Oxfordshire Homeless Movement
Emmaus
Emmaus Oxford
Provides shelter
Provides guidance
Provides new skill learning
Accepts time
Accepts things
Accepts money
Contact Details
OX4 2ES
Service Type
Positive move-on options
Operating Hours
9.30am - 5pm Mon - Sat, 10am - 4pm Sun
Eligibility & Referral
Homeless or vulnerably-housed men and women over the age of 18. Self-referral through direct presentation, phone, post, email, the website, and Facebook.
Service Description
Emmaus Oxford is a local independent registered charity, but is also part of the wider national and international Emmaus movement. It provides accommodation tied to work in its social enterprise second-hand store and community-supported accommodation.
We help homeless individuals overcome their issues and become more independent through full-time work experience and excellent training opportunities.
The Emmaus Oxford community building in Cowley consists of 28 single bedrooms and various communal facilities, including a community dining room, sitting rooms, and a games room. All residents (known as companions) work a full 35 hour week in the social enterprise charity store on Barns Road, Cowley, in exchange for food, lodging and a stipend. The store provides a 25% discount for people on benefits, helping hundreds of households every year to furnish their homes.
Other than a relatively small amount of funding from Oxford City Council (£15,000 in 2017/18), Emmaus is entirely self-funding through sales incomes, rents and donations from the public. The long term aim is to become entirely self-sufficient and return any profit after that point into charitable causes.
Key functions & activities offered
- Emmaus houses around 38 homeless people each year, who are given support through a small team of support workers and a progression worker
- We help homeless individuals overcome their issues and become more independent through:
- Full-time work experience and work in its business
- Excellent training opportunities, which include driving training, cash handling, and training and qualifications in health and safety and merchandising
- Two solidarity beds are used for asylum seekers appealing a Home Office decision, and these beds are internally subsidised through Emmaus’ business
- Every year several companions move-on into employment and independent living
- Emmaus companions sign off all benefits except housing benefit, saving large amounts of state money as a result
- We also directly employ ex-companions and people who have experienced homelessness themselves.