Australia

Program Team Assistant and Other Volunteer Opportunities

Chenrezig Institute, Queensland

Chenrezig Institute is a retreat, study and monastic centre nestled in the tranquil hills of the Sunshine Coast hinterland in Queensland. We are home to a Tibetan geshe, ordained Sangha and a dedicated lay community. The Institute offers a diverse range of Buddhist philosophy, meditation, retreat, sacred art and wellbeing programs to the community.

We are seeking an enthusiastic person with great communication and IT skills to join our Program team. You’ll enjoy a wide variety of tasks and be responsible for the day to day implementation of our program, working with our Sangha, visiting teachers, staff, and volunteers. This is not a paid position but includes onsite accommodation, meals and access to teachings. Ideally, we are looking for someone who can commit for a minimum of twelve months. Please request more information and apply by emailing the Spiritual Program Coordinator.

Volunteer Opportunities: There are regular opportunities to join Chenrezig Institute’s Work Exchange Programme. Work experiences for our ‘live in volunteers’ include the kitchen/cafe, grounds/maintenance and housekeeping – all vital to keeping our busy centre running. In exchange for thirty hours of work per week over five days, we offer free access to teachings and meditations from our extensive study program, accommodation and three meals a day. Everyone is welcome to apply to join our vibrant team. The main requirements are interest in Buddhism, enthusiasm to offer service and to be part of a thriving spiritual community. Apply Here.

Center Manager Needed

De-tong Ling Retreat Centre, Kangaroo Island

De-Tong Ling Retreat Centre is unique, a rare gem in our highly modernised world.  Situated on 1300 acres of wilderness at the western end of Kangaroo Island, in South Australia, the centre is 3km from the coast and is elevated with long views across the scrub and out to sea.  The peaceful, pristine natural environment offers conditions that are highly supportive of meditation.  We are looking for a Manager, who would be responsible for the day-to-day management of the centre, while working collaboratively with the Centre Director and the Board.  Please read more information about the position, including how to apply.

Volunteers Needed!

Atisha Centre, Victoria

There are great benefits in living and working in a Dharma Centre. At Atisha Centre, we have an amazing, highly qualified and exceptional geshe with a really great interpreter. Our programme is quite substantial.  To help, we need a Cafe/Kitchen Manager.  This is a residential position with small stipend.  Please contact the director to discuss the position and obtain further information.

Canada

France

Volunteer and Student-Resident Positions Available

Institut Vajra Yogini, Lavaur

Institut Vajra Yogini is a busy Buddhist teachings and retreat center set in the beautiful rolling hills of South-West France, 45 minutes from the city of Toulouse, ten minutes away from sister center Nalanda Monastery. Located in an old and impressive château on top of a hill and in the middle of a beautiful park, the Center offers a friendly and calm environment for people willing to offer service and to deepen their connection with the Dharma. The Institut is home to two Tibetan geshes, ordained Sangha and a dedicated lay community. We offer all year round a wide range of teachings, retreats, universal education courses and other wellbeing programs.

“Live in volunteers” and student-residents are welcome all year round to help in the kitchen, for housekeeping, reception, grounds work or small building works for periods ranging from a few days to three months. Student-residents can take part in the center’s activities or/and set up their own individual study program through readings and videos, while usually  offering five half-days a week to the center as karma yoga. Main service language is French but language is not an obstacle as many of the center’s staff, volunteers and visitors do speak English. English speaking student-residents staying for a few months can be helped to set up their own study program using Discovering Buddhism or Basic Program. Please contact the Institut for more details.

Participez à la diffusion du Dharma!

Le Service de traduction francophone de la FPMT, offre de merveilleuses occasions d’offrir ses services et de participer, de façon concrète, à la diffusion du Dharma dans les pays de langue française en tant que traducteur, relecteur, coordinateur de projet ou en offrant vos talents de mise en page et de graphisme. Lire l’annonce détaillée.

Volunteers Needed

Nalanda Monastery

Click here for details

Germany

India

Italy

Mongolia

Nepal

Volunteer in Pokhara!

Kopan Monastery
Kopan Monastery is looking for volunteers to help at its outreach center in Pokhara during the season, which usually starts around September and lasts till January.  We need someone to  look after the admin side of things, including receiving visitors and guests, advertising courses, taking bookings, answering emails and so on.  Experience of living and working in Asia is required. We can offer accommodation and food during the stay (not travel expenses). Part time volunteers ware welcome, and minimum stay would be three months.   Please contact Kopan Monastery to apply.

The Netherlands

New Zealand

Spain

Volunteer Positions Available

Oseling Retreat Center, near Granada

We are looking for a vegetarian cook, to cater for courses, retreats, staff and volunteers. Responsibilities include cooking for up to 25 people, ordering kitchen supplies and maintaining kitchen to high standard. If you would like to offer service and nourish others with your cooking, we would love to hear from you. We also need a housekeeper to take care of retreat-houses, dormitories, co-ordinate volunteers, assist with hospitality and if possible relieve on the cooks days off, and a person capable of taking care of the maintenance of the center.

These positions are for a 3-6 month term, or longer, giving 36 hours a week service with one or two days off, depending on the season: July and August being the months with most work. We offer single room accommodation, all meals and opportunities to attend retreats and courses.  Please contact the center to discuss further.

United Kingdom

Volunteer Opportunities

Jamyang Buddhist Centre, London

Would you, or anyone you know, like to spend some time in a Dharma community? Jamyang Buddhist Centre in London offers the unique opportunity to be a Work Programme Volunteer in a vibrant and friendly FPMT city centre with a resident English-speaking geshe. We provide free board, accommodation and Dharma classes, plus a small weekly allowance, in return for three months work, five days per week. We are looking for volunteers to join the hospitality team, which cleans the centre, does some washing and ironing, and sets up our events (which can be physically demanding). This post is very much about service – to visitors and to students – and about enjoying helping others get the most from their time here.  As English is the working language of the Centre it helps to have good spoken and written English and some computing skills, but the main qualities you need are friendliness, enthusiasm and a good sense of humour (as sometimes it can be a bit full on here!). Contact admin@jamyang.co.uk

USA

Work-Study Volunteer and Staff Opportunities

Vajrapani Institute, California

We are a spiritual community committed to helping retreaters and staff develop their minds.  We have various work-study and staff opportunities – we are currently looking for a Lead Cook and summer work-study volunteers.  Visit our website to find out more, including how to apply.

Service-Study Opportunities

Land of Medicine Buddha, California

Land of Medicine Buddha (LMB) is a Tibetan Buddhist Dharma Center situated on 108 acres in beautiful Soquel, CA, USA.  We have a service-study program, which is intended for people who desire access to the Spiritual Program at Land of Medicine Buddha (LMB) and wish to live with and offer service to our community for a three-month period. Find out more.