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Ängsbacka’s ESC Volunteering Team

Warmly welcome to be part of the funded volunteering to live and work at Ängsbacka! This 7 to 10 months long service is created to contribute to a world with more harmony, wellbeing and sustainability!

You are invited to co-create with your skills and enthusiasm in our community and Course & Festival Center. You can demonstrate paths to sustainable development, develop new competencies, make new friends and immerse yourself in a vibrant community life. If you are a resident or citizen of the EU and under 30 years old, this could be the perfect opportunity for you! We are welcoming 8 new ESC volunteers who are excited to be an active part in creating the Ängsbacka experience.

What is the European Solidarity Corps

The European Solidarity Corps (ESC) is an initiative by the European Union that empowers young individuals aged 18 to 30 years through volunteering or work projects within their country or abroad. It’s designed to promote solidarity, encourage social engagement, and facilitate personal growth by offering opportunities to contribute to society, gain experience, and develop new skills across diverse activities. 

Participants benefit from essential support like food, accommodation, travel, pocket money, insurance, and mentorship throughout their engagement. Volunteers have the opportunity to learn and grow by engaging in meaningful projects that encourage teamwork, collaboration, and cultural exchange, enabling them to immerse themselves in diverse communities and work collectively. More info about ESC here.

Volunteer Profile

We are looking for volunteers who are highly motivated and are ready to dedicate their energy both to practical work and communal involvement. We base the selection process mostly on your reasons to apply and willingness to learn and also on whether you already have existing skills or experience. 

 The successful candidate should also be engaged in or open to some sort of self-development practices (meditation, yoga, dance or some other mindfulness practice). Volunteers must show an interest in learning and living in a community. Living closely with a community of diverse individuals can be both challenging and rewarding, and we seek people who are open to that experience, and eager to support our shared values and goals. Please find our Ängsbacka Guidelines here.

We wholeheartedly welcome and encourage individuals facing diverse challenges and fewer opportunities to join us. Ängsbacka is committed to create an inclusive community where everyone’s unique journey is valued, respected, and supported. (More information available in the application form).

Practical information about your work as an ESC volunteer

ACCOMMODATION
As an ESC volunteer, you will live in shared double rooms with communal showers and toilets. We will provide pillows and duvets, sheets and towels. You cannot bring your dog or cat to Ängsbacka to live with you.

FOOD

Our kitchen serves delicious vegetarian and vegan meals 3 times a day. You have access to tea and coffee, and sometimes fruits or snacks. There is also a separate community kitchen if you want to prepare something special for yourself.

ALCOHOL-FREE & DRUG-FREE
Ängsbacka is best experienced in full presence and therefore we are a completely alcohol- and drug-free environment. If you are found under the influence we will ask you to leave immediately.

TRANSPORTATION
Ängsbacka is located in the beautiful Swedish countryside, ca. 2 km from the village of Molkom and 30 km from the town of Karlstad. Molkom can easily be reached by foot or a volunteer bike. There you can find a supermarket, a gym, a sports hall and a medical centre. In Karlstad, there are more services, including a public bath, library, hospital and shops. There is a local bus to and from Karlstad.


PRACTICES AND SUPPORT

PROGRAM
We encourage all our volunteers to take part in our daily volunteer program where different practices like yoga, dance, meditation, massage, conscious work out, films, sauna, open stage etc. are offered. You will have an opportunity to join a workshop almost every morning, afternoon and evening. You can offer one yourself if you like holding space for others.

SHARING
Sharing is at the heart of Ängsbacka and supports everybody here. It is considered a sacred space for speaking and deep listening from the heart. It invites you to be seen in your truth and to see others in theirs, without judgment or fixing. One person shares, while the others sit in silence paying attention to the person sharing. Everyone in the group will have the same amount of time available to them, and everything that is said or done stays in the group. We do not bring it up again outside of sharing. Sharing is an essential and honored practice at Ängsbacka, and we welcome you to this special space with the sensitivity and open-heartedness that is at its core.

SUPPORT

As a volunteer, you are fully responsible for your own health and wellbeing during your stay. As an ESC volunteer, you are supported by work mentors and a social mentor  who will assist you with any practical or emotional issues. Sometimes we also use the help of professional coaches if there is an immediate need. For people with fewer opportunities we offer enforced mentorship/ support. We encourage you to participate fully and devote yourself to the daily program and the exploration of how the tools offered in meetings, workshops and sharing can be of support for you.

