Company description
New Village Farm is a diverse educational farm located in Shelburne, Vermont. The small raw milk cow and goat dairies, poultry operation, gardens, and wilderness areas form an extensive outdoor learning space, where people of all ages are invited to actively participate.
A primary focus of ours is creating opportunities of participation and belonging for youth, as well as fostering connections with earth, plants and animals. The farm hosts a summer camp, adult and family workshops, farm school, and other year-round programming. Our basic philosophy is that healthy lives and actions are founded in healthy relationships to ourselves, to each other, and to the natural world.
Our daily curriculum is dictated by the challenges presented by the land, the seasons, the plants, and the animals. Our agricultural practices are earth centered. Our approach to education is immersive and restorative.
Farming in the company of children and community can be chaotic. Flexibility and comfort working in the gray areas, trust in ourselves and in others, and a willingness to grow are essential characteristics. Our curriculum and systems are constantly evolving in relationship with the animals, the land, and with each other. We prioritize building community around the farm and allowing our animals to live out the essential expressions of their species over meeting specific production goals.
If this sounds exciting to you, and our values align with your own, we look forward to hearing from you.
We encourage applicants from all backgrounds and communities, and are committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills, experiences, and abilities.
Job description
We are hiring day camp counselors for two of our three summer camps: Pathfinders Camp (ages 5-6 plus Counselors-in-Trainings or CITs from age 12+), and Crew Camp (ages 10+).
Our summer camp counselors are the backbone of our summer here at New Village. We host around 300 campers over the course of the summer, many of whom return year after year because they love the blend of freedom, trust, responsibility, and fun at the core of our programs.
The camps we're hiring for:
Pathfinders (ages 5-6): Pathfinders is a program designed to serve our youngest campers with smaller group sizes and a space all their own for exploration, imagination, and the joyful work of the farm. This program eases newcomers into the magic and responsibility of work with animals and plants at a moderate pace. We spend our morning working with the animals and in the garden, and our afternoons are spent exploring the woods, quarry, fields, and marshes around the farm, and diving into the interests that emerge from the group. Projects can range from animal care, gardening, carpentry, wilderness skills, nature crafts, painting, and whatever we dream up together. Those applying to lead Pathfinders must have relevant, professional experience working with 4-6 year old children. In Pathfinders, there are 2 counselors for the 15 campers plus at least 2 CITs. Counselors will be working closely with the CITs, mentoring, giving feedback, etc.
Crew Camp (ages 10+): The focus of this camp is continuing to grow the skills and competence of the many kids who value animal husbandry, gardening and outdoor engagement. Crew members are responsible for the execution of all chores that go beyond the scope of the younger camps, including milking cows, daily pasture rotations and fence maintenance, gardening, etc. Crew also engages in carpentry, projects that serve the farm’s infrastructure, lots of crafts, and of course, some hang time. In Crew, there are 2-3 counselors, and up to 16 campers, no CITs.
Required Qualities:
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Relevant educational or childcare experience
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Prior farm experience, in livestock or veg, is preferred but not required
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A passion for the outdoors and the work of farming and gardening
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A passion for fostering nature awareness, mindfulness, wonder, and creativity
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The ability to direct and support farm chore times for a mixed-age group, so that they experience satisfaction and competence
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The ability to support kids in pursuing healthy, self-directed projects and interests
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Exceptional group management skills
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A Behavior = Communication approach to discipline, familiarity with restorative practices
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Professional and compassionate interpersonal skills
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The willingness and ability to be a strong mentor to our CITs, e.g., giving feedback, listening,
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Exceptional intuition and judgment, and willingness to use it
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Reliable transportation (car, bus, or ability to coordinate carpooling with other counselors)
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A personal cell-phone for inter-counselor communication
Responsibilities include:
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Managing the arc of the camp day, including farm chores (goat milking, chicken & bunny chores, pasture management, garden tasks, etc.)
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Leading morning and closing circles
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Teaching daily nature skills (weaving with cattails, plant-ID, natural dyeing, spinning wool, fire by friction, building skills, clay, etc)
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Mediating challenges within the group using restorative practices
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Teaching and practicing safe farm boundaries
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Co-leading with our counselors and other farm staff
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Managing the CIT program (mentoring, giving feedback, etc.)
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Managing verbal communication with parents
The counselor position runs from M-F 8-3:30 pm. The program runs from June 10th-August 23rd. The first week is devoted to staff training.
We are also hiring a counselor to work half of the summer. This could be great for someone looking for more time off.
Hourly wage $17-20 dependent upon experience. If you are looking for local housing, please reach out!
Compensation
this position is: hourly, $15-20/hr
Application instructions
This job expired on March 30, 2024
Deadline
no deadline