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Wanted: VAT Expert / Tax Consultant

Are you an expert in the nuances of VAT? If so, the UK campus finance manager would like an informal chat with you to get a steer on whether he needs formal external advice regarding new buildings and VAT. Please contact richard.starkey@dhamma.org

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New UK Privacy Team service opportunities – Privacy Team Coordinator, Privacy Contact Person, and Data Protection Officer

Are you inspired to serve the UK Vipassana Trusts and contribute to the spread of the teachings of Dhamma? Do you have a genuine enthusiasm for protecting personal data? Are you driven to ensure the Trusts’ compliance with UK GDPR and relevant data protection laws, safeguarding them against potential legal complications? Whether you already possess expertise in UK/EU GDPR and data protection laws or are eager to learn, we will welcome your application.

We have three opportunities for meditators to support the work of the UK Vipassana Trusts – Dhamma Dīpa, Dhamma Padhāna and Dhamma Sukhakāri. We are currently seeking candidates for the roles of Privacy Team Coordinator, Privacy Contact Person and Data Protection Officer, who together will help ensure the Trusts’ compliance with data protection laws and regulations.

While prior experience of serving the Trusts in any capacity, such as a course or service-period server or as a committee member is desirable, it is not essential. If necessary, formal training can be provided for the technical roles, and our dedicated Privacy Team will also provide assistance and support to bridge any knowledge gaps.

Privacy Team Coordinator

This role is key to keeping the team organised and the compliance programme moving forward. It’s suited to someone with a project management or administrator background. No knowledge of the data protection discipline is necessary, although prior experience in this area is an advantage.

Essential skills needed are:

1. Ability to organise a remote team and keep them on track with regular meetings and updates.

2. Good project and task management skills.

3. Good communication skills, to facilitate planning and maintaining a schedule of work in collaboration with the team.

4. Ability to summarise compliance programme status and report progress.

5. Proficiency in maintaining online documentation and records.

6. Comfortable with exploiting online collaboration tool capabilities to improve processes and team efficiency.

7. A good working knowledge of English, as meetings and documentation will be in English.

Privacy Contact Person

This role is more closely involved with the meditation centre’s data protection practices and works closely with the Data Protection Officer to ensure that the centre’s data processing is compliant.

Essential skills needed are:

1. Confidence to learn new technical knowledge if not already familiar with the data protection field.

2. Ability to share technical knowledge of data protection with others in an accessible manner.

3. Ability to discover and document organisational processes and data processing activities, working effectively with volunteers at all levels.

4. 4Methodical approach to conducting audits and documenting information.

5. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to effectively advise and assist in training staff and volunteers on data protection matters and to communicate with data subjects.

6. Comfortable with attending and reporting progress to the Trustees at Trust meetings.

7. Comfortable with using online collaboration tools and proficient in maintaining online documentation and records.

8. A good working knowledge of English, as meetings and documentation will be in English.

Data Protection Officer

As an independent advisor, you will inform and advise the Trusts on their data protection obligations. Your responsibilities will include monitoring internal compliance, providing guidance on Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs), working closely with the UK Privacy Team and acting as a point of contact for data subjects and the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

This role may suit individuals with backgrounds in audit, compliance, information management, risk management or even a legal profession, even if they lack previous Data Protection experience.

The role requires a combination of technical knowledge, communication skills and attention to detail. Whilst the technical knowledge can be learnt, these essential skills are required

1. Ability to interpret and apply data protection requirements to organisational processes and activities.

2. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to effectively advise and train staff and volunteers on data protection matters.

3. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to identify and mitigate data protection risks.

4. Attention to detail and accuracy in conducting audits and assessments.

5. Ability to work independently and manage multiple tasks within deadlines.

6. Proficiency in maintaining documentation and records related to data protection activities.

7. A good working knowledge of English, as meetings and documentation will be in English.

These three roles will be vital in ensuring the Trusts’ compliance with data protection laws and maintaining the privacy and trust of individuals who sit and serve on courses.

They are volunteer positions, but they could be a good opportunity to gain experience in the field of data protection.

For all these posts, online collaboration tools will be provided. Experience of the Microsoft 365 toolset will be an advantage, but training can be given where needed. Most of the work can be done online from any location, although in some cases attendance at the Hereford meditation centre may be needed at times.

The workload will require regular input and teamwork to ensure the progression of compliance work, although time away for sitting courses and holidays can be accommodated within the team structure. Although the roles will require regular input, there will also be peaks and troughs of activity levels. Our experience shows that a few hours per week is adequate in normal circumstances.

If you are interested in any of these opportunities, please email privacy-team@uk.dhamma.org with a brief description of the skills and experience you believe you can bring to any of these roles. We look forward to receiving your application.

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Help Needed to organise a 10-Day Course in the North of England

A new off-centre venue has recently been found in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, where the North of England committee are hoping to run a ten-day course in December 2023.

The course will provide an invaluable opportunity for new and old students to sit for ten days and will help the spread of Dhamma in the north. Help is needed with jobs such as planning the layout of the venue, moving equipment, menu planning and food ordering etc.

