Permaculture Assistant: Volunteer or Internship in Agroecology, Permaculture Design, Food Transforma

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Recruiting Organization: Playa Viva

The Permaculture Team at Playa Viva is made up of members from the local communities and it is directed by the Permaculture Manager Amanda Harris. The farm has five major income strategies or zones of production: organic fruits and vegetables, holistically raised animal proteins, bioconstruction materials, local plant nursery, and Permaculture consultation services. Our team designs with a dynamic restoration plan in mind and will continue to focus on restoring key waterways and revitalizing forest, pasture and mangrove ecosystems. Assistants work under the guidance of the Manager and are invited to collaborate in whatever way best suits their academic, professional, and personal goals.

The Permaculture Farm schedule is:

Monday to Friday - Morning shift - 7am to 10am

Monday to Friday - Afternoon shift - 11am to 3pm

Saturday is spent at a local and ecological market in Zihuatanejo (Eco-Tianguis Sanka) and we ask that volunteers participate twice per month. Every other Saturday you have time off.

RESPONSIBILITIES include but are not limited to the following:

• Know the individuals and the ecosystems that make up the Permaculture team and the land we manage inside and outside of Playa Viva.
• Share land management practices you have seen or worked with in other communities. Our team loves to learn, question and develop alongside new and familiar faces.
• Support one or more of the five production zones on our farm and form part of that team: annual and perennial food production, nursery management, curing of bioconstruction materials, animal husbandry, and water management.
• Lead our participation and actively sell our products at the Eco-Tianguis Sanka. This means you will first want to learn our products and their properties. (Your English abilities help a lot in this space as our clientele is both local and international).
• Lend your attention and interest to the Permaculture projects we launch inside our watershed. These could include banana circles, water catchment systems, or launching a community garden and composting center in the middle of town.
• Take responsibility for the gardens and compost at the volunteer house. Be a point person in this space to move permaculture principles offsite and into the community.
• Collaborate with the chef to support food preservation using our organically grown products and traditional preservation methods to create new flavors and bioavailable nutrients for our team and our guests. You will also have an opportunity to learn health codes and professional hygiene requirements inside a very dynamic kitchen.
• Be a representative of Playa Viva and the Permaculture Team wherever you are on the coast, and most importantly, in the shared and common spaces in the hotel. You will be invited and expected to have conversations with guests during meals (when organized) as well as give farm tours and know a basic history and future plans and projects for the land.
• Support Amanda in the day-to-day reality of managing a permaculture farm inside a regenerative boutique hotel. Hone your skills professionally and personally while being a huge help to our Permaculture Manager.

A full-time commitment of 35 hours per week is required. Weekly schedules are created together with the supervisors and change according to the position/project assigned.

• Accommodation in shared housing (3 bedrooms, kitchen,1 bath with a big terrace and garden) located in the nearest village of Juluchuca. The house has only basic amenities (running water, internet, and electricity but this can go out sometimes).

• Two meals per day (breakfast and lunch) are provided during working days (six days per week). You will have one day off and that day you are responsible for your own meals.

• Academic recognition for internships and placements. All fields of study are welcome, biology, environmental engineering, agriculture, sociology, tourism, communication, education and marketing are preferred.

• Fieldwork and professional experience. Volunteers receive unforgettable field experience, working on projects with the local community and with international organizations.

• Cultural Exposure. Living in the vibrant culture of a coastal-rural setting in Mexico. For those coming from Western-based countries or busy urban areas, it will be a cultural reset.

• Reference upon the successful completion of the period of service.

Please note all positions are unpaid and we do not charge any fee for your program. We do not provide insurance, transportation to and from Mexico, or cover any other expenses. Volunteers are welcome to fundraise for their position. Cost of living outside the position's benefits runs $100-200 USD per month.

Long commitment: minimum 5+ months

We ask that you make a commitment to the local way of life, getting to know our community, and helping us to identify areas where we can make an impact together.

Fluency in English and Spanish

At least a B2 (high-intermediate) level of Spanish is required since very few staff members at the resort or among local teams speak English, and even fewer in the community.

Full COVID Vaccination

Willingness to volunteer in a remote location and follow the program´s rules.

Be proactive and have the ability to work independently as well as part of a team.

Professional qualifications or relevant experience is preferred, but it is not an essential requirement.

Strong Interpersonal Skills. Communication, presentation and negotiation skills are essential. Community engagement projects are based on communication and the ability to work with one another.

Stipend ProvidedFalse

Training ProvidedFalse

Housing AvailableFalse

Language/Cultral Support AvailableFalse

Wheelchair AccessibleFalse

Fee RequiredFalse

Fee Amount: None

This opportunity is recurring