have done.
Lee Abbey is a Christian community. We pray and celebrate Holy Communion together regularly. Are you willing to enter into this with us, including full participation in our weekly Holy Communion services?
Have you ever lived in a Christian community before? If Yes give details
Describe any hopes or fears you might have about joining our community.
What are your plans when you leave Lee Abbey? Please be specific.
Do you have any relevant skills or experience – e.g. playing a musical instrument or leading a youth group at Church?
Section D – continued…
Please write a full description of your Christian experience including how you came to faith and what this means to you now. You may type your response to this question on a separate piece of paper if you wish.
Section E - Referees
Please give us the names of three people who know you well.
THEY MUST NOT BE MEMBERS OF YOUR OWN FAMILY or related to each other.
1. Christian Experience Reference. Please give the name and address of the priest/pastor/ minister
of the Church you attend regularly.
Title (e.g. Mr/Mrs/Revd): Name: Connection with you (e.g. Priest/Pastor): Full Address:
Telephone: Fax:
E-mail address:
2. Work Reference. Please give the name and address of someone who knows you at work
(for example, your present or past employer, a school teacher or university lecturer) Title (e.g. Mr/Mrs/Revd): Name
Connection with you (e.g. employer, teacher, lecturer): Full Address:
Telephone: Fax
E-mail address:
3. Character Reference. Please give the name and address of someone who knows you well
and will be able to comment on your character. Thisperson should not be a family member. Perhaps you could ask an older neighbour or a leader from your youth group.
Title (e.g. Mr/Mrs/Revd): Name:
Connection with you (e.g. neighbour, family friend): Full Address:
Telephone: Fax:
Section F – Visa Requirements
(To be completed by applicants from countries outside the UK or EU)
Applicants from outside the UK or European Union will be required to apply for a Tier 5 “Temporary Worker –Charity Workers” visa in the UK Border Agency’s new Points Based Immigration System.
The requirements for this visa are strict and many applicants are refused entry by the British Embassy. The questions below help us to assess your chances of being granted a visa. Our assessment of your suitability does not guarantee that your visa application will be successful. Requirements tick (3) Documents enclosed.
1. Please supply documentary evidence of your financial situation and ability to pay for your visa
application and travel to the UK. This should be a copy of a recent bank statement – either your own or that of your sponsor.
A copy of my recent bank statement.
A copy of my sponsors recent bank statement. 2. If a sponsor is providing the money for your travel,
please supply a letter from them confirming this. Letter from my sponsor confirming travel funds. 3. Please provide
documentary
evidence (if possible) of your future plans for when you return to your own country after volunteering at Lee Abbey. Examples could be:
• A letter showing that you will be enrolled at a university or college.
A Letter from my future university or college. • A letter from an employer in
your own country saying that you will have a job when you return.
Letter from my future employer.
If you are not from the UK or EU, your application will not be considered unless you provide the documents requested in this section.
Section G: To be completed by all applicants
(3) Please tick one box only:
I completed this form by myself, with no help from anyone else. I completed this form with some help from another person. Someone else completed this form for me.
(3) Checklist – Please tick as appropriate:
I enclose my passport sized photograph I enclose a photocopy of my passport
I have answered all the questions on the application form. I enclose a letter of my Christian experience
I enclose supporting documents as requested in Section F. (Non EU applicants only)
(3) Travel Arrangements – Please tick as appropriate:
I have enough money to pay for my travel to the UK.
I do not have enough money to pay for my travel to the UK.
I have enough money available to apply for a visa to travel to the UK (non EU applicants only).
I do not have enough money to apply for a visa to travel to the UK (non EU applicants only).
(3) Please read the following points carefully and tick as appropriate – your signature on this form is your agreement to abide by them.
I would like to join the community at Lee Abbey London as a volunteer. I understand what is expected of me and I will do my best to live up to those expectations.
I am willing to participate fully in the life and worship at Lee Abbey, including the weekly Holy Communion service and receiving bread and wine consecrated by an Anglican (Church of England) priest.
I will willingly submit to the authority of the leaders in the community and will seek to serve God and others to the best of my ability.
All the information I have provided in this form is accurate. I am fit and strong and able to work hard.
PART OF THE LEE ABBEY FAMILY
1. What is Lee Abbey London?
Lee Abbey London is a part of the Lee Abbey Movement which is a group of Christian communities united in the common aim of “Communicating Christ through relationships”. Lee Abbey London provides accommodation for approximately 150 students from over fifty nations. The residence, which is staffed by a residential Christian community who live, work and worship together, provides an environment in which students from overseas can study, experience life in an international community, learn about other cultures and be successful in their studies. We aim to
provide a safe and secure ‘home-from-home’ and welcome students from all faiths and backgrounds.
2. Lee Abbey is staffed by a Christian
Community. What does this mean?
It means that the staff and volunteers at Lee Abbey are Christians who are dedicated to serving others, providing hospitality and living out the Gospel. Community members live, pray and worship together regularly and by their work and witness, seek to communicate Christ through relationships.
