Camphill Newton Dee

15 May 2018

Over reading week, three Human Resource Management students headed off to Aberdeen to visit a unique site: Camphill Newton Dee. This is a charity providing a home, meaningful work, and opportunities for personal development to adults with learning disabilities and other special needs. The community is located outside of Aberdeen on 180 acres of pure heaven, including a biodynamic farm, dairy, cafe, joinery and craft shop. Our interest in visiting this destination was to learn how human resources are managed in a community which runs on different foundational principles than most businesses.

The train ride was long, but two hours later we arrived at our destination, where we met with Marjan. Marjan has been part of the community for several decades and was able to give us an insider’s view of hiring practices, reward management, and engagement. Given the different abilities of community members there were some unique challenges to consider in these processes.

First of all, potential paid community members are vetted through a very thorough interview process including days spent working at the community which are followed by meetings of current members who share their experiences and opinions of the individual’s work ethic and fit with the ethos. New members are hired on a one year contingency contract during which they are encouraged to make sure the position is really right for them.

While there are structured tasks which must get done in order to sustain the community, there is flexibility regarding who does what. Members can rotate through committees based on their interests and desire to develop new skills. So, instead of being hired for just one job, new members are welcomed to contribute their skills through a variety of initiatives and projects which vary year to year. Interestingly, only paid staff can participate in the committee work. The adults with developmental needs who live at the community serve in other ways, however their roles do not involve access to sensitive information which is managed through the committees.

Unlike a traditional business where employees are given a standardized salary along a structured pay scale, members of the Camphill community are paid according to need. Individual budgets are created along with house budgets for maintaining the residences where community members live along with the adults they support. Many resources, such as vehicles, are owned in common thus reducing individual expenses. Marjan was honest that budgeting is a difficult task, and many people participate in this committee to make sure all needs are represented.

People management is also a unique process at Camphill. The community is run democratically with regular town hall meetings including every member. At these meetings everyone, to the degree their ability allows, is invited to participate in sharing concerns, discussing important issues which have come up to the community, solving problems, and refocusing on priorities. Issues touching the community as a whole are often discussed through this forum, while issues regarding individual behaviour are managed through a committee.

Not surprisingly, one of the biggest HR challenges is maintaining boundaries between personal and work roles. The community is very close knit and exchanges of different viewpoints are encouraged. Two people might have opposing views in a committee creating challenges in the “business” part of that relationship, however when the committee work ends for the day they need to transition into different roles and maintain a friendship.

After meeting with Marjan we explored the grounds of Camphill Newton Dee. The property includes a working dairy, a bakery which supplies the café with treats, a craft studio, a joinery where wooden gifts are produced, and plenty of green space.

Overall the day was a success. It was a pleasure to learn more about what makes an organisation like this work from a human resources perspective. Camphill Newton Dee is unlike any other place on earth, but many organisations could learn something valuable from the proactive way in which they support their entire community.

Laurah Hagen, MSc Human Resource Management. Find more information about Santander funding under Opportunities.