Work and Live with People with Special Needs - Great Barrington, MA

About Our Organization 

High Spirit Community Farm is a non-profit organization that offers supported residences as well as day programming for people with intellectual disabilities. High Spirit operates three residential homes on a five-acre farm in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Life in our community revolves around the farm, where we use environmentally sustainable practices to grow vegetables, herbs, flowers, fruit, and to raise chickens, pigs and goats. 

We believe that people of all abilities deserve to live fulfilling lives and to work toward reaching their highest potential. By creating a supportive and inclusive community, our goal is to empower our residents to pursue their interests, form friendships and experience a higher level of autonomy and independence than what is possible in traditional care models. 

Position Description

Being a Crew Leader at High Spirit Community Farm is one of those rare positions where creativity is encouraged and passion for the work is rewarded in countless ways. A Crew Leader is responsible for planning and facilitating a day program for participants with disabilities.  Programming includes work on the farm, woodworking, preparing food for community members, bringing community members to fitness or art activities, to the grocery store or library, or local cultural events. The program is tailored to each individual’s needs and interests. 

Integrating Work and Life

Because High Spirit is dedicated to creating an integrated work-life community, a Crew Leader will live in one of the three residential homes at High Spirit Community Farm along with individuals with intellectual disabilities as well as a small team of interns.  Crew Leaders will share common space with members of the household but will also have private space within the home.  

First and foremost, sharing the home with people with disabilities means being in charge of creating a safe and supportive home environment where the needs of all residents are met. Sharing the home means participating in all aspects of the home including providing direct care, managing medical and non-medical needs of the residents and overseeing interns. Sharing the home means sharing both the challenges and the joys of living together. 

Each home receives a monthly stipend to cover the expenses of food, utilities, maintenance and home-based recreational activities. Crew Leaders enjoy all these benefits as well, as a member of the household. 

We truly live as a community, sharing meals with one another and working side by side on the farm and in the home. We have developed a family-like feel in each individual home, and when the three homes come together to work on the farm or to eat a meal, one can sense the tight knit support network that this community provides for our residents. It is an incredibly fulfilling lifestyle, but it does require positivity, empathy, and a sense of humor to make it work! If you love working with people, living in community, and are excited at the prospect of an unconventional job that is both well compensated and emotionally fulfilling, this could be the place for you.

Qualifications 

Because our goal is to create a supportive, multi-dimensional environment for our community members, we welcome applications from couples and families who wish to work and live together in community. At the same time, we have seen single folks take on this work and succeed. It is truly a unique position, and we encourage all those with an interest to apply. The right people for this job should demonstrate the sensitivity, kindness, and openness that this position requires. 

Applicants should have a safe driving record. No smoking is permitted on the premises. 

Salary for the Crew Leader Position

High Spirit bases salaries on a years-of-service step system with annual adjustments. If applying with no experience in the field, an internship period with a stipend would precede a salary at the first step. The position includes the benefits of health insurance, a generous vacation policy and retirement contributions. Applicants need to have a safe driving record and be non-smokers.