Volunteer at Sustainable Living Lab – Ananda Gaorii, Denmark 🌱🧘

We are currently looking volunteers who are curious and keen to learn more about community building and living, yoga, meditation and personal development, healthy diet and lifestyle, vegetarian cooking, sustainable food growing, permaculture design, construction, recycling, and good use of resources. Additionally, it will be very helpful if you have interest or skills in building and other DIY activities, social entrepreneurship, event planning, promoting and hosting, web design and social media, capacity building and project incubation, transition to resilient local communities, or outreach to refugees.

ABOUT THE ORGANISATION

Sustainable Living Lab is an experiential learning project which immerses participants in a multicultural environment focused on living in community, daily yoga and meditation, performing practical tasks associated with living sustainably, and serving the wider community. The project is located at Ananda Gaorii, an ashram and seminar facility with an organic garden in the Danish countryside, about an hour from Copenhagen.

Ananda Gaorii hosts regular workshops, classes, retreats, and trainings in the areas of yoga and meditation, health, permaculture, and a wide range of subjects related to building sustainable and harmonious communities. It also runs a commercial organic bakery. Ananda Gaorii has around 20 residents and is the home of monks and others who focus on spiritual development, following a celibate and healthy lifestyle. Therefore, we ask volunteers to wear modest clothing, not show physical affection in public, and not consume drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, or non-vegetarian food.

The objectives of the project are:
1. To provide participants with non-formal learning experiences that will strengthen their community living skills, deepen their personal growth, give them tools to improve their physical and mental health, broaden their vision, and give them an opportunity to learn the values and competencies related to living sustainably and managing an active project.
2. To offer short-term learning experiences to those who attend the classes, retreats, workshops, and trainings offered at Ananda Gaorii.
3. To benefit the local community by organising activities which help support and integrate refugees and build a more resilient community.
4. To strengthen our engagement and cooperation with other organisations sharing similar goals.
5. To encourage volunteering.
6. To create projects which promote a sustainable lifestyle.We expect you to participate in daily meetings, help with domestic tasks such as cooking and cleaning, and contribute 25 hours of work for the project per week.

The activities of the project include:
- Planning and organising the daily life of the community
- Learning and practicing yoga and meditation, including an option to learn how to teach basic yoga classes
- Building, maintenance, renovation, and interior design
- Bakery cleaning, growing food, collecting food, gardening, permaculture design
- Developing systems for recycling and efficient use of resources
- Hosting and promoting workshops, retreats, and classes
- Looking after the project's website and social media
- Guiding and coordinating short-term volunteers
- Engaging refugees in cultural and learning activities
- Participating in farmers' markets and other local activities
- Creating, coordinating, and facilitating small projects which can help Ananda Gaorii become more self-reliant and sustainable
- Philosophy classes, workshops, and entertainment programmes

Between ten and twenty short and long-term volunteers are normally present on the project, so the duties and responsibilities will be shared amongst all according to individual abilities, interests, and the needs of the moment.Accommodation is provided on site, and meals are included. The food is vegetarian and healthy, made with organic ingredients from the garden whenever possible. The atmosphere is spiritual, calm, and community-oriented. You will be living with residents and other volunteers from all over the world.

Denmark is a beautiful country, and the countryside around Ananda Gaorii offers peaceful walking and cycling routes. Copenhagen is about an hour away, where you can explore the city's culture, museums, and vibrant food scene.

Application Process

Send your CV and motivation letter, no more than one A4 page, in English, or a video to our Facebook page, Ananda Gaorii Ashram, Farm and Learning Center. Please indicate in the motivation letter or the video which activity you are interested in🌿🧘🍞🔒[Verify to view link]
Contact info 🔒[Verify to view link]