Welcoming volunteers to help with household tasks at our animal sanctuary in the mountains of Atajate, Spain

Infos

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  Description

  Join our Anglo-Spanish family at our non-profit mountain sanctuary for a unique, off-grid yurt-life experience. Exchange your help with childcare and animals for comfortable village accommodation and optional training in ethical, force-free horsemanship.
  
  About us:
  
  We are an Anglo-Spanish family with two children (born 2015 and 2019), living and working at a registered non-profit horse and animal sanctuary on the edge of a small mountain village in the province of Málaga. Our family lives a mostly off-grid, simple life in a single yurt located on the sanctuary land.
  
  We run educational programmes for participants from around the world who come to learn about positive reinforcement and ethical horsemanship. While these programmes fund the sanctuary, we host Workawayers to support our family life and land maintenance so that the sanctuary can continue.
  
  The Exchange:
  
  Because we are a small non-profit, we are currently only able to provide accommodation (not food). In recognition of this, we offer a skills-based exchange: volunteers can receive free training sessions in our force-free, ethical horsemanship methodology. This is a high-value opportunity for anyone interested in animal behaviour, though participation is entirely optional.
  
  Current Volunteer Needs (Winter 2025/26):
  
  We are currently seeking immediate help with:
  
  * Family support / home help
  * Childcare
  * Daily horse chores (physically demanding)
  * Small animal care (rabbits, guinea pigs, dogs, cats)
  * Social media & fundraising
  
  Note: Tasks can be combined depending on your skills and our current priorities. Please see the detailed breakdown in the sections below for more information.

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  Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

  Bénévolat

  Projets artistiques

  Aide avec des éco-projets

  Enseignement

  Jardinage

  Bricolage et construction

  S’occuper des animaux

  Aide dans une ferme

  Baby-sitting et jeux créatifs

  Cuisine/repas pour la famille

  Aide à la maison

  Entretien général

  Aide informatique/internet

  Garde de maison et d'animaux
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  Centres d’intérêt

  

  Animaux de compagnie

  

  Vidéographie

  

  LGBT+

  

  Événements/vie sociale

  

  Dev. durable

  

  Végétarien ou végan

  

  Vie en van

  

  Dev. personnel

  

  Ferme

  

  Bénévolat

  

  Yoga / bien-être

  

  Randonnée

  

  Art et design

  

  Livres

  

  Bricolage / artisanat

  

  Musique

  

  Soin des plantes

  

  Photographie

  

  Langues

  

  Jardinage

  

  Cuisine et alimentation

  

  Dessin et peinture

  

  Menuiserie

  

  Astronomie

  

  Animaux

  

  Plage

  

  Montagne

  

  Activités en plein air

  

  Nature

  

  Danse
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  Objectifs de développement durable de l’ONU que cet hôte essaie d'atteindre

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  Qu'est-ce que c'est ?
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  Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

  * Off-Grid Living: See how a family thrives in a yurt using sustainable, low-impact methods.
  * Ethical Horsemanship: Gain rare access to force-free training techniques that prioritise animal agency and psychology.
  * Contribution: Directly support the survival and growth of a small animal non-profit dedicated to ethical, force-free care.
  * Community: Life in a traditional Spanish "Pueblo Blanco" and a bilingual household and volunteer project.
  * Nature & Reflection: For those seeking a slower pace, the surrounding mountains, forests, and river provide a peaceful setting for walking, hiking, journaling, or quiet time in nature to reflect and reset.

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  Aide « au pair »

  De plus amples informations sont disponibles ici

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  Projets impliquant des enfants

  Ce projet peut impliquer des enfants. Pour en savoir plus, consultez nos directives et conseils ici.

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  Aide

  (Currently seeking only volunteers for: #1, 2, 3, 4 and 7 — Winter 2025/26)
  
  1) Family support / home help
  
  As we live in a single, off-grid yurt, organization and regular tidying are essential to our daily flow. Clare would greatly benefit from help around the home, such as cleaning, organizing, and food preparation. This role is perfect for someone who takes initiative and enjoys a meaningful, yurt-based lifestyle.
  
