Volunteer Information
Every year we welcome up to 130 voluntary staff of all ages and many different backgrounds. Their tasks are many and varied, including cooking, housekeeping, working with children, and driving the van. What the staff share is a willingness to join in the common life of hospitality, work, worship and recreation in our residential centres.
We should point out that we do receive more applications than we have places. We try to appoint a balanced staff of different backgrounds, age and nationality. While early applicants are given priority there are often a few last minute vacancies, so a late application may be worthwhile. There are far more places for kitchen assistants, housekeeping assistants, the shop and the maintenance team than there are for Abbey church assistants, children's workers, craft workers and front office assistants, but where possible, we try to give people the job they list as their first choice.
Life here is BUSY, challenging and not always easy, but over the years thousands of volunteers have found their time here worthwhile, enjoyable and enriching. If you do decide you would like to join us please return the application form enclosed, making sure you have read the volunteering information booklet on this website first. We will then acknowledge the form, letting you know the date by which you should hear whether or not we could offer you a placement.
If you have any further questions do not hesitate to contact us.
We look forward to hearing from you. With best wishes, Staffing Team.
THE ISLANDS WORK
The Community maintains three centres on Iona and Mull - Iona Abbey and the MacLeod Centre, and Camas Centre on the Ross of Mull. These provide hospitality and an opportunity to extend horizons and forge relationships through sharing an experience of the common life in worship, work, discussion and relaxation.
Although a "Resident Group" of staff live here all the year round, their work is only possible because of the contribution made by the volunteers who come for six weeks or more and are of all ages, nationalities and backgrounds.
Read about the experiences of one volunteer's summer on Iona
Mission Statement of the Iona Community
The Iona Community has a presence on Iona and Mull in response to our prayer that God will grant that "a place of your abiding be continued here to be a sanctuary and a light".
We seek in the power of the Holy Spirit:
* to witness to the gospel in our common life of worship, work and recreation;
* celebrate the gift of that common life as it forms every week amongst guests, staff and day visitors;
* to offer space for all to explore their faith journeys, particularly in relation to the wider concerns of the community.
* to be especially open to the gifts, challenges and needs of the minority groups in our society.
THE ABBEY
The restored Iona Abbey welcomes up to 45 guests each week from all over the world - as well as thousands of pilgrims every day during the summer months.
The Abbey provides neither retreat nor conference, but an opportunity to share in Christian community with people from many different backgrounds and places in the world.
Guests and staff of the community share all aspects of life - meals, daily worship, programme activities, chores and social events in a place where people can share the things which concern them, where they feel safe to open out, reflect on their lives, and be challenged by encounters with people from different backgrounds. Accommodation is mostly in bunk-bedded rooms.
THE MACLEOD CENTRE
What better way to celebrate the Founder's ninetieth birthday than to look to the future! That's what the Iona Community did when it took a bold decision to replace the old Youth Camp with a new, award winning building designed to help young people, families and people with disabilities celebrate Community together. The spacious, light-filled building, opened in 1988, sits just up the road from the Abbey.
The 'Mac', as it is known, has accommodation for 50 guests, in five and seven-bedded rooms cleverly designed to give space and a degree of privacy as well as community. Guests and staff come from many backgrounds, traditions and countries to experience community life together through sharing in worship, work, activity and relaxation. A major feature of the building is its beautiful, well-equipped, north facing craft room.
Worship, concerts and ceilidhs are shared with guests and staff from the Abbey. The Mac's spacious community room with its log stove, provides an excellent space for social events as well as the main place for meeting and eating.
Children of all ages are especially welcome and there is disabled access on the ground floor, with adapted facilities for those with mobility difficulties.
CAMAS
The Iona Community's adventure centre on Mull offers an exciting outdoor experience for young people and is particularly appreciated by those from urban backgrounds. Situated about three miles from Iona and thirty minutes' walk over a moor from the road end, the stone-built quarry cottages at Camas Bay provide accommodation for up to 16 guests. There is a great opportunity for outdoor activities and closeness to nature. At Camas, as a part of the integration of worship and work which is at the heart of the Iona Community, worship and daily chores are shared by both guests and staff together. Camas worship takes the form of simple reflections, which are held twice daily, often in the attic Chapel of the Nets. Guests and staff get to know each other really well in such an isolated and small-scale living space, and they find that self-reliance and mutual dependence are two sides of the same coin. There is no point in trying to switch the light on - there is no electricity! There are many enjoyable walks in the area. The scenery is beautiful, and there are lovely bays for those who like to swim. Camas Bay itself is ideal for learning to kayak.
