The practice of generosity, is at the heart of community. An important element of giving is the joy and happiness that we experience when we are able to give naturally and effortlessly, without any expectation or attachment to the result.
Offering Our Practice
The most precious thing we can offer is our energy of mindfulness. Together we support each other to bring mindfulness into our daily lives. We can help the wider community of mindfulness to grow by investing time and energy into our own local mindfulness community or by helping to create a new mindfulness community. The greatest gift you can offer the Plum Village community is regularly spending time practicing with us. Please visit one of our monasteries or practice centers in the Europe, North America or Asia.
Offering Financial Support
Another important way to contribute is through financial support–making a donation to Wake Up Schools or by becoming a regular donor to the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation. All of the financial needs of our community are met through donations and, to a smaller extent, through purchases of books and other items. Please contact the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation for more information about opportunities to offer financial support. Please specify your preference, if you would like to your donation earmarked for Wake Up Schools.
Volunteering
Plum Village Summer Children’s Programme
Each year children from around the world come to Plum Village for a week or longer during the four week Summer Opening Retreat. Volunteers come for a five week period including a week of preparation and training and offer service by helping with the Children’s Programme. While it can be a demanding period, volunteers have a fantastic opportunity to gain hands on experience of sharing Plum Village mindfulness practices with young people. For more information please email info@wakeupschools.org
Residential Volunteers
The Wake Up Schools office is supported by a number of people taking part in the Upper Hamlet residential volunteer program. This is an opportunity to live and practice in a Mindfulness Practice Centre, whilst give around 20 hours a week of service towards Wake Up Schools work.
The work is predominantly computer based supporting the administrative work of Wake Up Schools. There are many opportunities to practice mindfulness with the monastic and lay community in Plum Village, meaning the experience will allow you to deepen your own mindfulness practice.
As a prerequisite for spending a year in Upper Hamlet, it is necessary to take part in the 3 month Annual Winter Retreat which takes place from mid-November until mid-February.
For more information about the volunteer programme, please email info@wakeupschools.org
Remote Volunteers
If you have skills and experience in translation, graphic design or WordPress /PHP web development, it may be possible to contribute to Wake Up Schools remotely from wherever you are based in the world. Graphic design and recordings of Plum Village music are also very welcome. If this interests you, please email info@wakeupschools.org.