Creating a warm and welcoming home away from home

The prospect of residential care can be a difficult and daunting decision for parents and young people alike. Many families have no choice but to send their loved one's hundreds of miles away from their homes due to a lack of suitable care placements for young people with learning disabilities and complex additional support needs. This distance can heighten feelings of worry, isolation, and disconnection for both the individuals receiving care and their families. That’s why our House Coordinators play such an important role in the vibrant community.  

The heart of our homes

Camphill School Aberdeen’s House Coordinators, who work in the various homes on our estates, are central to helping create a ‘home away from home’ for residential students. From helping students settle in those first few critical days and weeks to liaising with families and supporting young people throughout their time here, House Coordinators are key to the success of our community.

What are House Coordinators?

House Coordinators are responsible for the day-to-day running of homes, making sure everything runs smoothly. They handle practical tasks such as managing household tasks to managing finances but, most importantly, they’re there to ensure that the young people living in their houses are happy and comfortable.  

Each of our houses is home to a group of students, staff that either come in or live on-site, and one-year volunteers that come from all over the world to live and work within our residential settings. This creates tight-knit micro-communities within the wider Camphill School Aberdeen community. House Coordinators are supported by dedicated teams that include Assistant House Coordinators, ASN Workers, and more – all working together to ensure every young person is supported to reach their full potential.

Unlike traditional care settings, House Coordinators integrate seamlessly into the day-to-day lives of residential students. Staff and students cook, eat, and tidy up together, creating mutual respect and shared experiences. These small moments help bond staff and students and build young people’s confidence and independence.  

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Why are House Coordinators important?

House Coordinators bring stability, leadership, and compassion to our communities. They provide structure and support, ensuring that every young person has the opportunity to develop confidence, independence, and life skills.

By working alongside each other, House Coordinators can forge strong relationships with the young people. This builds trust and respect, enabling young people to receive tailored support based on their needs, habits, and interests as opposed to having a revolving door of staff who cannot build that level of familiarity.  

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Unique approach to care

The Camphill movement, which all started here in Aberdeen, is where everyone is supported to reach their full potential. Our founders believed strongly in creating an environment where young people with learning disabilities and complex additional support needs feel safe, secure, and that they belong and are valued.

Lim Ravensbergen, House Coordinator in Witiko House, said about the best part of her job: “...seeing the impact our work has on the children and young people. It’s a gift to be able to provide them with the chance to develop and learn in ways that wouldn’t be possible in other mainstream education and care settings.”

That’s what makes the care we offer so unique. The relationships built amongst all staff and students are truly special, allowing children and young people the chance to flourish in ways that simply wouldn’t be possible elsewhere.

Does a role at Camphill School Aberdeen sound like a fit for you? Take a look at our current vacancies here.

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