Facilitators in Residence

Over the years at Kalikalos we have had a number of workshop leaders from diverse disciplines who come to the Centre and offer ad hoc sessions to the living-in-community guests and staff members who happen to be here at the Centres.

This sometimes happens because prospective workshop leaders come to stay for a week or so to get to know us to see if they might like, at some later date, to offer a workshop/retreat here. During their visit, guests who are here often express interest in their work so the visitors feel drawn to offer taster sessions

It also can happen that the Centre or a scheduled workshop leader is unable to recruit enough participants to make up a viable group and a leader finds him or herself here without a group. Because facilitators enjoy their work and have come expecting to give sessions, they naturally find themselves offering their healing arts to the community. In 2009, because of the recession, we had many weeks like this, and we found that these ad hoc weeks were often as vibrant and energetic as a fully scheduled week.

These spontaneous sessions given to interested staff and community guests have proven to be both very attractive and profitable, as the fee charged by a facilitator for a few one-off sessions (20-40 euros/per person/per session) is usually more than enough to defray their travel expenses. Because the Centre earns a small percentage for the use of the facility, the extra income from these "Facilitators in Residence" has helped to keep us afloat financially in the present difficult economic climate that began in 2008.

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade! Therefore, out of this experience, we decided this year to formalise a new category of workshop leader designated Facilitator in Residence (FIR) and to work pro actively to invite more FIRs to come during the season.

Beginning in 2010, in exchange for a registration fee of €150, we will offer food and accommodation to a limited number of qualified facilitators to come for periods of 2-6 weeks to be here at the Centre as staff members and to offer their skills on an ad hoc basis to anyone who is here and not otherwise engaged in either Centre work or a workshop. We estimate that our FIRs will charge approximately 20-40 euros/person/session (or sometimes work on a donation basis) and will share their earnings with the centre 60% (FIR) / 40% (Centre). It’s a working holiday!

On weeks where there is no workshop scheduled, the FIR will offer ad hoc sessions in the morning workshop slot, 10:00 hr - 13:30 hr. Virtually any holistic skill would be appropriate, but some that we had in recent years as examples were: art therapy, voice and singing, Feldenkreis, relationship science, the Game of Transformation, Yoga and Astrology. Additional possible FIRs for the upcoming season of 2010 that would complement our existing schedule of workshops would be painting/drawing, healing, shiatsu, creative writing, tantra, flirtshop, stock trading for beginners, duplicate bridge... . As you see, we are very open to expanding our repertoire! Click the link to see the list of FIRs signed up so far for the current summer season.
Early Bird FIRs — Registration Fee Returned on Arrival
We plan to have at least one “early bird” FIR in residence at all times who is able to offer Tai chi, Qi Qong, or Yoga in the morning before breakfast. Because this is a regular commitment, the €150 registration fee is a deposit for “early bird” FIRs which is returned on arrival. If this sounds of interest please us with details of your experience and availability.

FIRs are Staff
Do note that Kalikalos FIRs are ordinary staff members as well as extra-schedule facilitators, although their weekly work load is half that of an ordinary staff member, i.e., about 15 hr/week with one full day off per week. FIRs who do not know this Centre, or who haven’t had ecovillage experience will receive some basic staff orientation during their first week with us.

We are an international group and part of our richness is the intermingling of people of all ages from many different countries, walks of life, spiritual paths, genders and backgrounds.

If you are interested to talk with us more about this and think you might be interested to connect with us in this way, please to discuss how it might work for your particular healing art or holistic discipline. (If you can't send email you can use the form on our Contact Us page to enquire about this programme.)

Click to see a 5 min video clip of an interview with the founder of the Centre. It might give you an idea of the vision that has inspired the centre and whether you think you might like to join the team here.

Click for the full list of Facilitators in Residence signed up for 2010 to date.

---