Emmaus Norfolk and Waveney is a homelessness charity which provides up to 32 people who have experienced homelessness and social exclusion with a home and a bed for the night for as long as they believe they need it. Not only do we provide a bed but a reason to get out of it. We provide meaningful employment and support throughout their time with us.
We are one of 29 Emmaus Communities across the UK, each of which is an independent charity joined through a federal structure through Emmaus UK and Emmaus International which has communities across the world.
The people within our community (companions) all have their own bedroom and enjoy home cooked food served within a communal dining room. They all work within one of our social enterprises which include our charity shops, upcycling and recycling activities, house clearance and the provision of furniture and essential items to enable people to become and remain established in their own homes through the Norfolk Assistance Scheme in partnership with Norfolk County Council. The money raised through these social enterprises fund the work we do, and our aim is to be as self-funding as possible.
Our community is based in rural South Norfolk on the site of the former All Hallows Convent in Ditchingham near Bungay, but we are a non-religious organisation and welcome people of all faiths and none. There is no time limit our companions can spend with us. This stability together with the opportunity to gain hands-on work experience gives companions the opportunity to re-build their self-esteem and self-confidence.
We also support our companions by providing relevant training opportunities in such subjects as Health and Safety, First Aid, Manual Handling, Food Hygiene and other courses relating to daily living as well as formal qualifications.
We support our companions in pursuing their goals, holistically and financially.
These opportunities help our companions to develop new skills and build on existing ones, build their confidence, improve mental and/or physical health and well-being and increase employability and above all help them achieve their aspirations for the future.
We provide previously homeless people and those who have suffered from social exclusion and abuse with the stability of a roof over their head, meaningful employment and support across all aspects of their life to achieve their aspirations for the future. The companions work within our retail outlets, recycling and upcycling activities, house clearance operations, logistics and warehousing and hospitality outlets as well as supporting the day-to-day operation of the community in which they live.
Our aim is to be fully self-sustaining through the income generated through our activities.
The training and support we provide covers Health and Safety, First Aid, Manual Handling and First Aid to mention just a few topics as well as formal qualifications, NVQs and employability training. Nearly 50% of our former companions now work as staff within our charity and two are currently an apprenticeship degree in Charity Retail and Logistics. We also provide support with all aspects of daily living including budget and debt management, learning to drive and domestic management. We also provide tailored wellbeing support to include addiction services and mental health support and enabling our companions to develop new or existing hobbies, but above all to have some fun.