Camas has close links with Iona, and the Camas staff visit Iona every week, to bring visiting groups, to attend Friday meetings, or on their days off. Staff based on Iona at the Abbey or MacLeod Centres are welcome to visit Camas on their days off, by arrangement with the Camas staff.
WORK - AND WORSHIP
On Iona we are committed to the belief that worship is everything that we do, both inside and outside the church. We begin and end our day with worship. Every action of work, the common life and recreation can be seen as one liturgy, one work of service to God.
Our common life is fed from many sources. The past is all around us. We are inheritors of the Celtic tradition, so we use prayers from the Celtic Church for welcome, for work and in expressing the needs of the world. We are also the inheritors of the Benedictine tradition where 'to work is to pray'. As we are an ecumenical community, we also draw on many modern Christian traditions in our services. The liturgies, which tend to be responsive Celtic liturgies, are therefore unique to Iona.
Worship in the Abbey Church is public worship. The services follow a weekly pattern. The Resident Group staff must have a Christian commitment and be prepared to lead and take part in worship. We encourage volunteers to attend worship and there is an opportunity for them to be involved with the Resident Group staff and other volunteers in participating in different ways, e.g. leading, singing, playing instruments, drama or dance. Currently, the weekly pattern is as follows:
Saturday 9.00 a.m. Morning Worship 9.00 p.m. Gathering Space
Sunday 10.30 a.m. Communion Service 9.00 p.m. Quiet Space
Monday 9.00 a.m. Morning Worship 9.00 p.m. World Space
Tuesday 9.00 a.m. Morning Worship 9.00 p.m. Healing Space
Wednesday 9.00 a.m. Morning Worship 9.00 p.m. Creative Space
Thursday 9.00 a.m. Morning Worship 9.00 p.m. Table Space
Friday 8.15 a.m. Morning Worship 9.00 p.m. Inner Space
At Camas, as has been mentioned earlier, there are twice-daily reflections that are held in different locations.
WORK
The Staff on Iona and at Camas are made up of both Resident Group and Volunteers. We are all staff members of the Iona Community. Currently there are Members of the Iona Community and some Associate Members on the Resident Group staff. There are twenty-two Resident Group staff. The island's resident staff group are not a religious order. Some of us are here for three years, some for one year and the rest are the seasonal staff. There can be up to thirty volunteers here at any one time. We are therefore an amazingly diverse group in age, nationality, traditions and faiths. Although Iona is a beautiful small Hebridean island, there is a misconception that coming to live and work for the Iona Community will be a peaceful tranquil lifestyle, giving you time for study and personal reflection. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is a very BUSY community offering challenges, but also fulfillment in other and unexpected ways.
Working as a volunteer on Iona you would be offered a specific task. Work is the priority for all the staff here, but there is time set aside for discussion meetings, both formal and informal; sharing stories and journeys; staff socials and ceilidhs. The word volunteer means much more than giving a helping hand to the long term staff. Everyone is fully involved, valued and given real responsibility. It is hard work but it is rewarding and great fun too. Often the hardest thing is trying to get the balance right. Initially there might be a tendency to burn the candle at both ends, as you won't want to miss anything!
EAT AND DRINK TOGETHER;
TALK AND LAUGH TOGETHER;
ENJOY LIFE TOGETHER;
BUT NEVER CALL IT FRIENDSHIP
UNTIL YOU HAVE WEPT TOGETHER.
(AN AFRICAN SAYING)
VOLUNTEER POSITIONS ON IONA
The following is a list of the various volunteer positions for which you can apply. A few of them require specific skills, but the majority just require a willingness to learn. Although we try to offer the preferred position, this is not always possible. The list is correct at the time of printing, but from time to time we make changes as the need arises.
DOMESTIC POSTS 
Kitchen Assistants for the Abbey Centre or MacLeod Centre
To work with the Resident Cook as part of the team to provide meals for up to 70 people at a time. Meals are mostly vegetarian. Cooking experience is not essential, but a willingness to learn is. The kitchen teams work split shifts and take turns to prepare breakfast. Although the work can be challenging and physically demanding e.g. lifting of large catering equipment, provisions etc., it can also be very rewarding.
Housekeeping Assistants for the Abbey Centre or MacLeod Centre
To work with the resident Housekeeper as part of a team. The work involves cleaning, laundry and other household tasks to ensure that the centres are ready to receive guests, and can be physically demanding. This department plays a crucial role of hospitality to the guests who come to each of the centres. The impression that guests of the Community receive is often influenced by the way the housekeeping teams work, and how they introduce the guests into the daily cleaning tasks. Therefore they need to be able to work with and supervise a wide variety of people to ensure that the chores are properly done.
