Land Intern

Job Description

Job Description

Heartbeet Lifesharing - Hardwick, VT 

Want to Make a Difference? Come join our vibrant and caring life-sharing community where everyone - regardless of ability - can find meaning, dignity, and reverence for life.

Heartbeet Lifesharing is a licensed non-profit licensed therapeutic community residence for individuals with developmental disabilities located in Hardwick, Vermont. In addition, Heartbeet is also a vibrant Camphill community that interweaves the social and agricultural realms and is fully dedicated to the healing and renewing of our society and the earth. Community members live and work together, in beautiful extended family households, forming a mutually supportive environment that enables each individual to discover and develop their unique abilities and potential. Come see what puts the HEART in Heartbeet today!

Position Available

Title:  Land Intern

Length of Service: Summer (with the possibility to extend into another position in the Fall)

Job Description

Heartbeet Lifesharing is looking for both Part-Time and Full-Time Land Interns to assist adults with developmental disabilities with their day to day life skills and activities, while also helping support our Farm and Garden crews during the busy growing season. The ideal candidate is someone who is joyful, humorous, caring, organized, and has a great love for being outside on our land and farm. This position can be either residential or non-residential.

Roles & Responsibilities -  Land Intern

The responsibilities of a Land Intern include supporting both the Farm (livestock) and Garden (vegetables).

Some of the Farm activities include: livestock husbandry, building paddocks/fencing, milking cows, upkeep/maintenance of the barns, and making/using the Biodynamic preparations.

Some of the Garden activities include: planting, weeding, watering, harvesting, and snacking on vegetables. All of these tasks include supporting adults with developmental disabilities, using person-centered adaptive methods.

About the Land:

• All of the agricultural land is stewarded based on Biodynamic and organic principals
• Heartbeet Lifesharing is 165 total acres
• 40 acres of pastures & hayfields
• About once acre of annual vegetable gardens
• Fruit trees/bushes/vines throughout the property
• Over 100 acres of forest with a forest management plan

Diversity of Livestock:

• 3 milking Cows
• 12-15 head grass-fed beef (mixed ages)
• Around 400 pastured laying hens
• Around 400 pastured meat chickens

Roles & Responsibilities -  Support Caregiver

The Land Intern position is also considered a Heartbeet Caregiver. You will be expected to assist "Friends" or individuals with developmental disabilities in all aspects of their daily life, including home, artistic, and skill based programs. Land responsibilities would be balanced with home and other community responsibilities.

This involves assisting the individual (s) in all aspects of life with daily, weekly, and seasonal rhythms including:

• Supporting individual (s) with hygiene, brushing and flossing teeth, and washing hands
• Supporting individual (s) with the bathroom and toileting
• Supporting individual (s) with keeping room generally tidy and with weekly room cleaning
• Supporting individual (s) in processing information that pertains to their daily life
• Supporting individual (s) engaging in socially appropriate interactions
• Supporting individual (s) developing meaningful relationships
• Supporting household activities as guided by the householder and the house schedule including meal preparation and clean up, evening social activities, and celebration of festivals, events, and birthdays
• Cleaning duties throughout the household

Learning Opportunities

The Biodynamic approach to agriculture, coming out of Anthroposophy, provides the core tenets of our farming philosophy. In addition to Biodynamic principles and practices, we implement methods from Holistic Management, Permaculture, and Regenerative Agriculture. Apprentices may have the opportunity to collaborate, work with, and learn from other local farms and agricultural enterprises. Apprentices will learn about other spheres of land stewardship (i.e. garden, forestry, estate), and how they interconnect with the farm and with each of our lives in the Heartbeet Lifesharing community.

We are looking for an enthusiastic individual with self-initiative and interest in the pursuit of supporting and learning from individuals who have developmental disabilities in daily farm tasks. The desire to align oneself and contribute to the values of the community and the farm are more important than prior farming skills.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

The ideal candidate will have experience working with others, along with:

• Excellent verbal communication skills and interpersonal skills
• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with others
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and as part of a team
• Self motivated and driven with the ability to organize and complete tasks
• Willingness to accept supervision, coaching, and guidance from others
• Passionate to work with individuals with differing levels of abilities and needs
• Positive attitude and excitement to join a mission-driven organization
• Reliable and able to adapt to changing conditions
• Direct experience working with individuals with intellectual disabilities (preferred but not required)
  
• Ability to perform well in an environment that requires compassion, helpfulness, patience, and resourcefulness
• An interest in agriculture

Qualifications

• 18+ Years of Age
• High School Diploma (or equivalent)
• Valid U.S. Driver’s License
• I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification 
• Must pass required Background Checks for position
• Ability to lift 50lbs
• Willingness to work outdoors in all types of weather
  

Residential Benefits

• Full Room and Board
• Access to Community Vehicles
• Annual Stipend
• 2 Days Off per Week (1 On-Call Day)
• Personal Time and Sick Leave
  

Non-Residential Benefits

Full-Time Benefits available for employees that maintain 40 Hours per Week. Part-Time Benefits available for employees that maintain 20+ Hours per Week (or 40 hours every other week). Benefits include:

• Paid Time Off
• Paid Sick Leave
• Paid Holidays
• Annual Bonus that is distributed as quarterly payments in January/April/July/October
• Option to enroll in a Simple IRA Plan with a 3% Employer Match

Please include a Resume and Cover Letter with your application.

Reports To:  Farm & Garden Manager/s

Hours / Job Type

Part-Time / Full-Time: 20-40 Hours/Week

Weekends:  Preferred

Job Location: In Office

Compensation: TBD (Based on Residential or Non-Residential)

Heartbeet Lifesharing actively seeks a diverse pool of candidates and welcomes people from all racial and ethnic backgrounds, abilities, gender identities, religions, ages, and sexual orientations to apply; as an EOE/AA employer, Heartbeet Lifesharing will not discriminate in its employment practices due to an applicant’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin or ancestry, age, sexual orientation, gender identification, genetic information, veteran or disability status or any other factor prohibited by law.