Welcome Camphill Volunteer
Volunteers come and help for shorter or longer periods – some apply directly to the communities, some come through volunteer organisations such as Freunde der Erziehungskunst Rudolf Steiners or European Volunteer Service.
Some people are simply looking to do something different, others want to fill a gap year, get social experience for future studies, learn a language and experience a different country and culture, or just do something useful in their summer holidays.
If you are open to new experiences, willing to learn and to support others, looking for a new challenge, get in touch with the community you choose today!
“In a community of human beings working together, the well-being of the community will be the greater, the less the individual claims for himself the proceeds of the work he has himself done; i.e., the more of these proceeds he makes over to his fellow workers, and the more his own requirements are satisfied, not out of his own work done, but out of work done by the others.”
Rudolf Steiner, Fundamental Social Low
Become a Camphill Co-worker
Whether it’s a desire for a lifelong commitment or just a temporary stay to acquire the necessary skills — the communities provide care, quality of life and opportunities for development.
Becoming part of a community means to find one’s place in everyday life and festive occasions, in leisure and in work. Through human closeness and mutual concern for the life in the community, a safe and stimulating atmosphere is formed. Here there arises a living environment that encourages the individual to take responsibility for oneself and for others.
In the villages, the villagers and staff form the house-community. Most meals are common and are important meeting points for conversation, or just for being together. A beautifully laid table, and tasty food gives satisfaction and joy to all. Frequently the farm’s own products form the main part of the menu, which means both tasty and healthy food.
Ecological awareness characterizes all aspects of village life: food, agriculture, building materials, energy-management and recycling.
Work is an essential aspect of community life and villagers and employees stand side by side in many of the tasks in the village. There are a multitude of different tasks to be done and each individual can find his or her task adapted to abilities and needs.
In the schools, care for the children stands at the centre of the community, while in the villages, in addition to farming, each village has a variety of workshops, such as a carpentry-shop, a weavery, or food-processing setup. As often as possible, one tries to arrange it so that people with different functional levels work side by side.
It is a goal that everyone has duties to perform that meet real needs in the village, workshop or local neighbourhood and that all perform their work according to their abilities and possibilities. The celebration of the seasonal festivals of the year are cultural and social highlights of community life.
If you are considering joining one of the Camphill places, contact the community directly: Camphill Communities in the Northern Region or Camphill Communities Worldwide.
