Please note: This post includes host updates from 2020 to January 2021. Availability, tasks, dates and requirements may have changed since then. Contact the hosts directly to confirm the current conditions before making any travel plans.

Update January 2021: Digital volunteer needed

We have space for 1 more volunteer. We need someone to help us make our vlogs for YouTube.

The volunteer does not need to be an expert, but must have some experience.

The main role is to film things we are doing around the Finca and edit them to make episodes and highlights. The host will add a link to previous videos in the comments so you can get an idea.

Update November 2020: 2 live-in volunteer positions

Role 1, as soon as possible

Do you have experience with gardening, permaculture, or growing vegetables? We need someone to tend to our garden, help us continue to get our Finca green, develop the vegetable gardens and help turn manure into compost. No need to be an expert, but you must have a passion for gardens and be willing to work independently.

Role 2

Do you speak both Spanish and English to a high level and feel happy to do admin work? We are looking for someone to help develop our sanctuary, gain contacts, connect, network and help get sponsors. This can include calling people, visiting people and replying to emails. No need to be an expert, just passionate about helping us grow the sanctuary. We can also give you other tasks, so you are not stuck on a computer all the time if you wish.

Because we have a huge number of applicants and a big team already here, we have to be precise about positions so everyone has a role and the sanctuary grows and stays organised.

We have people already working with:

• Horses
• Animals
• SEO
• Building
• Cooking
• Cleaning
• Filming
• Social media

We provide accommodation and food in exchange for 25 hours a week working.

Update 28/07/2020

Some people who planned to come had their flight cancelled due to COVID, so positions were available from then. You can stay as long as you like.

This role doesn’t come up very often due to people not leaving 🤣 but COVID made everything crazy, so we had space until the beginning of September (2 more girls come then) 🙏

More: joining the community permanently

We get asked regularly if we can take more people to work in exchange for food and accommodation. At the time of this post, we had 16, and sadly cannot accept everyone as we don’t have space. However, there are some job roles we really need help with, so we reserve space for these.

For one role, you must be experienced with horses. No need to be an expert or high-level rider, but you must be very confident with horses on the ground and a confident rider. The main role would be groundwork, clicker training (no need for experience, it’s easy and we will show you), reinforcing basic riding manners such as standing still, and introducing positive connections in riding. There are options to ride in your free time with the horse sharers. 😊

With the right person, this can be a long-term role if someone is looking to start a new life and become part of the team and help us grow. It can also be part-time in exchange for food and accommodation around a part-time job elsewhere if needed.

As always, we are open to hearing people’s ideas to grow our team and sanctuary. The most important thing is you must love all animals and be passionate about the project.

Requisites

You must be happy to live among a community with shared bathrooms and kitchen. Accommodation is different for everyone, so you must be easy about where you sleep. We have a caravan, wooden huts, stone houses and caves, so it depends what is available at the time (and if you plan to be here long-term). Some of our team have been here over a year and have made their own “houses” from caves and materials we have.

We are a great team and we are very handy, so we work together and make anything possible. The location is very near La Jaca, so it is peaceful, with walking distance to the beach and a quiet village. It is also a great location for climbing, walking and snorkelling. The Finca is in a beautiful setting with great views and a great vibe, but please remember we are still building so it is not luxury yet 😛

(We always need handymen and builders throughout the year. We were just full for the next couple of months, but get in touch if you are interested for the future.)

Update 29/06/2020: SEO, WordPress, social media, admin

We needed help with social media, admin, SEO, website, marketing and fundraising. We were looking for someone with experience in these things, and experience with WordPress, Yoast, Google and Instagram. Please note this is not to build a website, we have it already. We needed help with SEO, Google Analytics and this side of it. As we had no idea what we were doing, it took the host much longer than someone computer-savvy, and it took time away from the horses who need care.

You must have a good level of English for this role. Spanish or German would be a huge bonus but not essential. We have plenty of translators living here already.

Admin roles

Another role mentioned was for someone native or fluent in Spanish and English to help with admin roles. This could include answering emails, speaking to visitors, making phone calls and dealing with paperwork. The host asked for someone over 25 with a driver’s license. This won’t take up much time, so it can be combined with other roles, such as driving and collecting food donations, helping improve Spanish, social media, or helping with horses if experienced.

This can be a long-term role for the right person if someone is looking to start a new life and become part of the team and help the sanctuary grow, working part-time in exchange for food and accommodation around a part-time job elsewhere if needed.

As always, we are open to hearing people’s ideas to grow our team and sanctuary. The most important thing is you must love all animals and be passionate about the project.

Video link

https://youtu.be/yL3N-uG2BiI