  2) Childcare
  
  We seek someone to support our life-schooled daughters (2015 & 2019). We value warmth and emotional literacy—no rigid or authoritarian styles. Our eldest is sensitive and creative; our youngest is energetic and affectionate. We seek someone "present without hovering" who respects children's autonomy. Activities and tasks may include food prep, crafts, nature walks, taking the children to local activities, support with personal organisation, and play.
  
  3) Horse chores
  
  To ensure horse welfare, we need help with manure clearing, cleaning water troughs, and filling/hanging hay nets. This is physically demanding but rewarding work. No experience necessary as full training will be given. While this role focuses on chores, you are welcome to join some of our ethical training sessions during your stay.
  
  4) Small animal care
  
  Caring for our rabbit colony, guinea pigs, dogs, and cats. This may include cleaning, grooming, exercise, training, and basic health checks.
  
  5) Land, DIY and maintenance support
  
  We welcome self-motivated people for pruning, fencing, and land care. Projects often include building animal enclosures or improving our off-grid structures. We need self-driven people for this.
  
  6) Cooking
  
  Preparing healthy vegetarian/vegan meals from scratch. As we do not provide a food budget, this role usually involves sharing in a communal "potluck" style with the family or volunteers.
  
  7) Social media & fundraising

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  Langues

  Langues parlées
  Anglais: Courant
  Espagnol: Courant

  Cet hôte propose un échange linguistique
  Clare is a native English speaker, and most locals are native Spanish speakers. We host volunteers from many countries and often have multiple languages spoken on site. Our children are bilingual and enjoy exposure to other languages. Volunteers of all nationalities are welcome.
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  Hébergement

  Volunteers usually stay in our village house (a 15-minute walk from the sanctuary/yurt). It has electricity, heating, hot water, a washing machine, Wi-Fi, and a kitchen. There are two small bedrooms and five single beds.
  
  Notes:
  * You will usually share with equine programme participants, but in quiet periods you may get your own room.
  * Sometimes there may be foster dogs or resident dogs in the accommodation
  * If you prefer a private room or apartment and it is not available in the provided accommodation, it is possible to rent one at your own expense in the village, subject to availability.
  
  You are welcome to eat independently or contribute food items and join us for meals when working together.

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  Autres infos...

  Spare time:
  
  Atajate is peaceful and scenic. You can enjoy regular local festivals and gatherings, such as the Atajate water fight in August, a German beer festival in October, and mushroom festivals in November.
  
  For nature lovers, nearby attractions include the Canyon of the Vultures, ancient cave paintings (with guided walks), a secluded Paleochristian church, and a hidden Arab tower with no crowds. The beach is about 1½ hours away. Many volunteers appreciate the opportunity to enjoy a simpler rhythm of life through photography, creative work, or hiking.
  
  Transport:
  
  A weekday bus runs to the historic city of Ronda (18 km away), which offers excellent onward transport links. Car hire, local taxis, and airport collection are also available upon request.

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  Informations complémentaires

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    Accès Internet

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    Accès Internet limité

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    Nous avons des animaux

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    Nous sommes fumeurs

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    Familles bienvenues

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  Possibilité d’accueillir les digital nomads

  Wi-Fi is available in the shared volunteer house and at a local bar/café a minute away. Vodafone mobile data generally works well for hotspots; other providers can be inconsistent.

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  Espace pour garer des vans

  Volunteers travelling in their own campervan <b>are very welcome<b>. We have some potential space on the land or nearby, depending on vehicle size and current use. <b>Please contact us in advance<b> so we can discuss what is feasible at that time.

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  Possibilité d'accueillir les animaux

  Please <b>contact us to discuss your pet(s)<b> to see if a stay is possible.

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  Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

  Plus de 2

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  Mes animaux

  Pisko

Sécurité du site

Discutez avec des workawayers qui ont séjourné chez cet hôte

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