Hedonisia Hawaii Sustainable Community Rainforest Retreat
Sustainable Community Manager FAQ
1) What is the Cost of the Apprentice Manager Training?
Cost breakdown for a Couple or a Single Person who have been accepted as a Sustainable Community Manager Apprentice Trainee:
Couple |
Single Person |
Length of Manager Training: 4 weeks = 28 nights
Lodging Selection: As part of training will stay at various couples lodgings on the property.
Residential Course Fee: $375
4.16% Hawaii General Excise Tax: $15.60 Total (with sales tax): $390.60
|
Course Length: 4 weeks = 28 nights
Lodging Selection: As part of training will also stay at various lodgings on the property.
Residential Course Fee: $320
4.16% Hawaii General Excise Tax: $13.31 Total (with sales tax): $333.31
|
2) What is the Timetable for the Apprentice Manager Training?
a) 1st Two-Weeks. For the first two weeks you will work as a volunteer doing various jobs so that you are trained and familiar with the maintenance required to keep the property functioning and beautiful. Volunteer workshifts are Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 12:30 pm so you have afternoons free to enjoy the island!
Your initial volunteer period also allows us time to assess your working ability, communication skills, friendliness and to decide whether you will be training as a Hospitality Manager, Volunteer/Landscaping Manager or both.
b) 2nd Two-Weeks. You will start receiving actual manager training. Training sessions will be on Mon, Wed and Friday after lunch and your morning volunteer workshift. Tuesdays and Thursday are for small homework assignments in between.
2nd Month: Trainee Assistant Manager
If the 1st month training goes well, and we feel that you will be a great addition to the community then we may offer you a promotion to Assistant Manager status. Depending on your original request, you will be training for either Hospitality Manager or Landscaping Manager or both if you are a couple!
Cost during this period: Free! There is no charge to be Assistant Manager. This time is for volunteer work and and manager training only. So you will be doing your normal Volunteer Hours plus 5 hours training per week at various times during the day.
However, if we did not offer you to be an Assistant Manager then you would still have received a great training in Hedonisia Sustainable Community Management which we issue a Certificate of Completion for!
As an Assistant Manager, you do not have to 'pay to stay' as a Hedonisia Fair-Trade Volunteer. However, you do not receive a stipend either.
3rd & Final Stage: Apprentice Sustainable Community Manager!
If the Assistant Manager period goes well then you will be offered the position of Hedonisa Apprentice Sustainable Community Manager! Depending on your skills, whether you are a single or a couple and so on, you will be offered either Hospitality or Landscaping Manager or both!
As a Hedonisia Sustainable Community Manager you can sign a Working Agreement usually in four-month increments. However, if you desire to stay longer that is possible based on mutual agreement. We cannot make promises but if a Sustainable Community Manager is friendly, tolerant, honest, hard working and open to learning then extended stays are definitely possible!
If you complete your apprenticeship in good standing you will be given a Hedonisia Manager Certificate of Completion and have your name added to the Hedonisia Manager Pool. This is a list of Managers who did a wonderful job and thus can be invited in the future to manage Hedonisia whenever they are ready to enjoy another stint of living in Hawaii!
3) Do you provide Food to Managers?
- Part of a Manager's Registration Payment is considered an Agricultural Farming Produce Fee. This means that any food plants growing on the property is free for Volunteers to use. Here is a Inventory of Hedonisia Plants inlcuding all edibles that we grow on property.
Crops grown on the property can count for up to 20% of your foods needs! However be sure to have enough funds to buy food for your remaining needs as Managers are responsible for their own food. We have private food lockers to store your personal food items. - There is also a Communal Food Area where foodstuffs that are donated or left behind by previous guests are available for Volunteers to use.
- As part of your pick-up fee from the airport we stop by the grocery store so you can stock up! There are also supermarkets and health food stores in the area. Occasionally, we share our food and eat our meals together, but those times are random and spontaneous.
- As a Manager you will know where all the edibles crops are on the property and when they are harvestable!
4) We are a couple, can we both do Hospitality and Property Manager positions?
We welcome couples, straight or gay, to be Apprentice Managers! Managers can be single too!
