September 08, 2010
Volunteer
Internships
Learning:
Duration:
Duration of the internship is negotiable, depending on the intern’s needs and goals, and on the Farm’s schedule. A minimum commitment is expected of six months, with options up to 24 months. Interns are accepted year-round.
Financial:
To complete an internship application, the following information should be sent either
Tell me, I forget;
Show me, I remember;
Involve me, I understand.
- Chinese proverb
Learn what it means to live as part of the community of all life.
Come work with your hands, walk the trails, swim in the pond.
Prepare for your Great Work.
Live in Earth’s heart, and be transformed.
Genesis Farm offers internship opportunities for those called to carry forward the Great Work by participating in the evolution of an Earth learning center. The program offers various experiences depending on interests and skills, as well as on the Farm’s needs, such as program implementation, care of the land and buildings, gardening, cooking, office work, hospitality, and community outreach. The intern’s participation in each of these areas will flow directly out of the rhythm and needs of the Farm throughout the year. An individual learning program will be designed in collaboration with staff; it is expected to include areas of study as well as development of special skills and competencies.
Expectations: In order to effectively contribute to the Great Work here on the Farm, as an intern you are expected to…
-Aspire to live in a nurturing, sustainable relationship with Earth.
-Take the Earth Literacy course at Genesis Farm (5-day or 16-day program) prior to the internship.
-Participate in rethinking your goals and values and in listening to what Earth is asking of you.
-Be a self starter and task completer.
-Be able to work independently and also as part of a team.
-Practice flexibility with good humor, in the midst of ever-changing schedules and priorities.
-Have a strong desire to learn and the ability to learn independently.
-Use 15 hours per week (at minimum) for study and learning.
-Practice good communication skills.
-Adapt to a variety of living spaces depending on the common needs.
-Recognize the dignity of all work as contributing to the well-being of the whole.
-Attend to the detail required to create a place of order, simplicity, serenity and beauty.
-Share in the mid-day meal with staff and guests, Monday through Friday.
-Be responsible for meeting social and personal needs outside the Farm and staff.
-Exhibit a spirit of generous hospitality to the Farm’s visitors and assist in meeting their needs.
Learning:
Interns may participate during their internship period in programs offered by the Farm at no cost.
The library of over 2,800 books, journals, CDs, and DVDs is available daily.
The library of over 2,800 books, journals, CDs, and DVDs is available daily.
Fifteen (15) hours of the 40-hour week will be available for individual study or pursuit of skill based learning.
Interns will meet with a guide from the staff twice monthly to discuss study interests, goals, and plans, and to reflect on their learning.
Possible areas for learning include all aspects of cosmology, sustainability, Earth ethics, bioregionalism, and the Transition movement.
Work Schedule:
Interns are expected to enter fully into the work life of the Farm, for an average of 25 hours per week during non-program times. The typical work schedule for an intern is 9 am-3 pm Monday-Friday. (Lunch is 12:30-1:30.) During program times, a major responsibility is to assist with programs, which often occur on evenings and weekends and require more than 25 hours per week. We make every effort to accommodate interns’ individual needs in regard to the work schedule.
Duration:
Duration of the internship is negotiable, depending on the intern’s needs and goals, and on the Farm’s schedule. A minimum commitment is expected of six months, with options up to 24 months. Interns are accepted year-round.
Financial:
In exchange for an intern’s work commitment, the following are provided:
(1) Housing (a private room), a full mid-day meal Monday-Friday and food for other meals. This is equivalent to approximately $2,000/month (at the rate charged for guests at the Farm, including overnight accommodations and meals).
(2) Participation in Genesis Farm programs during the internship at no cost.
(3) A stipend of $150 per month.
(1) Housing (a private room), a full mid-day meal Monday-Friday and food for other meals. This is equivalent to approximately $2,000/month (at the rate charged for guests at the Farm, including overnight accommodations and meals).
(2) Participation in Genesis Farm programs during the internship at no cost.
(3) A stipend of $150 per month.
Application for Internship:
We suggest that you contact us first to inquire about internship possibilities; either email Lori Gold or call us at 908.362.6735.
To complete an internship application, the following information should be sent either
a) By mail to Genesis Farm, 41A Silver Lake Road, Blairstown, NJ 07825
OR
b) By email to Lori Gold.
b) By email to Lori Gold.
1. A 3-5 page letter explaining your interest in an internship and how you expect it to further your journey with Earth. Your letter should address at least the following areas:
- A brief autobiography of your relationship with Earth.
- How your relationship with Earth has guided you to desire study and work at Genesis Farm.
- What you envision the internship preparing you to do.
- Areas of focus for your learning experiences.
- Particular types of work, projects, and activities that appeal to you.
- The skills and gifts you will bring to the Farm.
- How you anticipate meeting your social/emotional needs outside work time.
- A description of your capacity to do independent study.
- Date of birth and any physical limitations.
2. Your resume.
3. Three (3) references which speak in particular to expectations listed above for the internship position.