If you would like to serve as part of an organising group, some of the work could be done remotely from outside the region, but it would be helpful to have others from the North of England involved.

To express an interest or find out more information, please email Clive Taylor at:clivewdt@gmail.com

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Japanese Language Translator required for 30-Day Course at Dhamma Padhāna. Oct 4 - Nov 4th 2023.

A Japanese-English translator is required for the 30-day course at Dhamma Padhāna, due to the limited English proficiency of a female Japanese student. The course will take place from October 4th to November 4th 2023. It would be greatly appreciated if you could serve on this course.

If you would like to serve in this course, please contact: long-course-registration@eu.dhamma.org in the first instance.

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Long-term service: Help with the smooth-running of Dhamma Sukhakāri

Old students are invited to come and serve from now onwards at Dhamma Sukhakāri and to stay for a few weeks, a few months or longer. There is also an immediate vacancy for one or two centre managers, with help specially needed from June onwards.

Long-term service is a special opportunity to immerse yourself in Dhamma and to strengthen and deepen your practice, giving you the chance to integrate what you learn through meditation into a working environment and your daily life. Like all servers, long-term servers meditate for at least the three group sittings each day. They may sit a 10-day course every three months or so. They have regular meetings with a local AT to discuss their service and their practice and can take regular days off outside the centre.

Long-term servers are the backbone of the centre and share in the job of making sure the courses and the centre run smoothly. As a long-term server, you may be asked to help out between courses, serve on some courses, or in some cases, take on a specific responsibility at the centre, for example for catering or household. You will be supported by the centre management team, committee members and local servers.

Experienced long-term servers are specially welcome, but so are applications from those with no experience. Training is provided where necessary. Click here and scroll through for further details about long-term service, visit the website for an application form or email Andy on info@sukhakari.dhamma.org with any questions.

Some of our long-term servers filled with joy, and the facilities for centre managers.

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Long-term Servers - Dhamma Dīpa / Dhamma Padhāna

There is currently an opportunity and a need for long-term servers at Dhamma Dīpa / Dhamma Padhāna to fill a number of roles around the campus.

The long-term servers working with the management team, the Trustees and Teachers, perform a vital function in giving continuity to the server team, helping new course servers settle in, and maintaining the meditation atmosphere.

The long-term servers meditate three hours a day, can sit a course around every three months if desired, read Vipassana literature and meet regularly with the Teachers. They are encouraged to take regular time off to rest and maintain contact with family and friends.

Long-term servers are normally accommodated in single rooms. For those taking on management roles, private comfortable accommodation in good quality mobile homes is provided outside the course boundary. The surrounding beautiful countryside of Herefordshire, the nearby Brecon mountains and Forest of Dean give further opportunities to exercise and explore on days off.

The requirements are to have full confidence in Vipassana as taught by S N Goenka, not to have practised any other technique since the last course, trying to maintain a regular practice and trying to maintain the five precepts. Family should be supportive. For those coming from abroad there are no longer any travel restrictions for entry to the UK so we look forward to welcoming back servers from overseas.

The application form for long-term service can be found in the long- term service page. Completed forms can be returned to info@dipa.dhamma.org or dhamma-service@padhana.dhamma.org

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Help Run the Kitchen at Dhamma Sukhakāri

If you have previously enjoyed serving in the kitchen on a course or if you have an interest in catering, you are invited to help in the organisation of this essential service for Dhamma Sukhakāri, the UK's second 10-day centre. There are many different ways you can get involved.

Experienced kitchen servers are needed on all courses - even a few days of part-time service make a big difference to the full-time team. Regular servers may wish to join a team of old students willing to offer a few days' service at the start of each course, supporting the new course kitchen team in getting the course off to a good start.

New members are also welcome on Kitchen Committee - current tasks include documenting kitchen procedures and keeping them up to date, researching and purchasing equipment, updating the cooking processes and menus and monitoring and implementing health and safety requirements. Much of the work can be done from home. Meetings are mostly held remotely. Kitchen committee also provides practical support to the onsite catering team.

In addition, there are opportunities for long-term servers who are able to stay at the centre for a few months or more and share the responsibility for overseeing the kitchen operation, including ordering, training and supporting the course servers in the kitchen and making sure the kitchen procedures are fully implemented. Support and training will be given.

Click here to find out more about serving in the kitchen or click here to find out more about long-term service and how to apply.

If you would like to help in any of these ways or to have a chat about what is involved, please email samir.patel@dhamma.org

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Dhamma Sukhakari.  Sign up to support courses

Are you able to lend a hand at Dhamma Sukhakāri from time to time at short notice, for a day or two or longer?

Full-time or part-time servers are always welcome on courses at Dhamma Sukhakāri in Suffolk, just an hour-and-a-half from London by train. Any extra support during a course can make a big difference to the students and other servers, even just for a day or two.

To receive notifications from the centre when extra hands are needed, email: last-minute-servers-subscribe@sukhakari.dhamma.org

All servers should have completed a ten-day Vipassana course in this tradition in the last two years, and should not have practised any other meditation technique since. Apply for full-time, part-time or between-course service via the schedule or email info@sukhakari.dhamma.org for further information