7 to 10 Months of Service

Starts on March 2, 2027 and lasts for 7 months to 10 months. 

Your planned commitment is around 35 hours per week, including practical tasks, agreed community meetings, ESC learning activities and language learning. The usual rhythm is five days of participation, with two days off each week. You also receive two days of holiday for each month of volunteering, arranged with your team.

You will contribute mainly within your chosen team. The programme also includes opportunities to support other operational teams, such as the kitchen, garden, housekeeping or site team, so you can experience different aspects of community life. Your schedule and learning goals will be agreed with your work leader.

You can develop a personal project connected to the aims of the ESC activity, with guidance from the team. During free time, you are welcome to join community workshops and festival activities where available. Participation in optional wellbeing and creative activities respects your interests and boundaries.

Available volunteer positions

Marketing - Social media

Share community life through stories, images and conversations while developing your digital communication skills.

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Join the marketing team to help communicate Ängsbacka’s activities and volunteering opportunities. You will practise creating content and learn how thoughtful communication can invite people to participate.

Tasks:

  • Help plan and create posts, short videos and stories for social media.
  • Support replies to comments and messages, referring questions to the relevant team.
  • Collect stories from volunteers and teams with their consent.
  • Review engagement with the team and explore ideas for future content

Marketing - Graphic Design

Learn more about Graphic Design and marketing and create art to share Ängsbacka´s offerings!

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We are looking to extend our Marketing Office with a Volunteer Marketing Assistant who will be working closely with our marketing team to develop graphical content fitting the marketing needs of Ängsbacka. This role offers a lot of space for creativity and own initiatives. For this role, it is highly beneficial to have prior experience in Graphic Design and Adobe that you can expand further.

 

  • Co-create the development and execution of the marketing strategy through Graphic Design and visual communication
  • Work with the marketing team to manage brand and marketing initiatives if possible
  • Envision and design visual content for social media, website and printed content in collaboration with the marketing team
  • Liaise with other teams and departments within Ängsbacka to disseminate the needs from the different departments

Marketing - Copywriter

Develop your skill of creating art with words and learn more about marketing!

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We are looking to extend our Marketing Office with a Volunteer Marketing Assistant that strengthens the marketing team by doing magic with words. To be selected for this role, written and verbal communication skills in English are a must. This position offers a creative experience and deepens understanding of communication.

  • Support the development and execution of the marketing strategy through written content fitting the overall marketing strategy
  • Work with the marketing team to manage brand and marketing initiatives
  • Assist with promotional activities
  • Develop written content for social media, website and printed content

SUSTAINABILITY MANAGER ASSISTANT

Be part of supporting Ängsbacka becoming more sustainable and regenerative, both environmentally, socially and organizationally in the Sustainability Team.

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Be part of supporting Ängsbacka becoming more sustainable and regenerative, both environmentally, socially and organizationally in the Sustainability Team.

  • Opportunity to develop initiatives and interventions around waste, food, energy use, transport, social sustainability and so on
  • Energise creative projects around circular economy through upcycling, reusing and repairing
  • Coordination of short term volunteers (6 weeks) on sustainability projects
  • Education on sustainability, regeneration and nature connection for the working community and participants
  • Overview of waste management and recycling


Kitchen Management Assistance

Develop your knowledge in Kitchen Management and be part of one of the biggest teams at Ängsbacka!

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We are looking for an assistant to support the Kitchen Managers. This role is an exciting fit for you if you are approachable and open towards people, organised, and have good communication skills. Experience in big kitchen settings and administration are a plus in this role. This role will help you expand your management knowledge in the food industry as well as interpersonal and team holding skills.

 

  • Help the kitchen managers and chefs with different tasks such as handling special requests, coordinating between teams or overseeing the stock management
  • Hold space for coordinators and jump in for volunteer shifts if needed 
  • Keep the kitchen and its structures organised and proactively suggest and implement improvements 
  • Support a great and enjoyable workflow in the overall kitchen team

Garden Assistance

Beautify the garden and park area at Ängsbacka and learn more about gardening and team coordination!

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We are looking for a Garden assistant to support our small but essential team that mainly supports the upkeep of the garden and park area along with being responsible for all our waste. Experience and knowledge in gardening, especially permaculture principles, which you are excited to deepen are beneficial for this role. If you enjoy physical work and getting your hands dirty this is the place for you. 

