Warmly welcome to be part of the funded volunteering opportunity to live and work at Ängsbacka! This 8 months long service is created to contribute to a world with more harmony, wellbeing and sustainability!
You are invited to co-create with your skills and enthusiasm in our community and Course & Festival Center. You can demonstrate paths to sustainable development, develop new competencies, make new friends and immerse yourself in a vibrant community life.
If you are a resident or citizen of the EU and under 30 years old, this could be the perfect opportunity for you! We are welcoming 8 new ESC volunteers who are excited to be an active part in creating the Ängsbacka experience.
What is the European Solidarity Corps
The European Solidarity Corps (ESC) is an initiative by the European Union that empowers young individuals aged 18 to 30 years through volunteering or work projects within their country or abroad. It’s designed to promote solidarity, encourage social engagement, and facilitate personal growth by offering opportunities to contribute to society, gain experience, and develop new skills across diverse activities.
Participants benefit from essential support like food, accommodation, travel, pocket money, insurance, and mentorship throughout their engagement.
Volunteers have the opportunity to learn and grow by engaging in meaningful projects that encourage teamwork, collaboration, and cultural exchange, enabling them to immerse themselves in diverse communities and work collectively. More info about ESC here
Volunteer Profile
We are looking for volunteers who are highly motivated and are ready to dedicate their energy both to practical work and communal involvement. We base the selection process mostly on your reasons to apply and willingness to learn and also on whether you already have existing skills or experience.
The successful candidate should also be engaged in or open to some sort of self-development practices (meditation, yoga, dance or some other mindfulness practice).
Volunteers must show an interest in learning and living in a community. Living closely with a community of diverse individuals can be both challenging and rewarding, and we seek people who are open to that experience, and eager to support our shared values and goals. Please find our Ängsbacka Guidelines here.
We wholeheartedly welcome and encourage individuals facing diverse challenges and fewer opportunities to join us. Ängsbacka is committed to create an inclusive community where everyone’s unique journey is valued, respected, and supported. (More information available in the application form)
Practical information about your work as an ESC volunteer
THE WORK
As an ESC volunteer, we expect a 35 hour per week commitment from you. You will be supporting Ängsbacka with practical work 5 days per week, 5 hours per day. You will also join the morning circles, community circles, sharings and silent sittings, which are our main community practices. The ESC additionally offers ESC meetings, sharing circles and language learning. All these activities will make up a total of around 35 hours per week. Your working hours will be mainly done with your work leader and 1 day per week you will be part of a different operational team (Kitchen, Garden, Housekeeping & Beautifying, Site…). This way you have the opportunity to get to know all of Ängsbacka during your time here.
Every week you have 2 days off
You will have 2 days holidays for every month, which makes a total of 16 holiday days for 8 months of service..
As a volunteer, you work in a team with a work leader to support the general activities of the project. In addition, you have an opportunity to develop your personal project that is in accordance with the general aim of the ESC project.
You are welcome to join all our festival activities outside of your working hours or on your days off. Our volunteers most often report that they have developed useful practical skills, but even more importantly, improved their self-awareness and social skills during their time with us. Most likely, you will bring some deep insights and newfound friendships with you after this immersive experience at Ängsbacka.
ACCOMMODATION
As an ESC volunteer, you will live in shared double rooms with communal showers and toilets. There is no opportunity for single accommodation. We will provide pillows and duvets, sheets and towels. You cannot bring your dog or cat to Ängsbacka to live with you.
FOOD
Our kitchen serves delicious vegetarian and vegan meals 3 times a day. You have access to tea and coffee, and sometimes fruits or snacks. There is also a separate community kitchen if you want to prepare something special for yourself.
ALCOHOL-FREE & DRUG-FREE
Ängsbacka is best experienced in full presence and therefore we are a completely alcohol- and drug-free environment. If you are found under the influence we will ask you to leave immediately.
TRANSPORTATION
Ängsbacka is located in the beautiful Swedish countryside, ca. 2 km from the village of Molkom and 30 km from the town of Karlstad. Molkom can easily be reached by foot or a volunteer bike. There you can find a supermarket, a gym, a sports hall and a medical centre. In Karlstad, there are more services, including a public bath, library, hospital and shops. There is a local bus to and from Karlstad.
PRACTICES AND SUPPORT
PROGRAM
We encourage all our volunteers to take part in our daily volunteer program where different practices like yoga, dance, meditation, massage, conscious work out, films, sauna, open stage etc. are offered. You will have an opportunity to join a workshop almost every morning, afternoon and evening. You can offer one yourself if you like holding space for others.
