We graciously welcome volunteers and WWOOFers to come spend time working at Menla. Volunteering here is a great help to us and is in turn very rewarding for the volunteer. Typically we need the most help in the kitchen, garden/grounds, or housekeeping, although we occasionally need help with special projects and with video/audio recording of teachings.
For each full day the volunteer stays and attends one of our programs, the volunteer is expected to put in 3 hours of work. In exchange, the volunteer receives a 50% discount on meals and accommodations and a 50% discount on tuition.
The volunteer will be asked to work their hours during the duration of the retreat they are attending. Work-trade will be completed during afternoon free time and before or after program starts each day. Please note that volunteers may be asked to complete work-trade before and after the program begins or ends if there are not enough hours of free time during an event.
We try our best to schedule work-trade during program free time, however a volunteer may be expected to work while programming is in session if they are needed. If hour requirements are not met we will not be able to offer the discount.
We can only offer work trade & volunteer participation on programs by Tibet House US/ Menla.
For each full day the volunteer stays at Menla, s/he is expected to put in 6 hours of work, five out of seven days a week. In exchange, the volunteer receives free room & board. Long term volunteers must go through an interview process before being offered a volunteer position.
Work: Gardening and weeding in the flower/vegetable beds or harvesting vegetables from the garden. Other task may include grounds keeping, kitchen prep, or housekeeping. Flyering and other promotional efforts for Menla in NYC, New Jersey, Massachussetts, and Connecticut may be an option for certain volunteer candidates.
Ability: Volunteers need to be physically capable and willing to do manual labor. They should bring appropriate clothing and footwear. The work is mostly physical labor; if you have any back issues or physical constraints please notify us.
Expectations: Volunteers and WWOOFers are to be friendly, helpful, flexible, and respectful of our community, as well as doing good work, whether working with staff or unsupervised.
Accommodations: Varies depending on room availability. We will most likely put you in a shared room with shared bathroom or a cabin tent with access to indoor bathrooms and showers.
Transportation: We can pick you up at the Phoenicia bus stop on the Adirondack Trailways bus line if you call in advance.
We cannot host children or pets.
We know you will enjoy your stay here at Menla, and we thank you in advance for your good work!
For more information about joining Menla as a WWOOFer, please visit our listing at www.wwoofusa.org
If you are interested in volunteering, please contact us via this form below:
“You know that thing when you think you soul might be finally crushed for good and the nameless, wordless, friendless dread of the city has sucked you dry? Well, this place has the cure. You can help with the grounds and garden, you can yoga and meditate, you can get the best massage in 48 states, you can eat the most delicious vegetarian cuisine, and my favorite, walk the trails and paths through bubbling brooks and over rushing waterfalls and regain your spirit and feel the beat of your heart in time to nature.”
Robbie S.
“Being able to come to a place like this, being around so many open minded people, and being able to volunteer and give back to a place that gives people so much, has truly been an unforgettably life changing experience that I continue to be grateful for.”
Shayna D.
“The experience I’ve had as a volunteer here at Menla has been a unique one. I had recently experienced the loss of a number of friends, and of my father, before coming up for a retreat, and then coming back as a volunteer. Not only was the work I did up in these gorgeous mountains an amazingly cathartic experience, but the support I received from the community that exists here was unlike anything I had previously experienced.”
Reina de Beer