Please address any queries to info@ourcommonknowledge.org

Daily Routine for our Month of Meitheal

Although there will be time to enjoy the beautiful surroundings of Common Knowledge Centre we do require volunteers to take part in the daily routine and also to help out with certain tasks. The Common Knowledge Centre relies on volunteers and there are many types of activities that are required to keep the place going.

08.00: Breakfast (optional)

09.00: Daily Briefing 

09.30-12.30: Morning Work Period 

12.30: Lunch (Vegetarian)

14.00-17.00: Afternoon Work Period 

Please note evening meals are not provided but kitchen facilities will be available.

Accommodation

We are happy to be in a position to offer you cost-free simple accommodation for your stay with us, both in private and shared rooms on a first come, first served basis. Just use the code ‘MonthofMeitheal’ when booking here. As we will be starting early each day, we encourage you to book for the night before if you are travelling. Please review the available accommodation at the following link before you submit this form. Once you have submitted this form, you will receive a discount to remove the room cost when booking at https://www.ourcommonknowledge.org/booking

Please note:

Unfortunately, we are not able to supply bedding for volunteers during this period. Please bring warm clothes, a sleeping bag, pillow case and single bed sheet. If you are travelling from overseas and cannot bring bedding – please let us know in advance if this is the case. 

Please also note, pets cannot be accommodated at this time.

Please note, we work to make our shared accommodation rooms safe and inclusive spaces for all participants, including trans and non-binary visitors. Our mixed rooms are suitable for all genders and our women's room is for any women or non-binary people who feel more comfortable in a women's space. Discrimination is not tolerated within Common Knowledge courses or accommodation and we will take any complaints of discrimination, exclusion, or harassment seriously. 

Transport

We are located at the Eircode V95DK38 and can arrange lifts from Lisdoonvarna or Ennistymon. We have started a carpooling sheet here where you can offer or ask for a lift. Please consider adding your name here if you can offer a lift.

What to bring - General

• Waterproof & warm clothing

• Overalls if you are on our renovation or growing team

• Your own bedding if you are staying on site (sleeping bag/duvet, pillow case, single sheet)

• Your own water bottle

• Any tools in useful condition (building, garden, painting) or otherwise that you would like to use or donate to the Centre

• Snacks or any other food items you would like to contribute to the kitchen (main meals will be provided) 

What to bring - Safety Gear

We will provide you with a loan of a hi-visibility vest and safety helmet where necessary when on-site. For your own safety, no loose-fitting clothing or shorts are permitted. The following safety gear is recommended:

• Steel-capped boots if you are building (If you don’t have or can borrow a pair, they are widely available in workwear shops including O’Sullivan Safety, where a pair starts at €43)

• Working gloves 

• Safety glasses

• Ear protection

• An FFP2 mask

If there’s anything else you think would be valuable to add here, please let us know by emailing info@ourcommonknowledge.org

We are gratefully accepting donations of:

Construction Tools:

• Ladders

• Power Tools

• Hand tools

• Safety Equipment 

• Sand paper

• Buckets

• Extension cables

Renovation Tools:

• Paint Rollers and brushes

• Drop sheets for painting

• Brooms and brushes

• Paint scrapers

• Buckets

• Leftover paint ( decent condition and quantities please)

Gardening Tools:

• Spades, shovels, forks, rakes.

• Wheelbarrows

• Gardening gloves

• Secutears, shears

• Small gardening shovels.

General Information provided on registration page

In exchange for your energy and support, we can offer skill sharing, simple food and accommodation during your time with us. Before you sign up, we want to share some information about our centre and what’s expected from our visiting volunteers

Teams

Our Month of Meitheal will be an intensive period of renovating and repurposing the existing buildings and land at our new centre. For this period, we will be asking you to help us build this dream together on one of three key teams:

Building - Volunteers who would like to help with the construction of new structures and spaces across the site must have completed the Build School Level 1 program as we will be using power tools and site equipment. This team will be led by our Lead Instructor Harrison Gardner.

Renovating - No prior experience is required to join this team as you work to rejuvenate the site. Tasks will include, but are not limited to painting, restoring furniture, deconstructing buildings, decorating, upholstery and curtains. This team will be led by our Centre Coordinator Paul McNamee. 

Land/Growing - No prior experience is required to join this team as you work with our Permaculture Coordinator Ciara Parsons to revive and restore the gardens and grounds of the Common Knowledge Centre.

About 

The Common Knowledge Centre is located on a 50 acre site in the beautiful Burren, Co. Clare. Based near Lisdoonvarna and Ennistymon, the Eircode is V95DK38 and the closest major town is Ennis. You can see a glimpse of the site in this video we made last year: https://youtu.be/M0J8v25SnJk

Common Knowledge is a non-profit social enterprise that works to address the loss of agency we’ve experienced in recent generations by sharing skills for a truly sustainable homelife - skills like building, making, growing and mending. In 2022, 400 people participated in their courses and left more confident, capable and connected to each other. 

Volunteer Guidelines

As a Centre that prioritizes the safety and comfort of all our guests the following guidelines for volunteers serve as a means to encourage a harmonious and inclusive space for all to enjoy. 

1. Respecting Each Other - Please make a commitment to treat everyone on site with respect and not engage in any behaviour that is harmful to others through action or speech. Any form of discrimination or bullying will not be tolerated and the managers of the centre reserve the right to ask any guest to leave. We ask guests to keep noise to a minimum after 10 pm.

2. Respecting the Environment - Please respect the beautiful natural surroundings of the Common Knowledge Centre and the Burren including all of its flora and fauna. Please use eco-friendly products for cleaning and personal hygiene during your stay and take care to not leave any impact or trace on the surrounding environment.

3. Respecting Our Shared Spaces - Please make a commitment to keep shared spaces such as the dining and living area clean and tidy and to participate in shared tasks such as washing dishes and cleaning toilets. Please adopt a ‘leave no trace’ policy, leaving your accommodation in good condition and ready for the next volunteer to use.

4. Conserving Resources - We wish to create a model of a sustainable future and as such make the commitment to be mindful of our use of resources, such as water and electricity, and try to conserve them whenever possible.

5. Being Flexible and Proactive - The Common Knowledge Centre is a brand new environment for our organisation and many of the systems and procedures are still being designed. Please make the commitment to be flexible and open to new experiences.

6. Creating a Safe and Healthy Environment - In order to create a safe and healthy environment for all volunteers, staff members, and visitors, we are creating a drug-free space and ask everyone to refrain from bringing drugs of any type onsite. 

Being in Community

We are so grateful for your help. We hope that the structure of the day will allow for plenty of time to relax and enjoy the space as well as to connect with each other and learn as a community. 

With love,

Team CK