Volunteering, Internships and Apprenticeships

There are three options for your stay at Sunseed; short term volunteers, long term volunteers and grant-funded interns/research volunteers. The rates vary and can be found at the end of this page. If you are planning to join us just for a day we offer free guided tours for visitors every Tuesday, so please get in touch.

Short Term Volunteers (STVs)

STVs come to Sunseed for between two and four weeks, working a minimum 25 hours a week (5 hours Monday to Friday mornings), with afternoons free to join guided tours led by Sunseed’s department co-ordinators, seminars, workshops etc… and weekends free. STVs may work in any of our departments and, within reason, get the chance to choose what they wish to do each day.

Long Term Volunteers (LTVs)

LTVs join for five weeks or more and work for 7 hours a day, Monday to Friday. The weekly rate for LTVs is reduced after the first four weeks at Sunseed. In the mornings LTVs may work in any of our departments and, within reason, get the chance to choose what they wish to do each day. In the afternoons, LTVs work in one of our departments assisting with ongoing work or with their chosen project work; as well as taking part in the other educational activities, such as seminars, workshops, guided tours, visits to other projects… for some volunteers this is an apprenticeship experience.

Apprenticeships

Apprentices are long term volunteers, staying for minimum of six weeks and working 7 hours a day, Monday to Friday in the Eco-Construction Department. Being an apprentice at Sunseed is a great opportunity to learn basic and advanced Eco-construction skills and techniques in a beautiful place.

Interns/Research Volunteers

Research volunteers or interns are long term volunteers, staying for five weeks or more (several months is not uncommon) and working 7 hours a day, Monday to Friday.  The main focus of interns/research volunteers is research or a project for their university studies. Usually these students are grant funded, e.g. with  Leonardo or Erasmus (EU funding). Research volunteers have a tutor (the relevant department coordinator) that guides and supports them. Working hours for the research/project and work with Sunseed is agreed during the first week or two. Often students choose their project from the Project Pack.

Volunteer Project Pack

You can check some of the projects available by looking at our online Project Pack . If you have a project in mind and would like to liaise with the appropriate staff member pleasecontact us.