Free Housing in a Beautiful Cambridge Neighborhood | Live-In Counselor Position Wellmet Project Cambridge, MA
The Wellmet Project is seeking one live-in counselor volunteer to join three fellow volunteer counselors in a cooperative home near Harvard and Inman Squares beginning in September 2026.
Founded in 1960 by Harvard professors and their students, Wellmet is one of the country's longest-running community-based residential mental health programs. Wellmet is built on an idea that while clinical care is essential, many of the confidence and skills needed to live independently are developed through everyday life in community. Life at Wellmet is ordinary in many ways - and that's precisely the point.
At Wellmet, residents and counselors share meals, conversations, and responsibilities as part of everyday life. Counselors help sustain a thoughtful, stable, and welcoming home where people are enabled to grow.
Our homes are lively places. There is plenty of laughter and good conversation. Like any close community, people can also be challenging at times - and learning how to navigate those moments thoughtfully is part of what makes the role interesting. Your team of fellow counselors are delightful (genuinely!) and a great resource. Our residents are bakers, professors, plumbers, students, musicians, and people still working things out. All are engaged in work, education, or volunteer activities while living with mental illness.
The role is designed to be compatible with graduate study or full-time employment. In return for approximately 2½ evenings of scheduled responsibility each week, Wellmet provides rent-free accommodation, meals, utilities, training, and ongoing supervision.
What You'll Do
When on duty, counselors participate in the life of the household while supporting residents as they work toward full independence.
Responsibilities include:
- Two shifts each week (Tuesday and Saturday beginning at 6pm) plus meetings 6-8pm Wednesdays
- Helping cultivate a thoughtful, stable, and welcoming community
- Weekly one-to-one meetings with assigned residents (after 8pm on shift nights)
- Weekly house and staff meetings, plus 1-1 supervision
- Shared household responsibilities incl cooking every two weeks and a weekly chore
For Whom is the Role Suited?
The role is particularly suitable for people who
- communicate thoughtfully
- are emotionally mature and dependable
- are curious about people and enjoy living in community
- appreciate responsibility without needing constant supervision
- are looking for an experience that is rich and engaging
Many counselors balance the role alongside graduate study or full-time employment.
What We Offer
- Rent-free accommodation, meals, and utilities in a beautiful neighborhood near Harvard
- Training, supervision, and ongoing support
- Compatible with graduate study and full-time work
- No previous mental health experience required
- Camaraderie with a great team
- One-year commitment - although counselors usually remain much longer
Learn More
To read more about Wellmet and the position, including application instructions:
bit.ly/4xWveft
Pay: $1.00 per year
Work Location: In person
