Volunteering

As a volunteer, you will be fully involved in our efforts to cultivate, maintain, and develop our permaculture-based site. Here’s an overview of the activities:

• Gardening: sowing, planting, watering, harvesting, mulching, weeding.
• Food preservation: harvesting and preparing preserves.
• Wild foraging: identifying, gathering, and drying plants for teas or culinary use.
• Site maintenance: various seasonal activities – from wood splitting in winter to mowing in summer.
• Eco-construction and ecological renovation (depending on the period and current projects).
• Event support: logistical and kitchen assistance during courses and worksite camps.
• Daily tasks: cooking, cleaning, general upkeep.
• Communication support: creating content for our social media or other communication projects.

At Ermitaj Malin, volunteering is an opportunity for an immersive and enriching experience:

• Hands-on skills (gardening, preservation, etc.).
• Understanding the principles of permaculture, regenerative agriculture, and sustainable resource management (with access to many reference books).
• Cultural immersion: exploring village life, local traditions, and small-scale farming practices.
• Off-grid living: energy autonomy, tranquility, and immersion in a preserved natural environment.

You will also have the chance to enjoy many walks in the nearby forests and hills, recharging in complete serenity.

Volunteers are accommodated in shared rooms or camping spaces.

We offer simple vegetarian meals made with local, seasonal products, often from our own harvest. Volunteers should be prepared to cook for themselves at certain times.

We generally ask for 6 hours of work per day, 5 days a week, in exchange for accommodation and meals. If this workload seems too much, we are open to mixed arrangements: fewer working hours in exchange for a financial contribution or self-sufficiency in meals.

We are looking for people who are:

• Resourceful, proactive, and autonomous: capable of handling tasks independently, taking initiative, and expressing their limits.
• Willing to actively engage in our projects.
• Motivated to immerse themselves in a sustainable off-grid lifestyle (and adapt to the sometimes basic comfort conditions that come with it).

A preliminary interview is essential! This helps us better understand your motivations and align your expectations with ours.