|
Located on 600 acres in Vermont's Green Mountains, Spring Lake Ranch is a residential therapeutic community for people recovering from mental illness and substance abuse issues. The program focuses on work—particularly outdoor work close to the land, using one's own hands to accomplish goals, while keeping in mind the value of a job well done. As an alternate to hospitals and other clinical settings, Spring Lake Ranch is a place apart, where every resident is treated as a person, not as a consumer or a case. The Ranch is a community, first and foremost. Staff and residents alike are here for a common purpose: to engage in the lives of others and the life of the land, and in so doing, to engage more fully in our own lives. |
|
WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING |
HOUSE ADVISORS/WORK CREW LEADERS both live and work with Ranch residents. In the evenings they maintain a presence in their houses. There are twelve House Advisors working in seven cottages, supervising from two to nine residents. By day, House Advisors work actively with residents on crew, leading or participating in a wide variety of tasks that keep the Ranch running through every season of the year: taking care of the farm animals, working in the garden, bringing in hay, shoveling snow, chopping wood, pressing apple cider, cutting ice off the lake, building Adirondack chairs, collecting sap for maple syrup, clearing trails, and helping with the ongoing tasks of cooking, cleaning, sewing, and repairing.
Most PEOPLE who have worked in the Ranch community have found the experience both physically and emotionally demanding. Unlike many institutions for the chronically ill, the Ranch program has little structure or job description and demands flexibility and spontaneity from its staff. But, more importantly, Ranch life is intensely rewarding. Helping people work through the debilitating problems that have interrupted the normal progress of their lives, learning new skills every day, and being a member of a caring community are what make the Ranch experience as deeply fulfilling as it is unique.
|
||
|
LOCATION |
The Ranch is situated on 600 acres of farm, forest, and pastureland in Vermont's GREEN MOUNTAINS. The woods are shot through with various hiking trails, including the Appalachian Trail, which crosses the property near Spring Lake, one of the quietest and most pristine lakes in Vermont. The Ranch is convenient to Rutland, and to several downhill ski resorts (including Killington and Okemo mountains) and Burlington is an easy day trip away. |
||
|
TIME COMMITMENT |
A minimum six-month commitment is required, although many House Advisors opt to stay longer. The Ranch offers a rolling application and interview process, and often hires several months in advance. |
||
|
PERKS & REWARDS |
A weekly stipend
of $244, private accommodation within a Ranch
residence, and all meals are provided. Additional
benefits include full health and dental insurance,
two weeks' paid vacation and sick time during the
first year, educational opportunities, and use of
all Ranch facilities, including laundry, linen
service, woodshop, auto shop, pottery studio,
computers, and private dock. There are also the
many less tangible benefits that come from living
and working in a close-knit community. |
||
|
THE ESSENTIALS |
Applicants must be 20 years of age or older, and show a willingness to share life with a community of diverse people. Patience, creativity, flexibility, and a willingness to teach and to learn are key. A basic knowledge of and experience in farming, gardening, carpentry, cooking, sewing, auto mechanics, landscaping, and recreational skills are not necessary but can be very helpful. |
||
|
YOUR FIRST MOVE |
To begin the application process, contact Bridget Scott by email, mail, phone, or fax. A resume and cover letter are helpful. A 24-hour visit to the Ranch is strongly recommended and, in most cases, required. |
||
|
CONNECTIONS |
Bridget Scott (802)
492-3322 |
||
|
NAVIGATION |
Spring Lake Ranch
can be found in the Meaningful
Work
channel |
LEARNING
MORE ABOUT THE RANCH
