Direct Service Professional/Organic Farm Apprentice – Kahumana Community (Waianae)

Kahumana Community is an intentional community located on a 14 acre organic farm on the west-side of oahu. We are launching our new program for adults with developmental disabilities and are looking for individuals to fill the unique position.

CO-WORKER

Direct Service Professional / Organic Farm Apprentice

A Co-worker lives at Kahumana Community and is, above all, committed to sharing their life with people who have special needs. Approximately half of the the co-worker’s work time is spent as a direct service worker in our Adult Day Heath Program. The other half of their work time is spent working on our organic farm.

Adult Day Health Program
Our unique day program takes a holistic, outcome-based approach. We start the day with mindfulness exercises or yoga and rotate activities that include: farming, art, sports/exercise, life skills, life-long learning classes, culinary arts and others.

We are inspired by two communities that are committed to the ideas of life-sharing:

Camphill Communities (www.camphill.org)

Camphill is dedicated to creating communities where the values of service, sharing, spiritual nourishment, and recognition of each individual’s gifts and contributions offer a model of renewal for the wider society. In Camphill communities, daily life is shared with children, youth, and adults who have disabilities — in ways that are both intentionally therapeutic and intentionally personal. The result is that Camphill offers all community members a life of accomplishment, celebration, and meaning L’arche communities (http://www.larche.org/en/home)

At the heart of L’Arche communities are relationships between people with and without intellectual disabilities. A respectful relationship between people who treat each other as of equal value provides security — allowing for growth, personal development and freedom.

We are accepting applications immediately for the service period of September 2014 to August 2015. Successful applicants may be able to start as early as July 2014. Co-workers live in community on our farm. Most share a modestly appointed 8 bedroom house with 2 common bathrooms. Tasty prepared meals are served three times per day in our cafe. This lively crew share responsibilities on our Organic Farm, Cafe, Retreat and Learning Center and Day Program for adults with developmental disabilities. Please read more about our community at www.kahumana.org

TERMS

Co-workers live and work at Kahumana Community for a period of at least one year. They are responsible for the direct care of adult-participants and a few adult-residents. They help run day-program activities, organize cultural activities, and perform household responsibilities. A typical day consists of a community gathering in the morning, 3 common meals, rotating work in the day program and on the organic farm. Co-workers work 19 hours per week and are paid @ $10 per hour for their work in the day program for adults with developmental disabilities. An additional 21 hours of work per week on our organic farm and cafe are done for the benefits of room and beautifully cooked organic meals in our cafe. Co-workers also receive time-off and training in the following areas: working with adults with developmental disabilities, organic farming, service and prep in a working organic cafe, retreat and learning center activities.

Applicants must have a willingness to work with others and an interest in community life.

Because we work with a vulnerable community, the State of Hawaii requires all applicants to undergo a background check and/or obtain a police report. Kahumana is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving individuals with special needs and disadvantaged populations on the Leeward Coast of Oahu since 1974. Hale Lana o Kahumana furthers this mission by providing holistic, outcome-based programs for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Located in Waianae’s Lualualei Valley adjacent to Kahumana Organic Farm and Café, we emphasize health and well-being in all our programs. We are rapidly growing and expanding our services. Join the Kahumana Community now!

Hours for Adult Day Health Program: 7:30 am — 3:30 pm, Monday – Friday. Hours for Organic Farm: 6:30am w breaks for brkfst, lunch and a long mid-day siesta.

These positions require a High School diploma or the equivalent, as well as a valid driver’s license and clean driver’s abstract. In order to qualify you must also pass a drug test and an extensive background screening process. Training is provided, so experience with the developmental disabilities population is not required, but a dedication to promoting dignity, respect and inclusion for everyone regardless of their disability is required. Willingness to engage in and model appropriate social behavior and healthy activities such as yoga, sports, hiking, water aerobics and working on the farm is also required. This is a fun job, but you must be enthusiastic, willing to participate and able to motivate others to participate!

To apply please send cover letter and resume to:

Nlaird@asi-hawaii.org or
Hale Lana o Kahumana
86-660 Lualualei Homestead Road
Waianae, HI 96792