Get involved

The centre and the events are organised by the people who live on site and in the surrounding area. If you would like to help out, you are very welcome to do so. If you live in the neighbourhood and would like to help regularly, please write to info@tharpaland.org.

A Volunteer Visit at Tharpaland KMC offers a perfect opportunity to experience first-hand the Buddhist way of life in a vibrant, international community. There are many ways in which you can help, for example by participating in the daily activities of the centre itself, such as serving in the café, helping to prepare the guest rooms, cooking, working in the garden or taking part in a renovation project.

What to expect
Schloss Sommerswalde is a neoclassical listed manor house located north of Berlin near Oranienburg. It is set in seven hectares of parkland near the village of Schwante. It offers a peaceful and tranquil environment for a meaningful break.

Volunteers help out in many areas of centre life, e.g. with cooking, gardening, housework, renovations, etc. Often there are also building projects. We are always interested to hear what special skills you can offer. Although these activities are not always strenuous, you should be reasonably fit and active to do a volunteer visit.

As a rule, you will work as a volunteer from Monday to Friday, but depending on the activity, weekends may also be included. You will have two days off per week, on which you can explore the surrounding area or Berlin or simply relax in the friendly atmosphere of the centre.

The spiritual programme
As a volunteer, you are welcome to take part in the many spiritual activities at Tharpaland KMC. We currently offer weekly evening events and weekend courses as well as daily chanted prayers (pujas).

If German is not your mother tongue, we always try to offer you a translation into English. The spiritual programme is free of charge for volunteers (this does not apply to the national dharma celebrations and festivals). Please note that there are no courses during the non-teaching period.

How long can I come on a Volunteer Visit?
A volunteer visit can be arranged for a short or longer period, but always begins with a one-week trial period. We reserve the right to terminate a volunteer visit should problems arise. Volunteer visits MUST be booked in advance and you will be asked to provide references. We cannot accept anyone who has not completed the application process.

The minimum duration of a Volunteer Visit is two weeks and can generally last up to six weeks. It usually starts on a Sunday and ends on a Sunday.

What we offer
We offer seven days of free accommodation in a dormitory and three vegetarian meals a day. Your volunteer commitment is 30 hours (usually spread over five days). All meals are vegetarian, but we also offer vegan and wheat-free options. Please let us know in advance.

What you should bring
Please bring your own towel for the dormitory accommodation. You should also bring sturdy shoes and, if possible, waterproof outerwear. Generally just comfortable clothes that are suitable for the time of year and for different tasks (in winter please make sure you bring warm clothes).

Living in the community
We ask all our volunteers to follow some basic principles of living in a Buddhist community, namely not to drink alcohol on the premises, not to smoke and not to eat meat. We also ask you not to play musical instruments and to use headphones when listening to music.