WWOOF UK will once again be offering 2 bursaries valued at £225 each to enable Germans aged 16-21 to volunteer and gain hands-on experience on organic farms, gardens and small holdings in the UK in 2027. In return, the winners will be asked to share their story on social media.
The bursary funds are being offered in memory of Christiane Schmidt, a member of the WWOOF UK team who sadly passed away on 30th March 2018.
Christiane was a huge fan of WWOOF and volunteered through this organisation in New Zealand and Australia as well as her home country, Germany, before settling in the UK in 1995. She went on to become a WWOOF host and in 2007 joined the WWOOF UK team as a Financial Administrator.
There is no doubt that WWOOF shaped Christiane’s life – and that she too made an important contribution to WWOOF. We know she would want others to have the same opportunities to travel, learn and grow with WWOOF as she did.
We hope the winners will find their experience to be as life-enhancing as it was for Christiane.
If you are interested in getting practical experience of organic growing and farming, want to meet and get inspired by like-minded people, and understand more about the relationship between local food production and community spirit, then this bursary could be for you.
You get to choose your host farm from a list of 460 and in return for your practical help on the land will receive food and accommodation and most importantly an educational life changing experience. You can look at the Host list here.
Each bursary will offer:
- A single UK WWOOFer online membership worth £25
- £200 towards return journey travel costs.
What we ask from the bursary winners
We would love the bursary winners to help us share their WWOOF journey with others.. You do not need to be an expert writer, photographer or presenter, and there is no expectation that you speak directly to camera unless you feel comfortable doing so.
We simply ask that you are happy to:
- Take plenty of photos and short video clips during your trip, capturing the places, people, activities and everyday moments that make up your WWOOF experince.
- Join a friendly online conversation with the WWOOF UK team before your trip, so we can get to know you.
- Join us for another online conversation after you return, where we will ask about your experience and what you learned.
To be eligible to apply you must be:
- aged 16-21 on 30th March 2027
- a German citizen currently living in Germany
- able to travel to UK for an immersive experience for a minimum of one week between 1st May – 31st October 2027.
Applications must be submitted here by 1st March 2027 and potential winners will be notified on the 15th March 2027.
