Land-based traineeships
Two traineeships available with On The Hill April to October 2025
We are offering two traineeships for engaged, motivated people who are interested in exploring and learning from our experiential, land-based methodology and developing practical and facilitation skills.
We consider that everything that needs to be done here on the farm offers a learning opportunity.
Our philosophy is to engage people in meaningful activity in service to the land, self, community, and the future.
As well as our On the Hill trainees, there will be one other trainee working with Teign Greens CSA, developing skills, growing food, and learning how to set up a Community Supported Agriculture project. There will also be some residential volunteers and day volunteers supporting the work of Teign Greens, On the Hill, and Oxen Park Farm.
We would love to hear from you if you are keen to participate in the activities and general everyday life of our seasonal community at the farm. Every aspect of life here requires full engagement with the transient community, living, working, and playing here at Oxen Park Farm.
Traineeship Positions
Land-based Learning Facilitator
On The Hill works with a broad range of people. Children, young people, adults, families, and students.
We are exploring a way of learning where people are engaged in practical activity engaging head, heart, hands, and all of our senses, where learning is collaborative and community oriented.
We believe that in light of the climate emergency and present educational and societal challenges we should be focusing our education on building mental and physical well-being, practical skills, communication skills, and the ability for self-reflection, ultimately building resilience in the next generation.
Ours is a relational pedagogy, less focused on content and information and more on how we interact with each other, our natural and farmed environment, the food we eat, community, and ourselves.
Our educational ethos is not just learning by doing, it is also learning by being. Spending mindful time away from screens; in nature, being still, being able to share reflections in a group process, engage in conflict resolution, exploring what we care about and what we feel responsible for.
If the above inspires you to want to be involved, and if you have had experience teaching, facilitating or working with young people in another capacity then we would like to hear from you.
We are looking for a passionate educator who would like to work with the rest of the team to design, prepare and deliver immersive and transformative programs.
Application closing date: 12th January 2025
Land-based Learning Facilitator
(Kitchen and Garden)
Food is central to everything that happens here, all who visit the farm in whatever capacity are involved in the growing, preparation, cooking, and consumption of food.
Children, young people, and adults are offered the opportunity to develop knowledge and skills in all aspects from seed to table.
To this end, we welcome applicants whose focus would be to facilitate participants to engage in all aspects of this work.
Please apply if you are passionate about bringing people into a greater connection and understanding of the relevance of all elements of food provision.
Some experience and a good level of confidence in managing a kitchen and cooking for large groups are necessary, along with experience working with young people
Application closing date: 12th January 2025
Empowering the next generation will change the world.
The Oxen Park Community
Oxen Park Farm now hosts a small residential community. As a trainee you will become part of this community, living, working, and sharing facilities together. Your caravan will have a wood burner and a simple cooking facility, should you occasionally need to be self-sufficient. To facilitate the ongoing collaboration of our community, we meet each week to discuss practicalities, share what is happening for the week ahead, plan any social events, and raise any relevant issues or difficulties. Further to this, everyone who lives and works on the farm meets on a Monday morning for a check-in. This supports our working relationships in what is a very busy environment.
Applications
What We Offer
The chance to live in community
A well-equipped, comfortable caravan with a wood burner to live in
A weekly £80 stipend.
Basic store cupboard foods and fresh vegetables (worth at least £40 p/w)
Monthly mentoring and reflection sessions
Weekly community meetings
Use of community kitchen and dining area
Compost toilets and hot showers on site
The Application Process
The application closing date is 12th January 2025. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to come to the farm for an interview process including overnight stays from 20th - 22nd January 2025.
Successful candidates will be invited to move to the farm on Saturday 4th April to start work on Monday 6th April 2025.
The Expectation
4 days a week 8.45am - 5.00pm
Generally Monday - Thursday
However, the nature of the programs we run mean that keeping a regular 9-5 schedule is not possible. When the circumstances require, we are looking for people to go that extra step further. This is fundamental to living in community, playing your part in the running of the programs and the farm.
Please apply if you feel you have:
- A commitment, and passion for developing a collaborative, eco-literate, and holistic approach to education relevant to people and to the planet, now and into the future.
- Experience of working with young people.
- Strong communication skills and the ability (with support and training) to communicate both the principles and practical applications of land-based education
- A willingness to participate with the team as needed, including in developing our facilities.
- Drive and motivation and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively. A willingness and enthusiasm to live and participate fully as part of the farm community.
