Online or Distance Learning and Working Remotely is becoming the New Normal in the wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Hosts who are happy to Host WWOOFers and facilitate Distance/online study or Remote work, during WWOOFers free time, will open doors to long term WWOOFer placements, so WWOOF Australia has developed some Guidelines for Hosts and WWOOFers to help them implement this. We have added a searchable field in the Host Profiles so Hosts can indicate if they would like to invite WWOOfers to Study and/or Work from their property. WWOOFers can filter for these hosts on member only Map search and List searches.


Students & Distance Learning

College life suddenly looks very different. Make the most of it, complete your online courses while you live and study from anywhere in Australia! Join WWOOF Australia, Learn to grow food & meet new people while you live on an organic farm, and get growing! All of your meals and accommodation are provided by Hosts in exchange for your help, so WWOOFing is a fantastic way to stretch your budget while you study.


Digital Nomads & Remote Workers

Do you work remotely? WWOOFing is an excellent way to take your work on the road and learn new skills on a farm while completing your computer work in your free time. Many hosts welcome digital nomads! With Wi-Fi, mobile phone coverage or Wi-Fi calling using the Internet and with good prior communication with Hosts, remote working on a WWOOF host farm can be an incredible experience! The perfect balance to working remotely on a computer is spending the rest of your day with your hands in the soil! Helping a farmer while working remotely can be a mutually beneficial relationship that can lead to learning new skills and developing lifelong connections.


For Hosts to offer opportunities for WWOOFers to study or Work Remotely they must consider ways that this can work on their property and ensure they have appropriate facilities and spaces to facilitate this. We believe the following guidelines will provide some assistance.


Guidelines for WWOOF Hosts offering Remote Work and Study Placements.

Hosts will:

  • Provide a private and quiet space for WWOOFers to use to study or work.
  • Provide access to reliable Internet (unrestricted or unlimited if possible).
  • Have mobile phone access or opportunities for WiFi calling access via Internet.
  • Negotiate flexible WWOOFing times that will facilitate the study or work schedule of their WWOOFers in their free time.
  • Keep the lines of communication open to discuss any issues that may arise with scheduled online meetings, classes or lectures and arrange WWOOFing around these scheduled times.
Guidelines for WWOOFers doing Remote Work or Study while WWOOFing.

WWOOFers will:

  • Communicate prior to arranging a placement with a Host to ensure the Host understands the requirements of their course or work arrangements and agree on how this can be facilitated.
  • Be prepared to negotiate their WWOOFing schedules to fit in with their Hosts needs and arrange their study/work times to fit their free time to the best of their ability, being sure to arrange with the host for any specific scheduled lecture/class/meeting times.
  • Ensure they keep their work/study space clean and tidy.
  • Ensure they make the agreed time available to spend volunteering as well as helping with meal preparation and or clean up.
  • Keep the lines of communication open and discuss any issues that may arise with scheduled online meetings, classes or lectures and arrange their WWOOFing times around these scheduled times.

If you are studying or working remotely and you would like the opportunity to do this while WWOOFing, you can filter Host list searches  and the member only Map search for these opportunities.


Earth Garden Magazine has published a couple of articles about WWOOFing while studying or working remotely:

Online Study and Travel with WWOOFing – Earth Garden #196 Winter 2021

Online Study or Work Remotely with WWOOF – Earth Garden #196 Winter 2021

       

Not a member? Join here: https://wwoof.com.au/join-wwoof/  All WWOOFer Memberships are now 2 YEARS, so join today

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