Farm & Garden Help, Assistant Bakers & Cooks, Artisan Apprentices in California

The Camphill Association of North America is actively seeking enthusiastic, conscientious candidates who would like to live and work alongside children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (like autism and Down syndrome)in one of our arts and agriculture-oriented schools and communities.

View Open Positions and Apply Online

Camphill provides an opportunity for you to discover and grow your leadership potential as you:

• Develop lifelong friendships with interesting people from many different countries, backgrounds, and abilities
• Build new skills and creative capacities
• Impact the lives of the people around you and experience incredible personal growth in return

During the day, you’ll support activities like biodynamic agriculture and forestry; cooking and baking; artisan crafts (woodworking, weaving, bookbinding, ceramics, etc.); drama and music; classroom education; sports; and other activities. Through a mix of structured training and hands-on practice under the guidance of mentors, you’ll begin to master new skills; before you know it, you’ll not only be comfortable with them, you’ll be leading others in learning.

At home, you will quickly become part of a warm household community, sharing nourishing meals together and helping with the care, beauty, and running of the home. Coworkers help with the health and care needs of the people they live with, some of whom are very independent and others who require ongoing support.

Camphill life is every bit (and more) as magical as it looks and sounds – an accomplishment that requires patience, perseverance, and working from the heart each and every day. We’ve spent over 80 years growing a model of community that proves that when everyone works together in this spirit, sharing their gifts and stepping up to meet the challenges of the day, all that we give is returned to us many times over in connection, fulfillment, and countless joyful moments.

We seek responsible, introspective applicants with a good sense of humor and an orientation towards serving humanity and healing the earth. You will need to be ready to provide consistent support day in and day out and be able to take the lead when called upon, so emotional maturity and health are essential.

Previous experience working with individuals with disabilities is helpful but not required – we provide plenty of training. You’ll soon learn that the folks we support will, in fact, be some of your best teachers and sources of inspiration.

Many of our communities are located in beautiful semi-rural areas, perfect for nature lovers. Hiking, swimming, and canoeing are common activities. Some regions also offer great winter sports. There are culture-rich small cities and towns quite nearby. And if sightseeing and other urban adventures are more your speed, each of the communities is within a 2-hour drive to a major city (New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Vancouver, Victoria, Montreal, etc).

Benefits include:

• Free room & board (private room in a community house and farm-fresh food)
• Monthly Stipend
• College Loan Support Program
• Health insurance
• Access to community cars (gas and insurance included)
• Professional development opportunities