SHARING
Sharing is at the heart of Ängsbacka, and supports everybody here. It is considered a sacred space for speaking and deep listening from the heart. It invites you to be seen in your truth and to see others in theirs, without judgement or fixing. One person shares, while the others sit in silence paying attention to the person sharing. Everyone in the group will have the same amount of time available to them, and everything that is said or done stays in the group. We do not bring it up again outside of sharing. Sharing is an essential and honoured practice at Ängsbacka, and we welcome you to this special space with the sensitivity and open-heartedness that is at its core.
SUPPORT
As a volunteer, you are fully responsible for your own health and wellbeing during your stay. As an ESC volunteer, you are supported by work mentors and a social mentor (Miky Dănăcică) who will assist you with any practical or emotional issues. Sometimes we also use the help of professional coaches if there is an immediate need. For people with fewer opportunities we offer enforced mentorship/ support. We encourage you to participate fully and devote yourself to the daily program and the exploration of how the tools offered in meetings, workshops and sharing can be of support for you.
8-Months of Service
Starts on March 10, 2025 and lasts for 8 months.
As an ESC volunteer, we expect a 35 hour per week commitment from you. You will be supporting Ängsbacka with practical work 5 days per week, 5 hours per day. You will also join the morning circles, community circles, sharings and silent sittings, which are our main community practices. The ESC additionally offers ESC meetings, sharing circles and language learning. All these activities will make up a total of around 35 hours per week.
Your working hours will be mainly done with your work leader and 1 day per week you will be part of a different operational team (Kitchen, Garden, Housekeeping & Beautifying, Site…). This way you have the opportunity to get to know all of Ängsbacka during your time here.
- Every week you have 2 days off
- You will have 2 days holidays for every month, which makes a total of 16 holiday days for 8 months of service.
As a volunteer, you work in a team with a work leader to support the general activities of the project. In addition, you have an opportunity to develop your personal project that is in accordance with the general aim of the ESC project.
You are welcome to join all our festival activities outside of your working hours or on your days off. Our volunteers most often report that they have developed useful practical skills, but even more importantly, improved their self-awareness and social skills during their time with us. Most likely, you will bring some deep insights and newfound friendships with you after this immersive experience at Ängsbacka.
Available volunteer positions
Marketing - Social Media
Expand your social media and marketing knowledge and work with your curiosity and creativity to share the Ängsbacka experience with the world!
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We are looking to extend our Marketing Office with a Volunteer Marketing Assistant who will be working together with the marketing team in developing and implementing Social Media plans and strategies for Ängsbacka and our products. It is beneficial to have prior experience in administration and social media marketing which you can expand and deepen in this role. Written and verbal communication skills in English and attention to detail are both important to enjoy and have a smooth experience in this position.
- Support with your creativity to the development and execution of the marketing strategy with a focus on Social Media
- Monitor social media accounts and create content for our Social Media channel
- Respond to messages on our Social Media channels
- Support the distribution and analysis of market research and questionnaires if possible
Marketing - Graphic Design
Learn more about Graphic Design and marketing and create art to share Ängsbacka´s offerings!
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We are looking to extend our Marketing Office with a Volunteer Marketing Assistant who will be working closely with our marketing team to develop graphical content fitting the marketing needs of Ängsbacka. This role offers a lot of space for creativity and own initiatives. For this role, it is highly beneficial to have prior experience in Graphic Design and Adobe that you can expand further.
- Co-create the development and execution of the marketing strategy through Graphic Design and visual communication
- Work with the marketing team to manage brand and marketing initiatives if possible
- Envision and design visual content for social media, website and printed content in collaboration with the marketing team
- Liaise with other teams and departments within Ängsbacka to disseminate the needs from the different departments
Marketing - Copywriter
Develop your skill of creating art with words and learn more about marketing!
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We are looking to extend our Marketing Office with a Volunteer Marketing Assistant that strengthens the marketing team by doing magic with words. To be selected for this role, written and verbal communication skills in English are a must. This position offers a creative experience and deepens understanding of communication.
- Support the development and execution of the marketing strategy through written content fitting the overall marketing strategy
- Work with the marketing team to manage brand and marketing initiatives
- Assist with promotional activities
- Develop written content for social media, website and printed content
CEO-Regeneration manager Assistance
Be part of supporting Ängsbacka becoming more sustainable, both environmentally, socially and organizationally, while supporting the CEO navigating running a spiritual course & festival center!
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We are looking for a candidate to support our CEO and our Sustainability Manager. This is a split role between supporting the CEO connected to administration, organization and projects, and sustainability work. This position is a great opportunity for someone who wants to learn how to navigate running a spiritual course and festival center, alongside supporting sustainable development. The opportunities and responsibilities are diverse and vary depending on passion and competence.
