Camphill Communities of North America (seven in the USA and three in Canada) are part of the international Camphill movement promoting social renewal through community living with children, youth and adults with developmental disabilities. Camphill 's principles and practices are informed by anthroposophy: a worldview first introduced by Rudolf Steiner PhD in the early 20th century that supports the human being to engage in the process of discovering our wholeness and in doing so, acting upon and transforming the world. Dr. Karl Koenig founded Camphill in 1940 in Scotland. Today it includes some 100 communities and initiatives worldwide.

The Camphill approach honors the spiritual integrity of every human being, regardless of ability or handicaps, and recognizes the individual's need and right to lead a full life that includes material, emotional, social and spiritual needs. Camphill strives to provide an environment in which every individual's potential can unfold.

Camphill's fields of activity revolve around providing a service for and with people who, because of a developmental disability or some other circumstance, seek a supportive environment. The Camphill approach to education, support and empowerment for the people it serves is an expression of the principles and practice of curative education (a healing education for children and young people) and social therapy in intentional communities with adults. These methods embody an attitude that encourages coworkers to accompany the person in sustaining active relationship with self, with others, with the environment and the world as a simultaneous process of development.

Most Camphill communities are situated within a natural setting and provide opportunities for agricultural and horticultural work as a contribution to a sustainable world ecology. In each Camphill community, whether a children's village, youth guidance college or community for young people finding their way into adult life, or communities that provide opportunities for adults, people live together in social groups, often with the support of a family with children. Members of the house community share in the daily life and tasks of the house, and engage in work at school, on the land, in one of the craft workshops or providing some other service.

Celebration has a central place in the life of the community: through arts, festivals and honoring special events and milestones in people's lives. Care for the earth with the help of biodynamic agriculture—an approach to sustainable agriculture that harnesses cosmic forces in an attempt to revitalize the soil, plants and animal life— is highly valued and considered an essential component to the well-being of people and the community.

Camphill Communities California
Soquel, California
Community Focus: Adults
www.camphillca.org

Located near Monterey Bay, Camphill Communities California is a residential care community of about 25 adults, 12 of whom have developmental disabilities. Volunteer opportunities are available for both long and short-term coworkers. Imagine a life where the qualities of patience, tolerance, flexibility and empathy are valued. Camphill offers volunteers a path of learning that nurtures personal growth and community involvement with people with special needs. Opportunities for ongoing education and training are also provided. Welcomed are those with idealism who want to share their life with others.

Abilities
An inspiring and award winning YouTube video of the residents behind and in front of the camera living, working and learning together with coworkers at Camphill Communities California.

Camphill Village Minnesota

Camphill Village Minnesota is a spiritually striving intentional community of approximately 45 people, including adults with disabilities. The Village is nestled among 470 acres of gently rolling hills, sparkling lakes and waterways in the beautiful Heartland of America, about two hours west of the city of Minneapolis. The life, work, and celebrations of the community are based on the strong belief that every individual, regardless of ability, is an independent spiritual being. Developmental disabilities are treated not as illnesses, but as a part of the fabric of human experience, and they believe that people with these disabilities are worthy of recognition, respect, and honor. The community has a strong agricultural component with farming, gardening, and a small goat herd. The craft shops include a bakery, weavery, woodworking shop, card shop, hemp jewelry shop, and a food processing and cheese-making kitchen. All members of the community are cared for within the context of healthy home environments and an active village life.

Camphill Village Copake

Camphill Village Copake is a unique therapeutic residential community where dedicated volunteers and people with developmental disabilities share a full life together. Located in rural Columbia County, 100 miles north of New York City, the Village comprises 600 acres of wooded hills, gardens and pastures. Villagers (adults with disabilities), coworkers and coworkers' children live together in extended family households and work together in a variety of craft shops and work areas. Crafts include candle making, stained glass, bookbinding, weaving, and woodworking. Land work includes a biodynamic dairy farm, vegetable gardens, a Healing Plant garden and workshop, and Turtle Tree Seed biodynamic seed workshop. The Village also has a medical care center, culture and arts center, bakery, café and gift shop.

Triform Camphill Community

Triform Camphill Community is a growing energetic community founded in 1979. In the past five years, they have built a residential house and a weavery-therapy building. As a youth-guidance community, Triform endeavors to accompany young adults with special needs to adulthood, self-development, and fulfillment of their potential through education and work training. About 60 people live on 125 acres of land. The community is rich in agriculture, crafts, festivals, and arts. Triform is located in upstate New York, near the city of Hudson and the Hudson River, two hours from New York City, three hours from Boston, and one hour from Albany, New York State's capital. Triform is also located just ten miles from Camphill Village Copake.

Camphill Soltane

Camphill Soltane is a life-sharing community of 80 people, including young adults, ages 18-35, with developmental disabilities. At Soltane, they encourage self-advocacy for those with disabilities, help coworkers reach their aspirations through effective and inspiring training, and encourage teamwork in home and work areas. Soltane's mission is to build a bridge to adulthood for young people with disabilities, and their cornerstone is an attempt to actively involve every person in the process of creating community. Soltane is located one hour west of Philadelphia, PA, in a semi-rural setting.

