Green Futures Internship – Farm Intern at Vana Trust Organic Farm

About the job

Purpose of the position

To gain practical experience and expertise in different aspects of farm work at Vana Trust Organic farm.

We are a small friendly team that work with SEN adults and children on a 9-acre farm & gardens. We have school groups and volunteers that come to the farm and work with us on site developing a variety of skills; as well as a lunch club on a Tuesday and Thursday.

Scope of job

• Animal management:- helping feed ,clean out and train animals and help maintain enclosures and help create animal enrichment. Surveying wildlife across the estate.
• Gardening tasks :- sowing, planting, weeding and help maintain areas across the farm including the polytunnel, clock beds and help create wildlife habitats for biodiversity across the estate.
• Craft tasks:- helping create animal enrichment for the animals and themed activity’s
• Kitchen tasks, helping the team in the kitchen with our lunch club and animal lunch club.
• Working with our team to welcome visitors and clients to the therapeutic aspect of the farm.

Time with Feedback

In addition to working with your host organisation, you will spend a proportion of your time working with other young people, receiving additional training and development with Feedback and external facilitators. This time will be spent learning more about the environmental and ecological crisis and how it relates to the food system; it will also include elements of activism training, employability skills workshops, leadership & project management training and bespoke support based on your professional and personal development. You will also access 1:1 additional support and mentoring to guide you through the process.

Who we are looking for:

Everyday is different at Vana, so we would like someone has a positive smiley attitude and ‘can do’ approach to help us in all weathers achieve our projects and goals. Someone with an interest in horticulture, animal care and improving habitats through surveying wildlife on the estate (training will be provided).

You’ll be part of a small friendly team; as well as our volunteers and trainees. So you need to be able to work with others with a range of abilities. A good communicator and enthusiastic to try new tasks. A problem solver and creative thinker; as well as the ability to work with a range of animals, including goats, pigs, chickens and guinea pigs.

Previous experience of working people with SEN is a bonus.

Eligibility:

In order for your application to be considered, you need to fulfil the following eligibility criteria:

1. You must be aged 18-24 years old
2. You must be legally entitled to work in the UK
3. You must not currently be enrolled on a higher education degree (undergraduate or postgraduate).

PLEASE NOTE: Green Futures placements are designed to assist those who have experienced barriers to entry in to the environmental and community food sectors. As such, we will prioritise candidates who do not have undergraduate or postgraduate qualifications. We still encourage you to apply If you have an undergraduate or postgraduate degree.

TRAVEL TO WORK:  We recognise that travelling to your placement via public transport may present challenges. We are committed to ensuring that travelling to placements will not be a barrier for people, and are happy to discuss ways to make this work. This location is remote, but we can offer transport from Aylesbury Town Centre.

Inclusivity

These placements are open to everyone, regardless of experience or background. We acknowledge that the environmental sector is less open to young people from under-represented backgrounds and we’re committed to doing what we can to correct this. We especially want to hear from you if you feel that opportunities like this are less available to you, or if you feel overlooked by mainstream institutions.

No previous experience in the environmental sector is necessary. We encourage applications from:

• People who are passionate about affecting positive change and want to take action to tackle climate change but have not had relevant work or education experience, such as studying a relevant subject at college or university.
• People who want to try their hand at something new, but don’t know where to start, or haven’t had the opportunity to do so
• People who have studied a relevant subject at university but have not been able to secure paid employment in that sector within a year of graduating.
• People who are interested in training growing with a sustainable, community or ecological focus but have little or no previous professional experience.

About Foodrise

Foodrise is a charity transforming the food system for climate, nature and justice.

Food production is the single greatest impact humans have on the environment. From mountains of food waste, to habitat destruction to clear land to grow animal feed for factory farms, to soil depletion leaving future harvests at risk: the food system needs to change.

Founded in 2013, we take bold action to uncover the root causes of injustice in our food system and expose how corporate power exploits people and the planet — while building truly just and sustainable alternatives from the ground-up. Read more about our story.

Foodrise is being supported by The Rothschild Foundation until 2026 to offer three paid internship placements with environmental and community food organisations. Each placement lasts around 16 weeks and is paid at the Real Living Wage. These placements have been designed to create new local career pathways into the Green Economy for young people from minority groups, challenging or disadvantaged backgrounds.