- Support/assist/lead projects and initiatives within the field of sustainability
- Work with variety of tasks, such as communication, organization & documentation to support the CEO
Kitchen Management Assistance
Develop your knowledge in Kitchen Management and be part of one of the biggest teams at Ängsbacka!
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We are looking for an assistant to support the Kitchen Managers. This role is an exciting fit for you if you are approachable and open towards people, organised, and have good communication skills. Experience in big kitchen settings and administration are a plus in this role. This role will help you expand your management knowledge in the food industry as well as interpersonal and team holding skills.
- Help the kitchen managers and chefs with different tasks such as handling special requests, coordinating between teams or overseeing the stock management
- Hold space for coordinators and jump in for volunteer shifts if needed
- Keep the kitchen and its structures organised and proactively suggest and implement improvements
- Support a great and enjoyable workflow in the overall kitchen team
Garden Assistance
Beautify the garden and park area at Ängsbacka and learn more about gardening and team coordination!
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We are looking for a Garden assistant to support our small but essential team that mainly supports the upkeep of the garden and park area along with being responsible for all our waste. Experience and knowledge in gardening, especially permaculture principles, which you are excited to deepen are beneficial for this role. If you enjoy physical work and getting your hands dirty this is the place for you.
- Assist the garden team lead in planning and overseeing the garden and park area
- Engage in the structuring of the garden
- Help coordinating the maintenance of the garden and park area such as mowing the lawn, managing waste and recycling
- Hold space for the volunteer team and organise the schedules if possible
Volunteer Office Assistant
Play a vital role in the daily organisation and space holding of Ängsbacka.
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As a volunteer office (VO) assistant you will play a vital role in the daily organisation and space holding of Ängsbacka. You will support with many detail-oriented administrative tasks, as well as being a daily contact for volunteers to answer their questions and help resolve any challenges they may have.
- Joyfully engage with emails and phone calls, ensuring everyone receives a warm and prompt reply.
- Process new applications, paving the way for exciting journeys ahead.
- Heartily welcome and orient new volunteers, creating an atmosphere of enthusiasm and belonging.
- Engage in meaningful meetings and conversations with volunteers, nurturing strong, collaborative relationships.
Food Saving Assistant
Assist leading our food saving project with the aim of reducing food waste and increase sustainability.
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We are looking for somebody passionate about sustainability and food. You will collaborate with various stakeholders, such as grocery stores and Ängsbacka kitchen managers & volunteers to raise awareness and implement ideas of how to reduce food waste.
- Leading and coordinating the project on a daily basis, alongside a team leader. Work includes driving to grocery shops picking up food, sorting the food, and providing the kitchen with the food.
- Maintain good relationships with our collaborators.
- Inform volunteers about the importance of reducing food waste and be available to answer questions during work sessions.
- Collecting total weight-related data on food waste for specific stores.
- The role is physically demanding.
- Driver’s license required.
JOIN us for 8 months of service
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, so apply soon!
And no later than January 5th, 2025
Ängsbacka and the European Solidarity Corps
Ängsbacka Kursgård is Scandinavia’s largest Course and Festival Center, and it hosts volunteers throughout the year. In 2017, we added the EVS/ESC program to our regular volunteer program. We are a working community that aims to contribute to the development of more conscious life, caring for our planet and living from the heart.
In our organisation, all four dimensions of sustainability (the economic, ecological, social and cultural) are seen as mutually reinforcing. Attention to each is essential for holistic and healthy community development. Here, people learn not only through courses and workshops offered, but most importantly through the immersive experience of sharing the sustainable lifestyle incorporated into everyday life in an intentional working community.
Service
During your stay at Ängsbacka, we invite you to explore the mindset of service. Not as a concept, but rather as a way of living. Service to your fellow community members, to course participants, to the planet and all its inhabitants, and to yourself.
We believe that through selfless service, through connecting back to our deep need to contribute to the world, we grow in compassion and joy.
Working meditation
Working Meditation is our shared daily practice of service and togetherness. We encourage everyone to use their working hours as active explorations of the present moment. Everything that comes to our minds and bodies is welcomed into the moment. We support each other to remain light-hearted and connected.
Ideally, the time spent in work is happy and fulfilling, regardless of the task. The realisation to be discovered is that the enjoyment of the task comes from within ourselves, not from the nature of the task.
Sharing
Sharing is at the heart of Ängsbacka, and supports everybody here. It is considered a sacred space for speaking and listening from our hearts. It invites you to be seen in your truth and to see others in theirs, without judgement, advice or fixing.
One person shares, while the others sit in silence paying attention to the person sharing. Everyone in the group will have the same amount of time available to them, and everything that is said or done stays in the group. We do not bring it up again outside of sharing.
Sharing is an essential and honored practice at Ängsbacka, and we welcome you to this special space with the sensitivity and open-heartedness that is at its core.