Giving is a kind of receiving.
Being able to serve is a blessing.
One way of learning is through volunteering.
"Cultivating Blessings - Volunteer Recruitment"
Dharma Drum Mountain advocates for protecting the spiritual environment. Here, every volunteer is a bodhisattva of myriad practices, helping organize activities and support the monastery. As Master Sheng Yen said, "Myriad practices do not mean being able to do everything. It means doing both important and mundane tasks – we take on what others avoid, and when others are willing, we gladly let them take the lead." We invite you to join us in nurturing goodness, deepening wisdom, and sowing seeds of merit.
Communication Team
Responsibilities of this team include promoting the Center’s activities effectively using social media tools and platforms, sharing the Dharma widely, and bringing benefits and blessings to all sentient beings.
- Poster design and graphics;
- Writing activity recaps, reflections, and press releases;
- Proofreading and editing written materials;
- Organizing event materials and producing themed videos;
- Website management.
Guest Reception & Administration Team
The Dharma is so wonderful, yet so few people know about it. A warm smile and a kind word are great acts of generosity that help build wholesome connections. Are you willing to welcome everybody who comes to the Center with your smile?
- Reception and guest services;
- Center administrative support;
- On-duty front-desk services.
Kitchen Team
“When the food wheel stops, the Dharma wheel also ceases to turn.” Join us in providing healthy, nutritious vegetarian meal offerings to the Buddha and the community, cultivating blessings and wisdom through every dish.
- Chef: You have a strong interest in learning and developing vegetarian cuisine. After training, you will be able to take charge of the kitchen for events and lead the kitchen assistants to help the activities run smoothly;
- Kitchen Assistant: You will help with meal preparation for Centre activities (washing and cutting ingredients, assisting the chef), keeping the kitchen and dining hall clean and orderly, washing cookware and utensils, and assisting with post-event clean-up.
Facilities & Maintenance Team
Dusting and sweeping away grime – the more we clean, the more joy arises in our hearts.
Simple tasks, done mindfully over and over, are a wonderful way to cultivate our minds.
- Regular Thursday afternoon work period: cleaning and tidying the Center, inside and outside;
- Occasional courtyard and garden maintenance (watering, weeding, pruning, loosening soil, fertilizing);
- Big cleaning days twice a year;
- “Adopt-an-area” cleaning and taking responsibility for a specific area, and maintaining it regularly.
Translation Team
“A single spark can start a prairie fire, a tiny bit of good intention can save the world.” — Master Sheng Yen’s 108 Adages of Wisdom
The wonders of the Dharma transcend all borders and language barriers. Bit by bit, the steady work of the Translation Team helps more people learn about Dharma and about Dharma Drum Mountain. Through the translation process, everyone can join our volunteer translators in studying and exploring the Dharma deeply.
- Chinese-to-English translation and proofreading of Dharma Drum Mountain event reports and personal reflection pieces;
- Chinese-to-English translation and proofreading of meditation instruction materials;
- Participate in interpreter training and provide interpretation support for Dharma talks.
Video Team
Whether you are operating the livestream console, supporting online courses, testing microphones for in-person events, filming, or quietly managing files behind the scenes, serving on the Video Team is both challenging and fun. It is a great opportunity to cultivate the mind while learning new skills, and you will be one of the behind-the-scenes pillars ensuring that our activities run smoothly and harmoniously. We are looking forward to welcoming new members. Main responsibilities in this team include:
- Preparing and operating video and audio for in-person events at the Center;
- Filming on-site events and managing and archiving media files;
- Preparing and operating video for online events, including remote courses and live-streamed Dharma assemblies;
- Maintaining, improving, and upgrading the Centre’s software and hardware;
- (Plus some secret missions and special perks —join us to find out! ^_^).
Chanting Team
Responsible include regular and annual Dharma assemblies, morning and evening services, refuge ceremonies, maintenance of the Buddha and Guanyin halls, and related duties.
- Ushers for regular and annual Dharma assemblies;
- The offering sub-team: Maintain and care for the assembly hall, manage incense, flowers, lamps, and fruit offerings for Dharma assemblies and ceremonies, oversee ceremonial and ritual items, and perform weekly cleaning and upkeep of the Buddha altars and ritual instruments;
- Video support: Streaming regular Dharma assemblies and morning/evening services online;
- Dharma instrument apprentice: Serving as the chanting leader, playing the handbell, wooden fish, bell and drum, and backup chanting singers during regular and annual Dharma assemblies and morning/evening services;
- Timekeeper for the assembly.
Flex Team
Newcomers are welcome to sign up as “first-time volunteers” to experience work practice at the Center. During this period, the Care Team will arrange for you to work with different teams so you can discover which group suits you best.
Returning partners are invited to join the “flex team”, cultivating the bodhisattva spirit of myriad practices – I’ll do it if no one else will.
Chan Meditation Team
You will support fellow mediators in their diligent practice while also growing through serving them.
Outside Support
- Setting up and restoring the areas outside the Chan Hall;
- Check-in and registration;
- Ringing the bell and striking the wooden board to signal session times;
- General maintenance outside the Chan Hall;
- Video support.
Inside Support
- Serving as group leads in the Beginner’s Meditation Class;
- Assisting as timekeeper in the Chan Hall;
- Timekeeper during group practice sessions.
