BREAKING NEWS…
Our aim has always been for Scargill’s Community to fully reflect God’s kingdom, and we’ve warmly welcomed into Community Christians from all denominations and, importantly, from all around the world. From June 2017 we’re making a few changes to consolidate the processes for welcoming international volunteers within Community. It also means that we’re making a few changes to some of the terminology we use to describe how we all fit together here at Scargill…
In future, our Community will be made up of Community Members supplemented by International Community Volunteers. Those wishing to become Community Members must have unrestricted rights to work in the UK. Typically they’ll be UK nationals, EU nationals or those with visas allowing unrestricted working (such as the international ‘Tier 5 Youth Mobility Scheme’).
The International Community Volunteer Programme
We’re also delighted to announce the launch of a new International Community Volunteer Programme. This will provide placements of up to 12 months to those living outside of the EU with certain UK immigration restrictions. They will typically shadow our full Community Members and will still remain fully immersed within Community life. They will also continue to share their faith and hospitality with guests, and to make an important contribution towards meeting our charitable aims. Our International Community Volunteers have always brought with them a huge wealth of new experiences, culture and stories which have been shared within Community and with guests. They have been such an important part of life here at Scargill and we look forward to welcoming the first of our International Community Volunteers through the programme very soon.
Changes to how we fit together…
Scargill couldn’t function without its many volunteers, Friends and Companions. However, to remove the potential for confusion in the immigration processes, we’re going to be ‘re-labelling’ our external volunteers as ‘Working Friends’. But don’t worry – we’ll be gentle in the transition and no volunteers (or should I say Working Friends?!) will be harmed during the transition. We just wanted to make you aware that this change will be taking place.