VOLUNTEER
Volunteer For a Year at the Farm or in Boston
Our volunteers bring unwavering energy, enthusiasm, and commitment to our mission, making a meaningful impact on our day-to-day life. Our full-time terms of service take place in residence at the Farm in Monterey or Fellside, our Boston area program.
How do I apply?
We welcome mature and compassionate individuals who seek a distinctive living experience in a therapeutic community to consider joining our team at Gould Farm. As a year-long volunteer, you'll have the opportunity to make a significant and positive impact on the lives of our guests and community while receiving essential benefits such as room and board, health insurance, a monthly living stipend, and paid time off.
Interested domestic or international volunteers must apply through one of three sending organizations. Contact info below:
Pauline Banducci, Gould Farm volunteer coordinator
Commonwealth Corps Service Internship
Wellness Coordinator Position
Apply through Gould Farm
Danielle Hickman
Minister of Volunteer Engagement
United Church of Christ, National Ministries
216.736.2100
Chelsea Skillen
Director of Brethren Volunteer Services
(847) 429-4396
We do not accept direct applications, but gladly work with these organizations who work to orient and place volunteers at their chosen sites.
Have questions?
To find out more about volunteering at Gould Farm, please don't hesitate to contact us. Our volunteer coordinator, Pauline Banducci, is available to answer your questions and discuss your interest in volunteering. We are excited to hear from you and explore the potential for you to join our community.
Past Volunteer Stories
Meet Cara Hudson
After College Volunteer
I found out about Gould Farm because I joined Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) after college. BVS has over one hundred projects, and when I was looking through their booklet, Gould Farm jumped out at me immediately. I was drawn to the Farm because I could tell the organization valued community living, creation care, and mental health recovery– all things I am passionate about.
Meet Twyla Barkakoty
Boston Program Volunteer
After I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, I was looking to spend a year in service before pursuing further education. An alumnus from my college referred me to his friend who volunteered at Gould Farm’s Boston Area Program, Fellside, about 25 years ago. I was aware of my affinity towards close-knit communities. After being able to speak with people, such as staff and former Resident Advisors, Fellside seemed like the best next step for me.
Meet Will Britt, PhD
Professional Sabbatical Volunteer
I first heard about Gould Farm from a close friend who volunteered there several years ago. After a writing fellowship at the Austen Riggs Center researching psychosis, I was looking for a way to stay in western Massachusetts and engage directly with folks struggling with psychosis (not just with clinicians). I was also looking for a chance to do physical labor in the beauty of the Berkshires. Gould Farm seemed to meet all of those desires.
Meet Christine Rowghani, LMSW
Volunteer to Social Worker
I learned about the Farm in a very cool and happenstance way. In my senior year of college, I was at a networking event with alums. I met a staff psychologist, Amy Taylor, from Austen Riggs Center. She told me about The American Residential Treatment Association (ARTA). I was considering getting into mental health at the time, so I went on the ARTA website and looked at all the different programs.
Gould Farm has a long tradition of volunteers staying on as staff members
Pictured here are several of our current staff members who came to the Farm as volunteers and now work in every area of the Farm: from maintenance to clinical team and from administrative roles to work program leadership. Volunteers who stay on as staff bring a deep commitment to our mission and a love for the work and life on the Farm that took root in their first year as volunteers.