Mundekulla ESC 2026: Regenerative hospitality & Rural living

Mundekulla ESC 2026: Regenerative hospitality & Rural living

Apply to become a volunteer and join our ESC project. Please read the introduction, then complete all questions below.
Welcome!

Mundekulla is a regenerative ecolodge and retreat center in southern Sweden that operates as a living example of regenerative hospitality—combining sustainable tourism, ecological restoration, and community-based learning.

Our mission: bring nature, humans, and organizations into harmony by sharing the practical skills and knowledge needed to live and work sustainably.

In our daily work and community life, we follow the Mundekulla Method, which is built on three core principles:

Principle 1: Idea meritocracy (no passengers):

Everyone is asked to offer their contribution, but they need to own the outcome and be an active part of the team.

Principle 2: Personal growth:

We believe in mastering your current domain before pivoting to new areas, as compounding learning is the magic that leads to true transformation.

Principle 3: Radical transparency:

Being honest about what we can and cannot do.

We invite you to start your journey of personal growth by reflecting honestly on these questions. This helps us find a great match for our 8-person team and ensures you have the best possible experience!

Note:
Before you fill in the application form, make sure you've read
through the latest version of the info pack!
You find the info here: ESC Mundekulla 2026
Website: mundekulla.se
We recommend briefly looking through all questions before answering =)
- YesNo
- Reference number
- Full Name*
  
  First NameLast Name
- Email Address*
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- Phone Number*
  
  Area CodePhone Number
- Date of Birth*
  
  MonthDayYear
  Date
- Country of Residence*
- FemaleMaleNon-binaryPrefer not to sayOther
- YesNo
- Please, describe shortly why NO:
- Residency & Citizenship: For this specific grant, we are currently looking for participants with EU citizenship or a valid EU residence permit. Do you meet this requirement? Note: Due to current Swedish migration policy, the waiting time for an ESC volunteering permit can be up to 12 months. As we cannot influence or speed up this process, we are unfortunately unable to accept volunteers from outside the EU this year, despite our wish to do so*
  
  Yes, I am an EU CitizenYes, I have a valid EU Residence PermitNo
- Supporting (Sending) organisation: To participate, you must be linked to a Supporting Organisation in your home country to help with your preparation and insurance. Do you already have a Sending Organisation, or would you like our help in finding one? *
- If you have a sending organization you are connected to already, let us know the name,country,contact person and email.
- 4. Your "Why": What specifically about Mundekulla’s vision—merging regenerative land care, hospitality, and personal growth—makes you want to spend 7 months here rather than at a different ESC project? *
- 5. Volunteering for me it is: Briefly describe how do you understand and see volunteering activity during ESC project? *
  
  0/200
- Choosing your learning path:
  
  Here is description of five departments (pillars) of Mundekulla’s activity.
  - Regenerative Gardening & Biodiversity
    This pillar focuses on agroforestry, syntropic farming, and permaculture to improve soil health and garden productivity. We grow our own vegetables and fruits which are served to our guests and team which includes volunteers and employees.
    You will learn how to prepare soil, grow food, and provide a variety of vegetables, herbs, and honey for the kitchen while returning nutrients back to the land.
    The work includes physical outdoor tasks such as planting, weeding, mulching, harvesting, and other seasonal manual work in different weather conditions.
  - Circular Gastronomy & Food Conversion
    This focus area explores sustainable food systems through vegetarian and vegan cooking, food preservation and waste reduction. You will work together with a professional chef, Therese Moren (Vegomat), and learn how to prepare healthy and creative meals for groups and events.
    You will gain experience in plant-based cooking, recipe development and food processing methods such as fermenting, drying and preserving fruits and vegetables for long-term use. At the same time, you will experience the daily rhythm of a professional event kitchen: teamwork, kitchen organisation, hygiene standards and supporting smooth logistics during busy days.
    
    This learning path suits volunteers who are curious about sustainable food, enjoy practical work and want to develop useful life and work skills through cooking.
    