• Watch this video about what it's like to be an AmeriCorps member and international volunteer at the Camphill Soltane community in Pennsylvania »

Camphill Special School

Children, ages 5 to 19 years, live in an extended family with coworkers – often with their own children – and other volunteers in specially designed homes. The education program is adapted from Waldorf education focusing on experiential learning and emphasizing social, artistic and practical skills, and is supported by a variety of therapies that are available to help the child in his or her development. The community consists of approximately 90 students, 40 teachers and teacher aides, 10 therapists, 70 additional coworkers and 11 staff, and is located in the same general area of southwestern Pennsylvania as Camphill Village Kimberton Hills and Camphill Soltane.

Camphill Village Kimberton Hills

Camphill Village Kimberton Hills is a land-based, life-sharing community striving to restore vitality to our ecosystems and to societal structures. Anthroposophy, the spiritual philosophy of Rudolf Steiner, is the wellspring of community life. Adults who have developmental disabilities and volunteers form a supportive community based on shared responsibilities and caring. Volunteers live and work in the village community, serving in family households, craft workshops (bakery, weavery, fiber workshop, wood workshop), land and building maintenance work, organic gardening and farming. The village fosters a strong cultural life of festivals, music, and art. It is located one hour west of Philadelphia and in the same general area as Camphill Soltane and Camphill Special School at Beaver Run.

Camphill Communities Ontario
Angus, Ontario
Community Focus: Adults
www.camphill.on.ca

Camphill Communities Ontario, a life-sharing endeavor serving people with developmental disabilities, has two locations:

Camphill Nottawasaga is a rural community with adults made up of several homes and workshops including woodwork, pottery, forestry and a vegetable garden. Our work is to care for each other, our homes, our gardens and our land. We share this work, each one according to his wishes and capabilities. The aim is to build a vital community life that offers each person the conditions for healing growth and renewal.

Camphill Sophia Creek is developing residential workshop opportunities in an urban environment in the downtown core of Barrie, which is one hour north of Toronto and twenty miles from Nottawasaga. Local residents with disabilities participate in the workshops.

Glenora Farm

The Ita Wegman Association of British Columbia operates Glenora Farm, a rural, agriculturally based community for adults with special needs. The community operates a biodynamic farm. At Glenora Farm, those who are in need of special care, and those who provide it, relate to each other as companions, rather than as professionals and clients. In the way they live together, care for the land and in the things they make, they uphold the ideals of Camphill, in which each contributes what he or she is able to, and receives in turn what he or she needs.

The Cascadia Society

The Cascadia Society is a life-sharing community that includes adults with special needs. Cultural, artistic and therapeutic experiences are provided through residential home care and day activities within the urban setting of Vancouver's North Shore. The Cascadia Society is dedicated to bringing healing to human beings and to the earth. Their primary task is to allow the potential in each person to unfold and to be in harmonious relationship with the environment.

Coworkers come from diverse backgrounds, some come for a short experience or for training in Curative Education or Social Therapy; others make a longer-term commitment. Living and working in Camphill is more than a job, it is an attitude to life, the heart of which is relationship.

Coworkers joining a Camphill community can participate in a variety of experiences that can include:

• Supporting individuals with disabilities in their daily activities at home, classroom, or at work on the farm, gardens, or in one of the various craft workshops, such as weaving, pottery, stained glass, woodworking, candle-making, bookbinding or the bakery.

• Taking a group of youngsters on a hike or field trip.

• Cooking wholesome food for the house community and sharing meals together.

• Creating and celebrating seasonal community festivals.

FAQs about becoming a Camphill Coworker »

Living and working together, building relationships with people of all ages and abilities as well as limitations, is both challenging and rewarding. Becoming involved in the ongoing process of community building, being part of solving the challenges that arise, provides many opportunities for learning and growth. Coworkers who choose to join a community for the short or longer term do not receive a salary in the usual sense. The focus of the work is on the benefit it can generate for individuals and the environment in both tangible and intangible ways.

Coworkers can expect full room and board, medical insurance (after at least three months of stay), vacation time, a small stipend for personal needs and an AmeriCorps educational award of $5,550 is possible after a year of service. Long-term coworkers may have access to Waldorf education for their children if the community is located near a Waldorf school.

Every community has a range of ongoing informal education workshops and courses which focus on developing skills and knowledge related to Camphill work, and also on personal enrichment.  Beaver Run offers a formal training in Curative Education, and Camphill Village Copake offers a formal training in Social Therapy. Currently, a graduate course in Social Therapy is being designed in which coworkers will have the opportunity to enroll.

Lauren Wolff
Camphill Association of North America
P.O. Box 152
Philmont, NY 12565

(518) 610-3179
coworker@camphill.org
www.camphill.org

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