Access Policy and Procedures

Emmaus Gloucestershire aims to accommodate all that seek to join, where an Emmaus Community can help in meeting their own personal support needs and subject to the need to maintain a safe environment. Emmaus will not discriminate on the grounds of a person's past life beyond the extent that is necessary to control, as far as is reasonably practicable, the risk to which the Companion, other Companions, staff, volunteers and any other visitors to the premises are exposed. If the Emmaus Community cannot meet need or the risk posed is too great, then every effort will be made to access alternative provision or signpost the prospective applicant to different organisations.

Implementation - Guiding Principles

Prior to allowing anyone to stay at the Emmaus Gloucestershire Community as a Companion, the following must be undertaken:

  • An Emmaus Information Request Form MUST be completed for both direct applicants and those referred by agencies.
  • A Needs Assessment MUST be carried out.
  • A Risk Assessment MUST be carried out.

Any decision must be guided by the above (and space restrictions) and the final decision must be agreed with the Co-ordinator or Assistant Co-ordinator.

Practical Implementation

These procedures will apply "across the board"; i.e. to applicants from each and every referral route: direct application, by referral from an outside agency and by referral from another Emmaus Community.

  1. A log of all enquiries from prospective applicants to the Emmaus Gloucestershire Community must be kept. This should record details of the applicant, contact details etc. This is important for monitoring purposes.
  2. All prospective applicants MUST complete the Emmaus Information Request Form or this should be completed on their behalf (with consent) by a referral agency. The information given on this form should be checked as thoroughly as possible, including cross checking information with other agencies that have been involved in the applicant’s case.
  3. An appointment should be made with the applicant to carry out the Needs Assessment and the Risk Assessment. This should be made prior to 12.30 pm, in order to ensure that the process can be completed efficiently and effectively.
  4. If no spaces are available at the project this should be communicated to the applicant / referral agency when the initial enquiry is made. However, the application and assessment process can still be undertaken, and, if eligible, the applicant will be put on a waiting list.
  5. The Needs Assessment pro forma should be completed with the applicant to ascertain whether or not Emmaus Gloucestershire can meet the support needs of the individual. If not then the application to join will be declined as to accept a person whose needs cannot be met would go against both the interests of the applicant and those of Emmaus Gloucestershire. Any decision to decline an application at this stage should be checked with the Co-ordinator or Assistant Co-ordinator. This decision should be communicated to the applicant (if requested in writing as well) and the applicant informed of the right of appeal to the Chair of Trustees and details on how to do this. Notes of the decision including the reasons for declining the application MUST be made on file.
  6. If the applicant's needs can be met by Emmaus Gloucestershire, then the application process would move onto the next stage, and a Risk Assessment carried out. The same process vis-à-vis risk assessment should be carried out in line with (5) above.
  7. If the application is successful after the Needs and Risk Assessment above, then the new Companion should be inducted into the Emmaus Gloucestershire Community in line with the Induction guidelines. If no space is available in the project at this time, then the successful applicant should be placed on a waiting list. When space is available, the original Needs and Risk Assessments should be double checked to ensure that that the information is still current, and that no changes have occurred that could adversely affect the application.
  8. Both the Needs and Risk Assessment will be regularly reviewed, and both should be cross referenced with the Support Plan.

To find out more about who can join an Emmaus Community, see our criteria for admission