    Therese Moren:
    🌐 Vegomat
    📸 instagram
  - Farm maintenance (or eco-building & maintenance)
    Activities in this pillar involve the upkeep of regenerative infrastructure and the completion of restoration projects. The work emphasizes the use of eco-materials and long-life asset care to ensure the property remains guest-ready and operationally efficient. You will learn to work with wood and metal, learn practical repair skills, and develop confidence as a “handy” person.
  - Sustainable Forestry:
    This pillar involves the regenerative management of 55 hectares of carbon-positive forest. Volunteers learn about woodland management, balancing operational safety with the restoration of local biodiversity.
  - Regenerative Hospitality & Customer Excellence
    This pillar combines professional retreat management with sustainable tourism values.
    You will learn and help to manage guest logistics, prepare activities venues and common areas, and experience the full cycle of reception and hospitality operations. Maybe you are this marketing genius who will bring our social media accounts to the next level?
    You will also gain insight into how a high-quality sustainable guest experience is created, from advertising to receiving 10/10 reviews!
  - Personal Leadership & Community (integrated Pillar – for everyone)
    While everyone focuses on one operational pillar, all volunteers participate in this pillar through workshops on entrepreneurship (including the opportunity to help run a real café and farm shop), self-leadership, and intercultural dialogue.
    This pillar focuses on the “magic” of human development: learning to manage emotions, communicate clearly, and resolve conflicts while living together in a small intentional community.
  You will spend 60% of your time specializing in one area to achieve deep learning, while 40% of the program will include "deep dives" into other areas to give you an overview of the full regenerative cycle.
  
  Note: There are limited places in each department, so if some places are taken but you and we are still a perfect fit, we will find the best way to accommodate your learning path. Currently, we prioritise new candidates in area #2 and #4
- 6. Which ONE area would you like to specialize in for the majority of your time? And describe why: 1. Regenerative Gardening & Biodiversity 2. Circular Gastronomy & Food Conversion 3. Sustainable Forestry & Facility Management (combined) 4. Regenerative Hospitality & Customer Excellence *
- 7. Learning through everyday work: While our mission focuses on personal growth and regenerative hospitality & rural living, a lot of everyday life at Mundekulla consists of simple, physical tasks such as peeling potatoes, weeding, or moving chairs to prepare for workshops. We believe that true learning often comes from staying with a task even when it feels repetitive, boring, or difficult, and from focusing on one main role long enough to see real progress. How do you usually stay motivated or find meaning when doing routine or physical work?*
- 8. Seasonality of the business: Despite being assigned to the specific area of focus, it is important to note Mundekulla works as a connected ecosystem. Also, Mundekulla is a rural retreat center which is highly affected by seasonality. In spring it will be much more gardening for everyone, in summer, during large events, the entire team of 8 volunteers may be needed to support in the kitchen or with guest logistics. Forest management comes in autumn. Planning will be in place but short notice changes may happen from time to time. Will be you comfortable stepping out of your specific role to support the team’s needs when they arise? *
- 9. Remote living & well-being: Mundekulla is beautiful but remote, 12 km from the nearest station and far from city nightlife. Of course, to support you, we will have team outings and on-site social activities. Beyond these organized events, what are your favorite ways to recharge and enjoy your free time in a quiet, rural environment? How would you participate in helping others and organizing on-site social activities?*
- Culture of respect:
  
  We have a strict drug- and alcohol-free policy and clear guidelines around consent (physical/sexual and emotional). We also often host silent retreats where a quiet atmosphere is essential.
  
  We expect all volunteers to behave respectfully toward guests, colleagues, and themselves, including keeping intimate behavior private and away from shared or guest spaces.
- 10. Is this a lifestyle and working culture you can fully respect and commit to for the duration of the project? What challenges, if any, do you foresee for yourself? *
- 11. Can you imagine and give a short example of you taking responsibility for a project or task in Mundekulla from start to finish? What would you love to learn and bring home after the project?*
- 12. Interests, gifts, and talents: What specific interest, talent, or gift (e.g., photography, yoga, marketing, music, or a craft) would you like to share with Mundekulla? *
- 13. Building a shared home (community life): It is important to understand that Mundekulla is a hospitality center where only a few staff members live on-site. However, our ESC program creates its own unique volunteering community: you and your 7 fellow volunteers! You will share a house (actually two!), meals, and a 7-month journey together. Throughout the project, you will be closely supported in learning about community living by someone who has lived for many years in intentional community in ecovillage. What do you believe is most important for maintaining a healthy, respectful, and supportive community life in a shared living environment? *
- 14. Support & Inclusion: We prioritise people with fewer opportunities, economic, social, health, or geographical obstacles. Do you identify with any of these? If yes, please describe briefly your obstacle and what specific support (physical, emotional, or logistical) might you need from us to feel safe and successful during your time here? (Note: Your answer is used only to ensure we can provide the right support) *
- ManualAutomaticI do not have a licenseOther
- 16. Do you have any health conditions or dietary requirements we should be aware of?*
- 17. Social media link (if any):
- If you would like to let us know about anything else (optional):
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