However, there are advantages with being a couple; one partner is usually more land oriented which is what we look for in a Volunteer & Property Manager and the other is more computer savvy for emails and guest bookings which is what we look for in a Bookings & Hospitality Manager.
5) What if I complete the 1-month Apprentice Training and I am not offered any Managerial position at Hedonisia?
It is only when we live and work with someone that we get to know a little more about them. After all, a person may be a perfect student but might not have the personality to be a manager at Hedonisia. Or maybe they have too much personality!
We look for candidates who care but are not attached; who can manage a community but don't act like an owner! Someone who we can communicate with easily; who is responsive to feedback and instruction without being defensive.
The training you receive is the basis for our Sustainable Community Manager Workshop which is valued at $395 plus lodgings. If you are accepted as a Hedonisia Manager Apprentice Trainee you receive that training for a fraction of the cost! You also receive free access to the Hedonisia Handbook.
If we do not offer you a managerial position and you leave in good standing then we can give you a Certificate of Completion which you can keep as record and reference.
6) Is it possible for a Manager to have a Second job/Earning Income?
- Managers can have part-time jobs though we prefer a manager who can do small scale private business activities on the property as long as permission is sought beforehand and the community operations are not affected adversely. As a Manager, you would always have to coordinate with the Assistant Manager so that there is someone on the property.
- However, we love telecommuters! If you have a job that allows you to telecommute then you are an ideal candidate as you will have ample time to work on your own projects.
7) What if I have to Cancel my travel plans or if I have to leave before completing the apprenticeship?
- If for any reason you either decide to leave or are asked to leave after 7 nights stay then no refund will be given.
- If you decide to leave before 7 nights then you will be refunded 50% of your Apprentice Manager Fee.
- If you are asked to leave due to violation of any of the Hedonisia Community Guidelines then NO refunds are given.
- All refunds except for cash payments are sent out by check. If you need to cancel prior to or during your stay at Hedonisia please download and complete our Online Cancellation Form.
8) I am a over 40 years of age. Is it still okay for me to be a Manager at Hedonisia?
At Hedonisia we accept people of all ages, sexual orientations, races, physical abilities and ages! Our aim is to encourage people from all walks of life to have an ecological working vacation where they learn new skills and ideas that they can possibly bring back and practice when they return home.
Older people bring age and experience but they can sometimes be very condescending to younger folks because of those same traits. We want older people who think young, who are open to new ideas and ways of doing things; who are not stuck in the past, who are still idealistic and learning. Who see the younger generation as equals and teachers because they have experience and wisdom too!
We have no problem with enjoying life. (After all our community is called 'Hedonisia'!) However, we are looking for people who are idealistic not apathetic; people who still believe that they can work to make a difference for the better in this world.
Younger people tend to be more idealistic but there are many older people who have not yet given up their dreams of making the world a better place. We want those people!
9) Do you accept Managers with Children?
- We offer Manager possibilities on a case-by-case basis depending on the parent's skills in some of the jobs we have at Hedonisia.
- All parents are completely responsible for the care of their children as well as any detrimental effects they may have on Guests, Volunteers and on the property itself. We like to maintain a peaceful & harmonious space in the communal living areas. If you have a child who is creating a disturbance please take your child on a nice walk or a drive to a place that is not disrupting the volunteers or guests on the property.
- Please be aware that we have a deep volcanic crater on the property- so it is absolutely essential that a child does not enter or play in this crater unless accompanied by an adult.
10) What is your Manager Pet Policy?
Hedonisia Hawaii is pet friendly. We allow pets to stay for a flat rate charge of $30 for small dogs or cats and $50 for large dogs. $100 for horses. All pet owners are completely responsible for the care of their animals as well as cleaning up any mess that they make. This is especially important with regards to any detrimental effects they may have on Guests, Volunteers and on the property itself. There is a $100 DAMAGE DEPOSIT that is required for pets. This deposit is refundable if owner and pet leave without any incident. There is no charge for Special Needs dogs (with supporting documents).
To schedule an interview for any Hedonisia Manager position
please call us at 808-269-2825.
Or simply complete our online Hedonisia Manager Application Form