General Assistant
To work in the kitchens, housekeeping and occasionally other departments, covering days off, holidays and sickness, moving from department to department as required. You will need to be flexible, adaptable and quick to learn new tasks. Your weekly rota will be organised by the Hospitality Team Support Worker.
MAINTENANCE TEAM
Maintenance Assistant
To work as part of the maintenance team in the day to day upkeep of the centres, and the rolling programme of repairs. This can range from changing light bulbs, mending locks and furniture, to unblocking drains and painting etc. Skills in general repairs, electrical work, plumbing or joinery are required, as well as a willingness to learn. The work is physical and may involve lifting and carrying.
Driver
The team are also responsible for transporting guests and luggage to and from the jetty, moving the bins, and for collecting provisions and moving items between the centres. The Community currently has three vehicles, a saloon car, which is kept on Mull and used e.g. to transport staff or guests to the doctor on Mull; a small van which is used to collect post, parcels and provisions, and a mini bus with facilities to transport people with disabilities and wheelchair users. As the work suggests, it can be very physical with a great deal of lifting and carrying.
A full clean UK driving licence and a minimum age of 21 years are required for the drivers on the maintenance team. If you are interested in being part of the team please ensure that you complete the enclosed maintenance questionnaire and return it with your application form.
OTHER POSTS
Children’s Workers
Volunteer children’s workers help to plan and lead the children’s programme offered at specific times in the year: Experiencing Easter, mid-June through to the end of August, Community Week and the Christmas House Party. The children’s programme offers children of different ages activities that are both creative and fun, helping them to explore God’s creation in many different ways. Volunteers should have previous experience working with children and be able to engage children from ages 3-12. Training in early childhood education or play theory is desirable. The volunteer children’s workers are part of the Programme Team on Iona and will have the Deputy Warden as Line Manager. At times when no children are staying in either centre, the Children’s Workers will be required to work as General Assistants (see description above).
This post will be subject to an enhanced police check prior to confirmation of appointment.
Craft Worker
The Volunteer craft worker will lead craft sessions for guests and for members of staff as part of the programme team. Experience in making various kinds of arts and crafts is vital, as is the ability to lead sessions that help others to explore their own creativity. The volunteer craft worker is part of the programme team on Iona.
This post will be subject to an enhanced police check prior to confirmation of appointment.
Shop Assistants
We require a team of volunteers to work with the resident shop staff to run this busy department. The Shop sells a wide range of books on spirituality and peace and justice issues, locally made crafts, Wild Goose publications, DVDs, CDs and Fair Trade products. The post involves contact with a large number of people - guests, staff and hundreds of day visitors. It includes till work, serving customers, cleaning and stocking shelves, and responsibility for large amounts of money. The ability to serve and work quickly under pressure for prolonged periods of business is essential.
Reception Assistant
To assist the Resident Administrator in the Front Office with photocopying, word processing, dealing with incoming and out-going mail, faxing, e-mailing, filing, answering the telephone and responding to enquiries from visitors to the island. Organisational and computer skills and an ability to cope at times of pressure are essential. After training, the Front Office Assistant will be expected to take responsibility for the Front Office when the Resident Administrator is on days off and holidays, with support from other Residents. At certain regular times each week, the Front Office Assistant will be required to assist in the Abbey Church (see description of this role below).
Abbey Church/General Assistant
To assist the Sacristan in the stewardship and caretaking of the Abbey Church. This includes preparing the church for worship, welcoming people and stewarding before, during and after services, and keeping the Abbey Church tidy. Please be aware that preparing the Church for worship may include moving chairs etc. This post requires people who are prepared to work alone for some periods and who want to attend most services. The Abbey Church Assistant is also required to help out as a General Assistant (see description above) in domestic departments at certain times each week – you will therefore need to be flexible.
Music Assistant/General Assistant
To assist the resident Musician in preparing the music for worship, playing for services and leading singing sessions with guests as part of their programme. The volunteer music assistant might also have the opportunity to work with instrumentalists to prepare for performing in services. A high standard of piano playing skill will be needed, and any other instrument playing skill and experience in singing and leading singing groups will also be an advantage. The Music Assistant will also be required to help out in other departments at times (see descritption of General Assistant post) – you will therefore need to be flexible.
Volunteer positions are also available at Camas >>>>
For information about volunteering on Iona or at Camas, please contact:
Staffing, The Iona Community, Isle of Iona, PA76 6SN (Tel: +44 (0)1681 700460). staffing@iona.org.uk
