Over the years we have had a number of summer workshop and retreat leaders from diverse disciplines who come to the Centre and offer ad hoc sessions to the living-in-community guests and staff members who happen to be here at the Centre.
This sometimes happens because prospective workshop leaders come to stay for a week or so to get to know us to see if they might like, at some later date, to offer a workshop/retreat here. During their visit, guests who are here often express interest in their work so the visitors feel drawn to offer taster sessions.
Another possibility is that the Centre or a scheduled workshop leader is unable to recruit enough participants to make up a viable group and a leader finds him or herself here without a group. Because facilitators enjoy their work and have come expecting to give sessions, they naturally find themselves offering their skills to the community. In recent years, because of the recession, we have had a number of weeks like this and we found that these ad hoc weeks were often as vibrant and energetic as a fully scheduled week.
These spontaneous sessions given to interested staff and community guests have proven to be both very attractive and profitable, as the fee charged by a facilitator for a few one-off sessions is usually enough to defray travel expenses. Because the Centre earns a percentage for the use of the facility, the extra income from these Facilitators in Residence (FIRs) has helped to keep us afloat financially in the present difficult economic climate that began in 2008.
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade! Based on this experience, we decided in 2010 to create a new category of workshop leader–designated FIR–and we now work pro-actively to invite more FIRs to come during the season.
How it Works
In exchange for a registration fee of € 150 (€ 50 per week), we offer food and accommodation to a limited number of qualified facilitators to come for periods of three weeks (and possibly more) to be here at the Centre as staff members and to offer their skills on an ad hoc basis to anyone who is here and not otherwise engaged in either Centre work or a workshop. Our FIRs typically charge € 15-35 per person per session (or sometimes work on a donation basis) and share their earnings with the centre 60 (FIR):40 (Centre). It’s a working holiday!
On weeks where there is no workshop scheduled, our FIRs offer ad hoc sessions in the morning workshop slot, 10:00-13:30. Virtually any holistic skill or healing art is appropriate: Some examples from recent years include Art therapy, Way of Council, Voice and Singing, Feldenkreis, the Dance of Intimacy, the Game of Transformation, Yoga, Creative writing, Tantra and Astrology.
FIRs are Staff
Do note that StK FIRs are ordinary staff members as well as extra-schedule facilitators. The FIR specialist contribution comes out of the usual staff allocated hours, i.e. about 30/ 35 hrs per week with one full day off. In practice an FIR can expect to be working as a staff member until they have clients or sessions and will join the Centre clean-up on Friday mornings. FIRs who do not know this Centre or who haven’t had ecovillage experience receive a basic staff orientation during their first week with us.
We are an international group and part of our richness is the intermingling of people of all ages from many different countries, walks of life, spiritual paths, genders and backgrounds.
Price: €150/ 3 weeks
(Standard shared accommodation or tent and 3 meals per day included)
