Brexit will have no effect at all on European volunteering in the United Kingdom in 2019 and 2020. Any new immigration system will come into place in 2021 at the earliest. We will do everything we can to ensure that any new system continues to enable Camphill communities in Scotland to benefit from the wonderful contribution of volunteers from Europe.
We value our European volunteers just as much as ever. Indeed, Brexit has led us to cherish our European connections even more than before.
Camphill was founded in 1939 by Austrian refugees and remains a profoundly European and international movement. In any Camphill community you will find a rich mix of different cultural and national backgrounds. We see this as a great strength of the Camphill movement and we are doing everything we can to preserve it during the Brexit process and beyond.
Find out more about how to apply to volunteer with Camphill in Scotland
Camphill communities in Scotland regularly welcome local and overseas volunteers who want to work with people with learning disabilities and other support needs. Visit our Volunteering page for full details on how to apply, and find out what it’s like to volunteer with Camphill.
Every year, Camphill communities in Scotland welcome around 75 local volunteers and over 200 (usually young) full time volunteers from overseas who want to work with people with learning disabilities and experience life in community.
The voluntary ethos in Camphill is a continuing strength of the movement. There are 3 key routes to volunteering with Camphill – as a vocational co-worker, as a foundation student and as a local volunteer.
42% of the total workforce in 2019 took part in community life on a voluntary, unpaid basis.
Visit our Volunteering page for full details on how to apply, and find out what it’s like to volunteer with Camphill.
Each Camphill community manages their own admissions process for both day services and live in support. Visit the Find your place page for contact details. The community will guide you through the application process.
71% of supported people living in Camphill communities originally came from outside the local authority area in 2019. Most, but not all, come from Scotland.
Each community takes great care to make sure that the move is the right one for the individual and the community. We are proud of the inclusive nature of Camphill communities and strongly believe in the rights of people to access the services they believe is best for them. That so many people are willing to leave home to belong to Camphill communities demonstrates the value that they represent for the people who take part in them.
Read our news article: ‘The right to choose where you live’.
We don’t label people that way, but around one out of every five supported persons living in Camphill communities in 2019 displayed challenging behaviour. This represents a significant shift from the typical Camphill population of the past, and is testament to the resilience and flexibility of the Camphill community.
We don’t label people that way, but around one in two supported people living in Camphill were said to have ASD in 2019. This represents a significant shift from the typical Camphill population of the past, and is testament to the resilience and flexibility of the Camphill community.
In Scotland the 11 Camphill communities make a significant contribution to the provision of high quality:
- Schools
- Training centres
- Residential homes
- Day services
- Care for the elderly
The 11 Camphill communities in Scotland support around 600 individuals with learning disabilities and other support needs through residential and day service provision. This includes 342 supported people living in Camphill and 245 supported people attending day services. Nearly all residents also use the day service provision.
Demand for places rises annually. Communities continue to make efforts to expand their services, whilst maintaining their high quality standards. Unfortunately demand often outstrips supply.
- 60% of residents in 2019 were aged between 26-64
- 19% were aged between 17-25
- 14% were over 65
- 7% were aged 16 or under
- 46% of supported people using Camphill’s day services in 2019 were aged between 26-64
- 44% were aged between 17-25
- 8% were 16 or under
- 1% were over 65
The Camphill communities in Scotland work with 30 out of the 32 local authorities in Scotland in 2019. They also work with a number of authorities out with Scotland.
It is estimated that in 2017 Camphill communities received around £22 million in funding in relation to care and support services, while income from trading was around £2 million.
As well as providing social care, education and housing support Camphill also makes the following significant contributions:
- Employment, volunteer and career opportunities to people from Scotland and overseas
- Training courses
- Community activities and services
- Shops and cafes selling home grown organic and bio-dynamic food along with high quality community crafts
Camphill is also part of the environmental movement and offers a community model for a different way of living.
Over 1,000 people contributed to the work of the Camphill communities in Scotland in 2019. Of the total workforce:
- 58% were employees
- 21% were foundation students
- 14% were vocational co-workers
- 7% were local volunteers
Communities use many different terms to describe the various roles that members of their community play. Broadly speaking, they may be described as follows:
- Vocational co-workers: also known as ‘long term co-workers’. They are people who work in the community without a salary.
- Employees: includes all those employed by the organisation – in whatever role or capacity, including care and education, administration, maintenance, finance, management etc.
- Foundation Student: (usually) young people who take up substantial volunteering opportunities in Camphill communities often from overseas. They usually stay for at least a year. They can also be referred to as ‘short- term co-workers’ or ‘co-workers’.
- Local Volunteer: this refers to someone who makes a voluntary contribution to the work of a community on an occasional basis.
Camphill Scotland is the membership body for the 11 Camphill communities in Scotland. All of our efforts are directed toward a future where Camphill in Scotland is fully recognised for its distinctive and valuable contribution to Scottish society. Follow this link to find out more about us.
