Lost Valley Educational Center Seeks a Land Steward Assistant

Lost Valley Educational Center: https://www.lostvalley.org/.
We are a permaculture-centered non-profit and intentional community close to Eugene, Oregon.
We live in the country on 88 acres of land (forest, creek, community).

We are looking for a few residents, staff, and interns who can be really successful here, particularly a Land Steward Assistant.
This position works 20 - 40 hrs/week and is paid $15/hr.

The ideal candidate is passionate about Land Stewardship, understands permaculture and local ecology, and knows how use and run the related tools and machines necessary for this position.  This person will also be working closely with the Land Steward and would ideally have an interest in eventually transitioning into the Land Steward position.

You will be living and working in a rural intentional community, run cooperatively, focused on permaculture, non-violent communication, and self-governance.

What does intentional community mean?
noun. a community designed and planned around a social ideal or collective values and interests, often involving shared resources and responsibilities.

I have to ask is the $15 an hour a reasonable wage?
In Australia it would be illegal.

Here is the US, that is twice the minimum wage rate so $15.00 an hour is good pay.

The federal minimum wage for covered nonexempt employees is $7.25 per hour.

https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/wages/minimumwage

Can you live on $7.25?

No, nobody can.  Not anymore.  
But you can live with $15

$15 is not a “Livable wage”. I would guess, however, that along with the hourly rate, these positions include housing and other “benefits”, like access to food produced from the community gardens, or maybe even meals prepared by the community kitchen staff. If one considers all of the benefits, not just the hourly rate, as well as understand that you Live and work on site so your pay doesn’t need to subsidize your fuel costs for commuting daily, the compensation package may be closer to $20-25/hr, or more. It may be helpful if you include just what else may be available to potential new members or other specifics of how your community is run. Maybe a link to your website or ic listing if you’re there, so folks can learn more.

Leaf, I appreciate you soooooo much!  Thank you for your response and your intelligence in this matter.  You inspired me to update our ad.  It now reads:

Lost Valley Educational Center: https://www.lostvalley.org/.
Federation of Intentional Communities: https://www.ic.org/directory/lost-valley-educational-center/
We are a permaculture-centered non-profit and intentional community close to Eugene, Oregon.
We live in the country on 88 acres of land (forest, creek, community).

We are looking for a few residents, staff, and interns who can be really successful here, particularly a Land Steward Assistant.
This position works 20 - 40 hrs/week and is paid $15/hr.

The ideal candidate is passionate about Land Stewardship, understands permaculture and local ecology, and knows how use and run the related tools and machines necessary for this position.  This person will also be working closely with the Land Steward and would ideally have an interest in eventually transitioning into the Land Steward position.

You will be living and working in a rural intentional community, run cooperatively, focused on permaculture, non-violent communication, and self-governance.  While we are not an ‘egalitarian’ community, which typically provides you with all of your basic needs, we quite often provide access to produce from gardens, firewood from our acreage, a shared meal plan, and basic health and safety needs.  We also have a wood-fired sauna, wood-fired hot tub, and educational events that often include workshops, students, teachers, wellness practice, and dance.

One more update: this position includes free tiny home site and utilities

Hi Lost Valley,

I'm currently a caretaker at a permaculture farmstead in the Klamath mountain region. I'll be looking for a new job and home in 2023. I'm very interested in hearing more about what this position entails. Is there a good way to get in contact with the relevant parties? Looking forward to speaking about this and sharing a bit more about myself.

Thank you!

Rob T

Rob,

Thanks for you comments and questions!  Here is my default answer!

---‐-----------

I am the Visit Coordinator at Lost Valley Educational Center in Oregon and we are currently looking for a few great people, residents, interns, and staff.

I could tell you a lot more, but if your interest is sparked, I would invite you to visit and look through our website (https://www.lostvalley.org/) and then contact me with any further questions and interest.  Our website will really answer a lot of your questions and probably spark a few more.  You can also help us out getting to know you by sharing websites and social media links that you manage and post content on.

One thing about living in community that I want you to know and that you may know already, is that there is a LOT of work to do and usually not enough resources in either people or time to do it all.  As a community we encourage very active participation by all of our residents.  I have a personal goal, for example, of working a total of 20+ hours a week directly in community governance, management, and physical labor (permaculture garden and land stewardship).

Also, I can only devote a few hours per week to responding to inquiries, and there can be quite a few.  So I want you to know that we really appreciate this first step in the process - you taking the time to really look at what living in community is like with the resources available to you.  And then, by all means, let’s have a conversation - just know that it may take some time for us to reach out back to you.  We appreciate your patience in this matter, as this whole process can take quite a bit of time all together.

Blessings,
Davida

August 10th, 2022 Update

Title: Lost Valley Educational Center Seeks an Assistant Land Steward

WHO WE ARE
Lost Valley Educational Center: https://www.lostvalley.org/.

Federation of Intentional Communities: https://www.ic.org/directory/lost-valley-educational-center/

We are a permaculture-centered non-profit and intentional community close to Eugene, Oregon.

There are approximately 40 to 60 of us living in a rural, dispersed village on 88 acres of forest, creek, and our homes and shared community spaces.

Residents put in approximately 20 Hours / Week towards Community Participation and Governance, some of which is Paid Work (as staff) and some of which offers Rent Reduction Work Credits (land-based work and maintenance)

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
We are looking for a few residents, staff, and interns who can be really successful living here, happily working and participating in our Intentional Community.

We are particularly looking for an Assistant Land Steward.

This position works 20 - 40 hrs/week.

This position is paid $15/hr.

This position includes a free site for an RV or Tiny Home (including utilities) or other housing at reduced rates.

Work Includes but is not limited to:
       

Land Stewardship Skills

Managing Residents, Students, Interns, and Visitors doing Land Stewardship work

Executing the Vision of the Land Steward

Understanding Permaculture

Understanding Local Ecology

Safe Use of Land Stewardship Tools and Machinery

A NOTE ON COMMUNITY
You will be living and working in a rural intentional community, run cooperatively, focused on permaculture, non-violent communication, and self-governance.  While we are not an ‘egalitarian’ community, which typically provides you with all of your basic needs, we quite often provide access to produce from gardens, firewood from our acreage, a shared meal plan, and basic health and safety needs.  We also have a wood-fired sauna, wood-fired hot tub, and educational events that often include workshops, students, teachers, wellness practice, and dance.

Hi Davida,
I'm glad I was able to help before with pointing out some of the other benefits included with your positions. If I didn't have a couple of young children, I'd be all over one of them. I happen to be in Eugene for a couple days and was curious if you guys accept visitors, as I would Love to see what you have going on out there.
-Leaf

Leaf,

We usually accept visitors who are actively looking at joining us as a student, intern, or resident.  We are getting a 'visitor' program together that will have a little more structure to it.  Residents are also generally welcome to host personal guests for a night or a few.  I will be travelling for the next few months so I won't be available for that for a while.  We are also having a big event the weekend of the 3rd - a permaculture and ecstatic dance weekend that you could come check out if you want.  Let me know if you need a link - it should be on facebook and stuff, but I don't use that hardly at all any more

-Davida

Can the date of this event be made clearer please?
"We are also having a big event the weekend of the 3rd "