Springfield Sanctuary Apprenticeship


The opportunity to apply to become a 2024 Springfield Sanctuary Apprentice closes on Friday, 8 December 2023.

The twelve-month herbal apprenticeship starts in January 2024, offering the opportunity to learn more about growing, harvesting and working with herbs to improve personal and family health and wellbeing.

Expectations:
Each apprentice is expected to:

  • choose up to twenty herbs to study during the year
  • choose one herbal ally to study in depth during the year
  • attend at least six of the designated workshops throughout the year (four of which must be at the Sanctuary),
  • attend two out of the three workdays designated during the year
  • attend the Herb Festival held on the second weekend in September, helping with organisational tasks including setting up in the week beforehand and taking down on the Sunday afternoon/evening and contributing to content
  • complete the tasks set by the mentor within given timescales
  • work within the Sanctuary herb beds – digging, weeding, planting, harvesting etc., taking responsibility for a designated area.
  • keep a herbal diary and/or online blog detailing activities and learning
  • participate in online activities to feed back personal progress and contribute to discussions
  • evaluate personal progress at the end of twelve months
Outcomes: Year 1
By the end of twelve months, the apprentice will have:

  • improved knowledge and understanding of up to twenty personally chosen herbs.
  • grown herbs from seeds, cuttings or divisions and taken note of their development using drawings or photography.
  • shared in practical tasks to manage the Sanctuary herb beds.
  • harvested flowers, aerial parts, berries and roots
  • made teas, decoctions, macerations, syrups, infused oils, salves, tinctures, vinegars, flower essences and elixirs
  • familiarised themselves with a variety of body processes such as respiration, digestion, circulation etc. and looked at several herbs which can help to balance these processes.
  • participated in online action learning
  • completed tasks set by the mentor and fed back the results to the other apprentices
  • begun to share knowledge, enthusiasm and herbal extractions with family and friends


Many apprentices leave the Sanctuary scheme after one year. Those who remain are given further tasks and responsibilities. Details can be provided upon request.



Costs: There is no overall charge for the apprenticeship. All UK apprentices are asked to contribute £60 in January 2023 to support the running of the Herb Festival. If they attend the festival in September, they will not be expected to make a further donation in this area. Apprentices are expected to make a reasonable financial donation to support the running of the Sanctuary between £20 and £40 when attending workshops and to offer practical physical help at the Sanctuary. Anyone considering an apprenticeship should factor in personal costs such as time, transport, access to growing space, childcare arrangements and internet plus commitment to their studies and to the Sanctuary.

Practical issues: This apprenticeship is about learning through physical as well as mental work. Apprentices are expected to attend workshops in sensible outdoor clothing with footwear appropriate for the physical conditions of working in a garden/field. Wet and cold weather gear is essential. Tasks will be set according to physical ability. Anyone not proficient in digging will be taught to use a garden fork and expected to learn and utilise those lessons. Anyone with serious physical or mobility issues will not be expected to carry out physically demanding tasks.

Sanctions: Anyone who does not attend workshops or the festival and does not communicate regularly, providing evidence of their activities and progress will be removed from the apprenticeship or asked to repeat the year. Anyone who is removed from the apprenticeship on two occasions will not be accepted again.
 
Note: This apprenticeship is for personal development only. Apprentices study at their own pace. The amount and depth of work is self-directed. Guidance will be given on sources of information but handouts covering all topics may not be available. There is no accreditation from an academic body, certificate of attendance or examination process. The apprenticeship will NOT enable anyone to set up in private practice as a medical herbalist

but may provide evidence which lead to certain exemptions from other herbal training.

To apply contact sarah at headology dot co dot uk