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Camphill Village Minnesota

Remarks

1­3 volunteers at a time minimum 6 months, No drugs Must be 21 or older Skype interview required Must get background check from host country Must be fluent in English Will take volunteers starting at any time for 6months­1 year.

SITE INFORMATION

Host Organization: Camphill Village Minnesota
Address: 15136 Celtic Dr. Sauk Centre, MN 56378

Location: Sauk Centre is a small town in the heart of Minnesota. CVM is less than an hour from St. Cloud and Alexandria and about 2 hours from Minneapolis, Minnesota.

About: Camphill Village Minnesota (CVM) is a life-sharing, residential community of fifty people, including adults with disabilities. Our lives, work and celebrations are woven into
the rhythms of nature found in the rolling hills, sparkling waterways, and prairie grasslands of Central Minnesota. Our
community is deeply rooted in the belief that every individual, regardless of limitations, is an independent, spiritual being. Each person is part of the fabric of Community experience and is worthy of recognition, respect and honor.

Website: http://www.camphillmn.org

WORK

Volunteers will assist in a variety of tasks including but not limited to: Assisting adults with developmental disabilities in their daily living activities in the home and managing crews in workplaces such as gardening, farming, cooking, food preserving, cleaning, woodworking, weaving, baking, or arts. The type of work and number of hours varies but is usually 5 – 10 hours per day. At
least 5 hours per day will be spent in the workplace and another 3-5 hours per day in the home.
Volunteers live on site and participate in all house activities including meals and all outside activities. Coworker position requires a confident individual who will be active in the homelife with others. This includes adults who have a range of abilities. Their primary function will be to make some common meals at home, clean common spaces, assist housemates when needed and participate in activities within the village. Some housemates may need help with bathing, oral hygiene, and other daily living activities. Coworkers will have workplaces to attend during the day.

ACCOMMODATION

Volunteers (Coworkers) will live together family style in homes within the community. Each person has their own bedroom. All meals, hot showers, toiletries, linens & towels are provided. There is a fleet of vehicles that each person with a driver’s license is welcome to use.

LEISURE ACTIVITIES
There is a rich social life within the community. During down time coworkers can be found doing yoga, group workouts, playing pool, canoeing, hiking the land, playing music/ singing, or going to the
nearest town to see a movie at the theatre. Community members are able to go to larger cities on their days off. For year long Coworkers 3 weeks of vacation is offered.

WHAT TO BRING

Essentials:
● Passport and a copy of your passport
● Required insurance: Volunteers must obtain health and accident insurance for the duration of your travel and stay in the United States. This insurance must cover you for all medical eventualities. You must bring all necessary documents, contact numbers, etc with you. (If you cannot prove that you have insurance on arrival, you will not be allowed to take part in our workcamps.) Some travel related
insurance carriers are World Nomads, HTH Worldwide, and Global Rescue LLC."
● Visa (if required)- be sure to make 2 copies: leave one at home and keep one with you in a safe place
● Student ID for possible discounts at museums or when traveling
● Any necessary prescribed medication and a copy of your prescription, and your doctors contact information (make sure to bring sufficient amounts of medication for the time you will be away)

● Money/ Credit or Debit Card- Be sure to call your bank at home to tell them where and when you are traveling.

Clothes:
● Work pants, t-shirts, gloves, work boots/shoes, hat, sunglasses
● Everyday Clothes
● Rain jacket
● Sneakers
● Warm sweater/jacket
● Bathing suit
* Minnesota can get very cold. Please dress accordingly if you will be here during the winter months
**Landworkers can be provided with the gear needed on the farm

Other:
● Cell Phone- There are land lines and long distance calling available in the village
● Camera
● Recipes! – You will be cooking so bring your favorite, easy recipes.

VFP VOLUNTEER EXPECTATIONS
Volunteers are reminded that CVM is a shared living environment therefore it is recommended not to bring valuable items, unless absolutely necessary. Volunteers should ensure that they carry full
insurance to cover both themselves (medical) and their possessions, as this is not provided.
VFP hosts, staff and co-leaders work hard to ensure a rewarding and unforgettable experience in the USA.
Please read the following expectations below.
● Every volunteer is an important and valuable part of the community. You are expected to be an active member, contribute to the work project, assist with cooking and cleaning, and participate in work and free-time activities. Please come prepared with recipes, photos, music, cultural information, group games and other information and activities to share with other volunteers and the community!
● Work activities will take place for about 5 hours per day, 4 days a week. Some days and projects may have longer or shorter work periods depending on the weather, leadership, motivation, availability of materials and other factors. This does not include time spent in the home.
● VFP and your local hosts will provide many fun and cultural free-time activities during the project. If volunteers decide to travel to a different location as a group or plan their own free-time activities they will be responsible to cover the expenses.
● Smoking use is on the decline in the USA and in most of the communities where you are serving you will not see people smoking. It is prohibited in many buildings and also public spaces. You must be 18 years old to purchase cigarettes in the USA.
● The drinking age in the USA is 21 years old! It is illegal to purchase alcohol for a person younger than 21. Excessive drinking is a major social problem and is an obstacle to overcoming the social and economic problems that afflict the world community today. Please check with the house leader regarding alcohol consumption and if you choose to drink please be responsible and only do so during free-time.
● Any illegal drug use is strictly forbidden.

ABOUT VOLUNTEERS FOR PEACE

Volunteers For Peace (VFP) is a US non-profit organization founded in 1982 and located in Burlington, Vermont. Through international voluntary service VFP promotes intercultural education, service learning, and community development. Each year we support local communities by organizing and promoting about 20 short, medium and long-term service projects in the USA and many projects in Haiti and Nicaragua. We have exchanged over 31,000 volunteers worldwide and offer over 3,000 projects in more than 100 countries around the world. Through these projects, nations join together to improve life on our planet. Our volunteers experience a microcosm of our world within the international group of volunteers, and communities are able to create goals that improve life for their members.

We provide opportunities for volunteers to build cultural understanding and connections around the world while exploring grassroots community development and leadership roles. Volunteers will be encouraged to learn, share and plan effective ways to address local and global challenges together. Through these experiences, our volunteers gain valuable skills and an enhanced global consciousness, which we believe will help
them become citizen diplomats, global leaders, and advocates for a more peaceful world! For more information visit our website at www.vfp.org.

HELPFUL WEBSITES

Visa Information: For the most up-to- date and accurate information volunteers should check with the US Embassy in their country of residence for specific documentation requirements. To location the
embassy visit: http://www.usembassy.gov/B Virtual Tourist: www.virtualtourist.com - An informative site with information about locations worldwide, written by independent travelers. A good source of information about places to visit, places to avoid, and what to expect of the local culture. Megabus: megabus.com- provides bus service in the United States and Canada. Tickets can be purchased online, and are cheaper is purchased a couple weeks in advance.
Greyhound Bus: www.greyhound.com - provides bus services throughout the United States and Canada. Discounts are available for students, and tickets are cheaper if purchased at least 7 days in
advance. Tickets can be booked online.
Amtrak Train: www.amtrak.com - train services within the US and Canada. Students can save 15% on tickets if they have an International Student Identity Card (ISIC). Reservations can be made online.
Local Weather: For local weather conditions check out http://www.weather.com. For area-specific information, type the ZIP code, which can be found in the contact information section under the site address, in the search key.
Hosteling International - American Youth Hostels: www.hiayh.org - The largest network of hostels in the United States. Guests must become a member for a fee of $28 USD.