About the Role
*** TO APPLY AS A VOLUNTEER PLEASE READ THIS WHOLE PAGE AND APPLY USING THE LINK AND *NOT* THE BUTTON ABOVE! ***
THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM
Volunteers are fundamental to our business, and offer us a way to give back our time, skills and experience in support of the next generation of changemakers and voices in the wellness space. Volunteers help us run the business smoothly by:
* Providing support to staff to bridge gaps in service which may arise due to scheduling, variations in customer flow, and the nuances of life in India!
* Offering another outlet for the warm hospitality that we are already known for, supporting us in building community and friendships that transcend borders, timelines and cultures.
* Supporting the founder in delivering trainings and retreats, becoming a key person at the heart of the team, thus allowing us to provide a truly personal experience to all our guests both in the hotel and the studios.
Volunteers are a wonderful asset to our business and venue, and we welcome people of all backgrounds, genders and gender identifications, nationalities, ethnicities and faiths.
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The volunteer roles are wide ranging and we lean into what you love, your experience and aptitudes. Mural painting, gardening, running Google Scripts... volunteers show us their skills and we work together to put them to best use.
However there are some general site tasks that are always there - often shared between several volunteers on a rota as we aim to have several vols at any one time, usually sharing one big cottage.
HOSTING
Talking to guests, building community, helping us create a safe and supportive space for our people. So much of Yoke’s magic is the conversations - having breakfast with guests, sitting and chatting in between helping run empty plates to the kitchen etc, is a huge part of it. Conversations and laughs whilst preparing coffee. Any chance to talk to guests - to hear their stories, tell them yours, share experiences and ideas - is a major part of the job.
BREAKFAST
9.30-11.30am is the busiest part of the day. The cafe team run breakfast and always need a hand with making tea and coffee, running plates in and out of the kitchen, and generally holding the fort - especially when it’s a full house. It’s the most fun part of the day and what EVERYONE talks about most in their stay at Yoke!
SPA
We are relaunching our sauna and ice offering this season and a big part of the volunteer role is managing these popular sessions - working alongside the FOH Manager to check how many people are booked in, ensuring that we have ordered any consumables, and preparing the space with music, incense and vibes.
When spa customers arrive, it’s a quick walk-round, get them to sign the safety waiver, and be on hand for queries. Sprucing site up in general, picking up any towels or cups that get left lying around, and just keep the mood upbeat, supportive and safe.
We do get drop ins for spa so part of the gig is also managing these, trying to funnel them into set times and keep the ship sailing smoothly.
FRONT OFFICE COVER
A friendly face at front desk is absolutely paramount and our volunteers are key aspects of the experience, covering for the FOH manager on days off and breaks, occasionally helping with class checkins and inquiries as needed.
SOUND & YOGA SESSIONS
The main event! Supporting us with preparing the soundspace and checking in classes is critical. Only you and the facilitators touch the instruments, so preparing the space, checking guest numbers and laying out mats and accessories, and getting the shala ready energetically, are all key.
You’ll be checking guests in for sound sessions, offering them words of support and inspiration about sound healing, as well as answering any questions that arise. Ideally you’ll be around at the end of the session for the same - people ALWAYS want to talk and there are always more questions than the facilitator can handle. Plus we need to keep the instrument babies safe for the night after they’ve been used.
CLASS SUPPORT
This is a critical but quick job, where you will available 15-20 minutes before a class begins to assist in checking customers into class and ensuring any guests who bypassed the front office are paid up and accounted for. This is super important for our records and to ensure facilitators get paid correctly! In reality it takes 15 minutes max and once class has started the task is done.
ERRANDS
From picking up cat food for our little darlings to going out for lightbulbs there’s always an odd job, and this is why scooter proficiency is important in the longer term. We won’t send you out for mad things, but every now and again there will be a quick rush on something and whoever is the most available will take on the task. Stand by!
WHAT WE OFFER YOU
* A bed in a shared room in our boutique venue for the duration of your stay, including en suite bathroom shared with your roommates. If you prefer a private room we can signpost you to local homestays within walking distance where you can expect to pay about 800-1000INR per night minimum for an 8 week booking.
* Breakfast and lunch
* Access to our class schedule - as long as it doesn’t conflict with a responsibility we have assigned you, you’re welcome to attend any of our house classes and events during your stay.
* You will have access to a scooter for work tasks, and you may be able to borrow it for personal use based on site need.
OUR TOTAL INVESTMENT IN 6 WEEKS OF YOU = 147’000Rs / £1150 (not including classes!)
ACCOMMODATION - 90’000Rs / £750
MEALS - 42’000Rs / £385
TRANSPORT - 15’000Rs / £140
This is why we ask a MINIMUM 6 week commitment.
TO APPLY
Fill out our form at the link below. PLEASE DO NOT EMAIL FOR THIS ROLE.
https://forms.gle/ZWkWAg6Z79SQzATA7
Requirements
Volunteering is just that - volunteering your time! Whilst we do have clearly defined goals and terms for the role to help everyone stay clear, one of the biggest ways volunteers help us is by plugging gaps we can’t foresee. So therefore we welcome those who like ALL our team from the owner to the housekeeping assistant, are willing to stay flexible and responsive to things that may be needed to react to immediate business needs.
Volunteers must be at least 25 years of age.
You will need to drive a scooter as part of your role so we will need you to show us your driving license and confidence (or at least willingness) to drive in India - we are all here to support and guide you with lessons if you would like them.
It takes some time to train up and immerse a new volunteer, and the exchange is a significant financial commitment from our side, so we ask for a minimum 6 week commitment to maintain fairness in both directions.
Ideally, we prefer volunteers with some experience of India/Asia, whether from a previous holiday or travels, or because they have already been in the country for a while before joining us. Integrating into Indian life can often be challenging and we like you to have done this before arriving with us if possible!
About the Company
Yoke is a fourteen room retreat (capacity of 24 guests) in Agonda, South Goa, sitting in the gap between the beach and the jungle. There is a cafe the whole village is welcome in, a rooftop yoga space, a sauna & ice space tucked under the jungle canopy and a sound studio in the trees where most of the interesting things happen.
We run our own sound and movement trainings, host retreats for teachers and schools from all over the world, and keep an evening schedule that pulls people in from up and down the coast. Guests come to us for deep rest, nervous system recovery, and the kind of week that quietly rearranges something. Adults only, three nights minimum, closed through the monsoon.
We are small, independent and founder led. That means genuine influence over how things get done, and it also means everybody occasionally does things that are nowhere near their job description. If that reads as freedom rather than a warning sign, we should probably talk.