As a Camphill Communty we welcome people from all over the world to join us as resident volunteer co-workers.
This is a fantastic opportunity for individuals to experience a unique and unforgettable time, make great friends and learn lots of new skills. Today we wanted to share with you what its like to be a volunteer from a recent coworker from Germany, who completed a year with us. We hope you enjoy!
My name is Elisabeth and I joined the Hatch as a Co-Worker from September 2021 to August 2022, which was one of the best decisions I have ever made. My goal was to make some great experience abroad after finishing school, and therefore I was looking for interesting projects linked to social care.
Why did I decide to volunteer?
The program offered me the opportunity to learn about life, people and culture in another country. Aswell as enhance my English skills and expand my personal perspectives.
For me, it is so important to not only think about yourself but also about the world and especially the people around you. And so, this was my chance to not only take, but to really give something back to others.
The idea of helping these people to live a good life and to make sure that they fall asleep with a smile on their faces made me so happy.
I always think that behind every person there is a life and a story, and it is a life with very different experiences, worries and happy moments. In a community, you can remember this more easily, and you can try to help each other. And that is really astonishing!
What was your best memory from your time in the community?
When I think back in time, one of my greatest memory was when it was the first Advent Sunday. We had a gathering in our house where we lighted the first advent candle, read a story and sang some carols. At this moment I felt how my heart opened and how I let the holy christmas spirit in my mind, my body and my soul. It was just magical!
Other favorite moments were definitely how we celebrated Halloween with a big party in the Community Hall, or the Queen´s Jubilee in June 2022.
What was it like to be a part of a community?
I can tell that it´s an unbelievably strong and powerful feeling to have the whole community together! You´re not only a part of the community, the community is also a part of you. That is why I always felt so welcomed. All these people are not only housemates or colleagues to me anymore, they are like family. To have a family somewhere in the world, connected by heart, is truly extraordinary!
What would you say to anyone thinking about volunteering at The Hatch?
I would certainly recommend volunteering in a Camphill Community and especially at the Hatch!
I know that living together and being around all the time can be challenging for many people. But life is all about experience, isn´t it? You will never know if you never try.
This community and all the people connected to it touched my heart, and I´m thinking nearly every day about my time there. It is a great environment to get a little closer to the question of who you are and what you want in life, or to simply make good memories.
So let´s just give it a try…
We wanted to share our gratitude to Elisabeth for her hard work during her time with us and for her lovely words in response to the questions.
To find out more about how you can volunteer with us click here.