Co-learning residency program
Join our community to experience off-grid living
As a co-learning resident in Sunseed you will become part of our community for a short-term period. You are free to choose from a variety of different daily tasks to work on (max. 4h of work per day). Every week we write down and share these tasks with you. They involve all kinds of work from our eight departments. At Sunseed we are here to help you with those tasks, but our general work ethic is based on self-organisation and pro-activity. We invite you to choose a department that you specifically would like to work in:
- Organic Gardens
- Ecosystem restoration
- Sustainable living
- Eco-maintenance
- Appropriate technology
- Communications
- Education
- Administration
With only 4h of work every day and weekends off, this leaves you with plenty of time to relax, socialise, work on your own project, explore the area, go on hikes, swim in the beautiful river, or join other activities that are happening within Sunseed.
You will be sleeping in a shared dorm with other residents during your stay. Please keep in mind that while you will be a full member of this community during your stay, you respect our structures, our neighbours and the people who live in this project more long-term. You will receive an arrival presentation and Sunseed tour in your first days.
As an educational project we invite you to not only learn from us, but to bring your own knowledge, skills and interests to this community. Every week we have in rotation an educational activity, a social activity night, a sharing circle and a spanish activity. You are more than welcome to host one of those events and share with us one of your experiences/skills/interests. Besides working on daily tasks, you will also be involved in a weekly communal activity, collective cooking and cleaning, as well as joining our morning circles and meetings.
What we offer:
- Non-formal education and experimentation on sustainability and ecological responsibility
- Learning space for degrowth and decolonisation
- Low-impact lifestyle and low-tech solutions
- Local activities, festivities and language exchanges
- Community work and solidarity
- Critical thinking and feedback culture
- Proactivity & Self-organisation
- One-on-one mentoring sessions
- Living and learning sociocracy
What you can expect from this place:
- Off-grid village: no shops/bars
- Shared dorm with other residents for sleeping
- 3 delicious vegetarian/vegan meals per day with organic seasonal food
- No meat or fish allowed on-site
- Waterless urinals and dry compost toilet
- Chemical free product zone (our waste water goes straight back into our gardens)
- Self-sufficiency in terms of water and energy (solar power)
- No electricity usage after sun hours
- No drugs or excessive consumption of alcohol
- Summers: Hot, dusty, insects
- Winters: Cold, rainy
What you should bring:
- General curiosity and interest in sustainable living and ecological responsibility
- Motivation to co-create and co-learn
- Sense for community living and sharing spaces and tasks
- Good shoes, a hat for the summer time, towel, flashlight
What products and spaces we provide for you:
- Natural cosmetic products: Shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, balms, sunscreen, mosquito repellent, tampons & pads
- Bed sheet, blanket, pillow
- Bike-powered washing machine
- Workshop with tools for crafting and building
- Chill out garden and hammock area
- Free shop: Clothes and shoes people left or exchange at Sunseed
- Office space and private study room
- Library
Sample daily routine:
8:30: Breakfast
9:00: Morning circle
10:00-13:00: Working with the department teams
13:00-14:00: Break
14:00: Lunch
14:30-17:00: Siesta
17:00-20:00: work with the departmental teams
20:00: Dinner
When and how long can you come?
We ask for a commitment of at least two weeks, although a full month is preferable both for your own experience and for the community as a whole. We ask you to arrive on the first Tuesday of the month, since that is the day we go shopping with the car and can pick you up in the town of Sorbas.
We are open for applications to the following dates in 2026:
May (Arrival date: 05.05.)
August (Arrival date: 04.08.)
September (Arrival date: 01.09.)
October (Arrival date: 06.10.)
November (Arrival date: 03.11.)
PRICES
We use a flexible payment system based on shared responsibility so that everyone can take part while helping keep the project going long-term. It’s based on trust, honesty and self-reflection (gift economy concept) - you choose how much to contribute based on your own financial situation. We don’t ask for proof or financial documents; we just invite you to be thoughtful in your choice. If you’re not sure what amount feels right, feel free to talk to us, we’re happy to help.
We encourage you to think about:
- Your overall financial stability
- How secure you feel about money
- What you can comfortably afford
- How your contribution can support our community
GIFT ECONOMY STATEMENT
As a community, we need money to cover our basic and additional needs for things we cannot produce ourselves, such as grains or building materials. In this way, we have connections to monetised systems that require us to ask for money from those who stay with us in the short-term. We want to be transformative in how we view, interact and understand money as a community, in an attempt to subvert capitalist structures.
In this way, we incorporate the system of a gift economy. A gift economy is western defined term, but has been used as a system by many indigenous groups. It offers an opposition to exploitative capitalist regimes, and calls attention to our reliance and relation to the land and people that support us, and in turn how we support them.
For instance, Robin Wall Kimmerer, an indigenous scholar, describes this as:
“The currency in a gift economy is relationship, which is expressed as gratitude, as interdependence and the ongoing cycles of reciprocity. A gift economy nurtures the community bonds which enhance mutual well-being; the economic unit is “we” rather than “I,” as all flourishing is mutual.”
A gift economy does not mean ‘donation’ or a ‘true gift’ in which something is given without expectation of an immediate return in full. Through this, the gift may be reciprocated later in time, or in another form to what was given, or not at all. It is a flowing of resources to those or where it is most needed, building relationships and supporting collectives. This may be money, or a lesson on planting, or a meal cooked, but in this way a flow of gifts around the community sustains us and our way of life.
Any other questions?
Please email: communication@sunseed.org.uk
Non-refundable Deposit
We ask for a deposit of 80 euros in order to confirm your place. If for any reason you are unable to attend on the selected date, this deposit is non-refundable.
What does my contribution cover?
ORGANIC
FOOD
From Monday to Friday we serve three vegetarian meals a day plus snacks. Food on the weekends is self-organised with the use of our supplies. 15-20% of the food comes from our gardens. The rest is bought from local farmers and regional ecological producers.
EDUCATIONAL
ACTIVITIES
Our team offer a range of activities depending on the departments' needs. You can get involved with gardening, eco-maintenance, drylands management and more. You can also take on a personal project if you have a specific skill.
ACCOMMODATION &
MAINTENANCE
Your payment covers accommodation in our dormitory, clean bed sheets, the use of natural cosmetics and administration costs. Our houses are maintained in the traditional Andalucian style.
FIXED
COSTS
To provide an educational experience for visitors from around the world we have many hidden costs - rent, insurance, taxes, website hosting, phones, internet, car maintenance, staff reimbursement and more. Your contribution will help us to continue running Sunseed.