 

  • Assist the garden team lead in planning and overseeing the garden and park area
  • Engage in the structuring of the garden 
  • Help coordinating the maintenance of the garden and park area such as mowing the lawn, managing waste and recycling 
  • Hold space for the volunteer team and organise the schedules if possible

Volunteer Office Assistant

Play a vital role in the daily organisation and space holding of Ängsbacka.

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  • Help volunteers feel welcome and learn how a community organises everyday life.

    Support the Volunteer Office with administration, arrivals and daily communication. You will become a friendly point of contact while learning how to support a diverse group with care and clear information.

  • Help reply to emails and phone enquiries with guidance from the team.
  • Support application processing and keep volunteer information organised and confidential.
  • Welcome new volunteers and assist with orientation and practical questions.
  • Join team meetings and refer concerns or support needs to the appropriate staff member

Forest Village Assistance

Get hands-on with ecological building and help our Forest Village take shape.

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Work with the project team on small ecological huts in the forest. The Forest Village explores natural building techniques and the reuse of materials through a participatory process where volunteers learn alongside experienced builders.

  • Working with the project manager and experts to design  the “Forest Village” Project Phase II, including permaculture design and building plans for the huts, collecting recycled materials & prepping the area
  • Help document the process and prepare materials for learning activities.
  • Coordinate the educational process with the different institutions
  • Creating a network of experts and key players
  • Coordinating between the Sustainability team, Ängsbacka management and the      construction team

Site Assistance

Learn practical skills and help care for the spaces where community life happens.

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Join the Site Team to support maintenance and preparations for community activities and events. You will work alongside experienced staff and learn how a busy residential centre keeps its facilities working.

  • Assist with repairs, maintenance and moving equipment under supervision.
  • Help prepare event areas, tents and parking spaces with the team.
  • Keep tools, materials and workspaces organised.
  • Support task planning and check-ins with volunteers alongside the team leader.

JOIN us for 7 months of service

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, so apply soon!

Click here to apply!

Ängsbacka and the European Solidarity Corps

Ängsbacka Kursgård is Scandinavia’s largest Course and Festival Center, and it hosts volunteers throughout the year. In 2017, we added the EVS/ESC program to our regular volunteer program. We are a working community that aims to contribute to the development of more conscious life, caring for our planet and living from the heart.

Our approach connects environmental, social, cultural and economic sustainability with everyday community life. Young people learn by contributing to practical projects, sharing responsibilities and working alongside people with different experiences. We value belonging, respectful communication and opportunities for volunteers to shape their own learning.

In 2025, Ängsbacka received a Good Practices award for its ESC work. This recognition encourages us to keep developing meaningful volunteering opportunities with inclusion and participant support at their centre.

Our free weekly activity programme is co-created by community members and open to local young people and the wider community. It includes movement, yoga, meditation, music, arts, sewing and painting, as well as cultural exchange and opportunities to share knowledge. Volunteers can join, suggest activities and gradually gain experience in facilitating sessions with support.



Service

During your stay at Ängsbacka, we invite you to explore the mindset of service. Not as a concept, but rather as a way of living. Service to your fellow community members, to course participants, to the planet and all its inhabitants, and to yourself.

We believe that through selfless service, through connecting back to our deep need to contribute to the world, we grow in compassion and joy.

Working meditation

Working Meditation is our shared daily practice of service and togetherness. We encourage everyone to use their working hours as active explorations of the present moment. Everything that comes to our minds and bodies is welcomed into the moment. We support each other to remain light-hearted and connected.

Ideally, the time spent in work is happy and fulfilling, regardless of the task. The realisation to be discovered is that the enjoyment of the task comes from within ourselves, not from the nature of the task.

Sharing

Sharing is at the heart of Ängsbacka, and supports everybody here. It is considered a sacred space for speaking and listening from our hearts. It invites you to be seen in your truth and to see others in theirs, without judgement, advice or fixing.

One person shares, while the others sit in silence paying attention to the person sharing. Everyone in the group will have the same amount of time available to them, and everything that is said or done stays in the group. We do not bring it up again outside of sharing.

Sharing is an essential and honored practice at Ängsbacka, and we welcome you to this special space with the sensitivity and open-heartedness that is at its core.