Help from Voluntary Organizations

Presentation for ISKCON ELM Simhacalam October 2012

Ever Heard this• Nobody is interested in helping• Don’t have enough People• I would do it if I had more assistance• I am alone in my service• How can I get more help• How can we interest people in

Krishna consciousness• How can we get people to visit the

temple

There are some voluntary Organizations that can help• WWOOF.

– World Wide Opportunities of Organic farms– Link volunteers with organic farmers, and help people

share more sustainable ways of living.• Work away

– Work abroad, integrate in local cultures, learn a language, acquire new skills, make new friends

• Help X– listing of host organic farms, non-organic farms,

farmstays, homestays, ranches, lodges, B&Bs, backpackers hostels and even sailing boats who invite volunteer helpers to stay with them short-term in exchange for food and accommodation.

In January 2010, Karuna Bhavan became a host to WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms), which enabled it to further develop the Project, as well as enable many people, from all walks of life, the opportunity to learn and experience the satisfaction of such a way of life. This opportunity is available to anyone who is willing to volunteer and who doesn't mind putting on a pair of Wellington boots!

Krishna eco-farm includes a walled garden, 3 green houses, a meditation garden and recent installation of energy saving technology including bio-mas boilers, solar panels

What do the volunteers want

• Food and Accommodation in return for voluntary service

• Travel different parts of the world• Meet new people• Have a holiday cheaply• Work on a farm• Do some voluntary work• Some are looking for Krishna

There is always a range of seasonal activities to do, both in the greenhouse and outside, some more energetic (lifting, shovelling) than others (seed sowing, harvesting). An especially busy time is during planting and harvesting.

What will you need to provide

• A place to stay• Regular Prasadam• A person to care for their needs• A person to engage them in

voluntary work/service

Some challenges• You will need a person to care for them

– Replying to enquiries– Helping with travel arrangements (they pay for own travel)– Greeting and settling them in accommodation– Giving information about project, meal times, locking times,

project rules• Departmentalism

– How will users of volunteers support resources around their volunteering

– Will temple/project management help• You will need to provide accommodation

– Own room, shared room, dormitory– Bedding (will you supply or do they bring a sleeping bag),

laundry, cleaning, wear and tare– Do you have an internal charging system that could create

barriers

• You will need to arrange for food– You may need to cook extra– A place for them to have their meal

• You will need to arrange for a person to arrange the voluntary work– Liaising with different departments– Arranging tools and supervision if

necessary– Arranging work alongside others if

necessary

There are on going opportunities to participate in daily classes on Krishna/God Consciousness, to partake in seasonal festivals, year-round opportunities to practice Karma Yoga or selfless/devotional service in a spirit of loving community and to celebrate the sacredness of life through ecstatic transcendental music, sacred chanting and dancing. Come join us for a day, a few days, a week, a month or even a year. Be the change you want to see in the world!

What can they do• Depends on voluntary organization• Work on land for weeding, planting,

harvesting, etc• Clean their own areas- Bathrooms,

bedrooms• Help prepare meals• Other voluntary work around host

site (depending on organisation)

Raised Vegetable beds - Radhadesh

Often they do this• Attend temple programmes• Attend preaching programmes and

events• Workshops and courses (japa workshop)• Help during marathons• Harinama processions• Kirtan sessions• Book distribution• Want to extend stay• Join a residential course (Bhakta prog etc)

Other voluntary Groups• Saturday - Community Service Volunteers 6-10

each week• Sunday - Juvenile Probation Service 3-5 each

week• Monday - Adult Education(AE) 10 each week• Thursday - Radlett/Borehamwood AE 10 -15 each

week• Sunday - Sai Baba Groups 10 to 30 each week

including children• Sunday - Hare Krishna devotees 3-5 each week• Sunday - Non Denominational volunteers 3-5

each week• School Holidays - Krishna Club 20-30 children

once or twice

• NOTE. We do NOT use the term 'Offenders' under any circumstances only the term Community Service Volunteers (CSV).

Community Service Volunteers• Each Saturday Probation Officers attend with groups of

Community Service Volunteers to help with heavy manual work around the Farm.

• They make significant contributions in the major clean up areas and agricultural production.

• Specialist skills are identified where possible to assist in improving the Farm as a whole and to encourage Volunteers to give back to the Community.

• The Volunteers have responded positively to the point where some have even been telephoning the Probation Service on Fridays to confirm they are actually going to the Farm on Saturdays.

• Watford/Radlett Adult Education Groups• Each Monday and Thursday throughout the season

groups of adults come from the Day Centres to enjoy the facilities and do light work around the Farm.

• The attendees really love coming to the Farm and make useful contributions in the fields as well as around the Farm buildings.

• The Centres have requested disabled access so that others less able to move around can enjoy and experience the beauty of the Farm and its

• environment.

• Harrow Juvenile Probation Service• Young volunteers from local district (Harrow ) come on

Sundays• help with painting and other projects• Attendance is to

– give young volunteers a positive experience in the community – to expose them to different cultures and interest groups whilst so

doing.

• Sai Baba Seva Groups• Regular groups from Mill Hill and Harrow West Centres

attend once a month• work in the fields planting,weeding and harvesting the crops. • Whole families come and specific jobs are reserved for the• children so that they can identify with the land and

understand where food comes from.• Other Sai Centres attend periodically when the main

harvesting