Work & Lifesharing

When we say that Camphill Village is a lifesharing community, we are telling you not just how we run our Village dwellings, but how every person in this community becomes part of the fiber that supports us. We do live together, but we also work together, celebrate together, and grow together.
We are moved by the sense of responsibility and accomplishment we have when we know our efforts are required, and when we can see how those efforts support the community in which we live.
We have a strong commitment to meaningful work and responsibility. We care for each other in an environment surrounded by friends, and enjoy the support of volunteers living within the same community. This contributes to our individual and overall happiness and health, the measurements of which are unparalleled when compared to those of the nationwide population with developmental differences.

And while Camphill strongly values work, we devote less attention to the quantity of candles produced in our candle studio or the sales of scarves woven by hand in our beautiful weavery. Instead, we focus our energy on the process and the good that comes from learning from one another. We are creating something that can be utilized for generations, and these programs that foster creativity and cooperation are an effective form of occupational therapy.
Depending on our preferences and abilities, we can easily have two or more different work places during the week. For instance, there’s a lot of work to do in the households in the mornings, including cleaning and preparing for a family-style lunch comprising ingredients that were grown sustainably, often in the Village. After a wholesome meal and good conversation, we clean up and enjoy an hour of rest before heading out to our afternoon programs. These can be anything, from working in the vegetable gardens or coffee shop, to the bakery or a craft studio.
At the end of the workday, our lives aren’t much different than yours. We eat supper and spend the evening chatting with friends, reading, or joining a variety of art and music programs. We look forward to the weekends, when we go to the movies, swim at local parks, go shopping, and visit with family.

 

Below is a piece on “The Role of Work,” written by Joseph Papas, a former coworker who ran the Camphill Bakery for several years. Please enjoy.

The Role of Work – by Joseph Papas