Work-Exchange Internships

Contact us at amanda@ampersandproject.org for available slots.

Here’s what we offer:

Get experience with hand crafted DIY sustainable water and solar systems and passive solar buildings made of earthen and salvaged materials. Learn about building by doing it. We will teach you how to cook with the sun.
We provide housing in a yurt, tipi, or strawbale cottage. Our solar powered community outdoor kitchen is equipped with solar ovens, a propane stove and fridge, and a system for re-using greywater.
We ask for 20 hours of work per week which gives you time to explore our beautiful land, peruse our extensive library, hang out in the funky village of Madrid (in walking distance), or visit different parts of New Mexico.
We have been teaching the essential aspects of sustainable living in this climate for almost 2 decades and we incorporate learning opportunities into life at Ampersand based on the interests of volunteers. If we have workshops or classes during your stay they will be free.
We provide lunches and dinners during our collective work days – 4 mornings per week. For the other days, bulk food items like oats, beans, rice, lentils, and olive oil are provided for you to make your own meals, along with whatever can be harvested from the garden.

Here’s what we ask:

We look for community-minded interns who can be both hard working and flexible. A sense of humor is always appreciated.
Interns will be asked to take on responsibilities like watering garden plots and composting and will keep track of the timing of these tasks.
Interns will maintain the community kitchen, which is outdoors. If you would enjoy cooking for our small group, community meal prep time is included in work hours on those collective workdays.
We will generally work together on projects 3 to 4 mornings per week (Fri, Sat, Mondays, Tuesdays), and self-directed volunteer responsibilities will be on other days as well.
While we provide bulk foods as well as produce as it is available from our small garden, we ask volunteers to provide supplemental ingredients for meals and snacks on days off. For those without vehicles, shopping trips can be arranged.
Minimum stay 2 weeks. There may be longer term positions available.