Vegan animal sanctuary needs help

Location: chateauponsac, france

Hello!
We are a four persons family and work and live within a vegan sanctuary for rescued farm and companion animals. we have on average over 140 animals with us at any given time. Our children are 8 & 13 and are homeschooled.
 We expect people to join us that are honest in their approach to life, compassionates in their world views and hard working.

Our dream is to move further into the wild and away from population, so a similar passion is open heartedly welcomed.

We would hope that you feel part of a team capable of functioning without the incessant needs of high maintenance.
 We welcome hard working, self motivated individuals that can problem solve, and if a task is finished to move onto the next.

We cannot make jobs easier, they are what they are, animal care is relentless and gruelling at times. They expect their food on time and their beds cleaned, no matter what else may be going on. Selfies and social media are to happen outside of work hours. The hours are spread over the day.

All workers will be asked for a copy of their health insurance (or alternative solution used) and passport to be sent pre-arrival, and completion of a questionaire.
 We are surrounded by countryside/forests and farmland, this is an ideal place for those wanting less distraction.

There are many walks and places to enjoy being in nature. ST PARDOUX lake is 15 away, so if you enjoy long bike rides, wild swimming or paddle boarding this will be of interest. There are also some quiet beaches.
You can also visit numerous stone monuments, dolmens, menhirs, sacrificial stones.... Of course around us are many museums, entertainment parks, volcanos (in the region "Auvergne") are not far from us as well.

It is understood that as you learn the skills/routine and it becomes easier/faster, you will go onto the next task, not offer less help and go to bed. There is always something to do!

Types of help and learning opportunities

Charity Work Art Projects Language practice Help with Eco Projects T eaching Gardening DIY and building projects Animal Care
Farmstay help Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house General Maintenance Help with Computers/ Internet

Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

We are surrounded by countryside/forests and farmland. There are many walks and places to enjoy being in nature, foraging... ST PARDOUX lake is 15minutes away, so if you enjoy long bike rides, wild swimming, picnics or paddle boarding this will be of interest. There are also some quiet beaches.
You can practice French and English with us. As well as discovering our way of life (going off grid, bushcraft, gardening...) and our projects related to this.

WORKING ARRANGEMENT

We would prefer a minimum stay of 3 weeks
What is expected : This depends on your role (You will not be asked to help with B&B business, as we do not have one):

URGENT NEED:
MOTIVATED COUPLE OR SOLE TRAVELLER.

Head of care/staff , permanent live in position, ideally couple (one animal/one land) If a couple we would prefer one to be in care of sanctuary/farmhouse and one to tackle preparing gardens/buildings

CHILD HELP / HOUSE HELP :
 Our children are bilingual French & English, we would dearly love them to learn Swedish, can you help ? There have a minimum of 4 hours schooling a day which is structured to lesson plans + homeworks. However if you can teach the subject with outside/forest work they love this. Holiday period is different. A high level of ENGLISH required GCSE/O level or equivalent FRENCH preferred, but not necessary SWEDISH preferred MATH to college level PHYSICS/CHEMISTRY preferred. Can you play an instrument? We have piano/flute/sax/guitars in the house.

Cleaning-hoovering & dusting the house daily. Helping children to keep rooms in order.
This role is to be more part of family, so would suit someone flexible, compassionate, educated and above all kind and respectful.

SANCTUARY WORKERS:

Hours depending on time of year, needs, days to be arranged on application. Experience with animals preferred, especially cows/horses/pigs, but not necessary. This is a very physically demanding position.

Jobs include: walking dogs/cleaning kennels, cleaning pig houses/moving pigs, cleaning sheep, raking garden. Cleaning cow barns and stables. Grooming horses/cows, cleaning out guinea pigs/rabbits/birds. Poo picking, feeds.

Gardening in season + watering.
Clearing electric fence lines.

GARDENER:
 Flexible hours depending on the heat level. Jobs depend on season. Weeding/watering/digging/making beds/preparing greenhouses & poly tunnels. Sowing. Maintenance of beds. Clearing orchard. Tending to trees, etc. ... Moving compost. We have 2 large patches and 2 small, experience preferred as time is needed to teach what to do if not. A passion for working outside and getting dirty essential. Any task tackled should be with an eye for detail and commitment to finish.
This is physically demanding. We are reliant on our harvest.

MAINTENANCE:
 Flexible hours depending on jobs in hand. Good DIY skills essential, ideas of jobs: maintaining/building/fixing fences/ animal houses/barns. Clearing leaves/wood from grounds, moving trees/wood, chopping wood.... Can you plumb? Have electrical skills? Not essential but preferred as the jobs needed within the sanctuary are vast, including renovations to bathrooms/bedrooms.
NB: depending on workload, you may be asked to help with other “volunteers roles”, must be flexible.

IMPORTANT: All roles are physically demanding often with repetitive movements, lifting forks/spades with earth, straw/poop for extended periods of time. Weeding/digging . In the summer month temperatures reach 45°C, in the winter around 1°C.
Workers are expected to bring work clothes/shoes/gloves in accordance to seasonal needs. Towels, toiletries, etc. …

LIVING ARRANGEMENT

Accommodation

You will be expected to clean your own bedding and room, and leave it ready to the same standard as found, on your departure, and communal areas kept clean + tidy every day.

Accommodation in the sanctuary farmhouse, this is basic but functional + clean.
One double with ensuite shower.
One triple and one twin sharing ensuite shower.
One double + ensuite, the permanent/long duration head of care has attic room. Very large space to have double or twin beds, lounge area and bijou bathroom, open plan.
 Bedding provided, not towels. Hot water for showers, kitchen, wood-burner for winter. This house has a kitchen/lounge space. No wifi but 3/4G. We are aware of our water and electricity consumption, so would hope everyone who join us would be also. This is a fully equipped kitchen, time will be allowed during the morning routine for a volunteer to cook, ingredients will be provided and/or lunch prepared when the family/sanctuary routine permits.

The buildings are to be free from animal products as are sanctuary grounds, this is paramount ! One room of this house homes guinea pigs (outside house under construction)
No smoking inside houses or grounds or vaping In all cases Workawayers are responsible for providing their own breakfast on their working days and days off and their meals on their days off.
There are private spaces for individual food storage if you do not wish to community/group cook.
If invited to family home for meal, please help clean-up after meal.

CLOSEST AIRPORT is Limoges-Bellegarde,

CLOSEST TRAIN STATIONS are La Souterraine and Limoges :
Gare des benedictins Limoges: Limoges Bénédictins. 4, place Maison Dieu 87036 Limoges  .
Gare SNCF La Souterraine : Place de la Gare, 23300 La Souterraine .

All are about 40 minutes away from us.
Arrival on Monday/tuesday
No picking up, it is up to you to get to the sanctuary, unless privately arranged, and to be here on time for introduction 10.30 to 12 noon, all paperwork and questions will take place for new workers.
 The nearest town is 30 minutes walk away and includes: doctors, bars, town hall, hair dresser, supermarket, news agent...