Anyone who joins our Community will be a Christian, accepting Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord. You will join in our daily worship, be ready to welcome and serve the students and be prepared to witness to your faith in Jesus by your life and work. Lee Abbey is a Church of England (Anglican) based Community which welcomes people from other Christian denominations to work and worship with us. Our weekly services of Holy Communion are an important expression of our unity in Christ.
3. If I join the Community at Lee
Abbey as a volunteer, what work
will I do?
You will join one of four teams which help with the practical work of keeping Lee Abbey running smoothly.
• HOUSE TEAM - responsible for the general care and cleanliness of the whole building.
• KITCHEN TEAM - responsible for serving meals and washing up afterwards.
• MAINTENANCE TEAM - responsible for the day to day maintenance of the building and garden.
• OFFICE TEAM – responsible for Reception, Bookings, Correspondence, Fees,
Financial matters, Accounts, and General Administration.
4. Will I stay in the same team for my
whole stay at Lee Abbey?
We try and rotate community members from team to team unless you are with us for a short period of 3 months or less. It is unlikely that anyone will have the chance to work in all of the teams.
5. May I choose which team I am
allocated to?
You may wish to let us know your preferences, however we believe that we are called by God to serve others here in this place and this means being willing to help wherever needed.
6. Will I have any other
responsibilities?
Yes, our mission is to serve God here as we serve the needs of those among whom we live and work. We have the privilege and opportunity to witness to the students by the way we live and work, and by our lifestyle and readiness to answer questions about our faith.
Joining the Community at Lee Abbey London
Frequently Asked Questions
PART OF THE LEE ABBEY FAMILY There will also be opportunities to use your
talents and skills in our worship and outreach, whether this is through music, drama,
friendship or hospitality.
All community members take turns to lead our daily “Morning Prayers”, run our evening coffee bar and be “on call”.
Being on Community is a way of life rather than a normal job and does therefore include some “after hours” activities.
7. I am 17, can I apply?
No, unfortunately Lee Abbey can only accept applications from those who are 18 years old or over.
8. Do I need a visa?
If you are a UK or European Union citizen, you will not need a visa to join our community. If you are from any other country you will need to apply for a “Tier 5 (Charity Worker) visa” at the British Embassy in your home country. If you are not sure if you need a visa, you could visit the following website which will give you an answer: www.ukvisas.gov.uk
You will only need to apply for a visa once you have received an invitation from Lee Abbey to join our Community.
9. How much money will I receive?
You will receive pocket money of £44 each week.
10. When will I get paid?
You will normally be paid in cash on Fridays. If you have a UK bank account, you can choose to be paid monthly by bank transfer, which is on or before the 25th day of each month.
11. Do I have to pay Income Tax,
National insurance or Council Tax?
No
12. Do I have to pay for food or any
other bills?
All three meals are provided each day, and you also have access to basic food items
should you need a snack between meals. The only other bills you are required to pay are your telephone bill, any social programme bills (theatre outings, day trips etc) and a refundable deposit of £40.
13. Why must I pay a deposit?
Sometimes Community Members forget to pay their bills before they leave at the end of their stay at Lee Abbey. The deposit protects Lee Abbey from any losses and reminds you to pay your telephone bill!
14. Will I share a room?
Yes - space in our building is limited and you will share a room with one or two other Community Members.
15. Will Lee Abbey ask for a
medical reference?
Yes, if you are invited to join our community, our offer of a place will be conditional
pending receipt of a medical reference from your doctor. This is important as most of our work involves physically demanding duties.
16. I have special dietary
requirements. Will Lee Abbey cater
for my needs?
Lee Abbey provides a range of choices at meals times, including a vegetarian option, salads, fruit and soup. Unfortunately we cannot provide special meals for those with particular requirements such as dairy or gluten free diets.
17.How many hours will I work?
In most teams the daily work is done on a shift pattern. Hours of work vary, but a typical work day starts at 8.30am and finishes at 4pm. You receive an hour for lunch and a 20 minute coffee break.
All Community Members work for 3 hours on Sundays – Lee Abbey is open every day of the year.
PART OF THE LEE ABBEY FAMILY
18. Do I have to be Anglican (Church
of England)?
No, anyone over 18 who accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour is welcome to apply. You will need to be willing to join fully in our services, including a weekly Holy Communion service led in the Anglican tradition.
19. Will I receive any holiday?
Yes, you will receive 2 1/2 days paid holiday for each full month that you work. This means that if you stay at Lee Abbey for a year, you will have 30 days holiday.
20. What happens on Sundays?
Lee Abbey is open every day of the year. Unfortunately some work needs to be done on Sundays and public holidays. On these days you will be asked to work a 3 hour shift. You are encouraged to join a local Church and participate in their worship on Sundays.
21.May I go home for Christmas/
Easter?
We do not allow holidays to be taken over the Christmas and Easter periods. For most volunteers this is their first time away from family and it would not be fair to allow some to go home and not others. Lee Abbey remains open to guests at Christmas and Easter.
