Types of Projects
NOMADS offers several types of projects....each with different purposes.
Three Week Projects
Most NOMADS projects are three weeks in length. These projects have an assigned NOMADS leader and everyone on the team is there for 3 weeks. Teams on these projects are typically working at churches, children’s homes, camping and retreat centers or colleges, and RV parking is usually at the work site. With everyone working at the same site, team activities are more structured. If the project is to provide community outreach work, there will be a commute to each of the job sites. Projects are available for signups throughout the year, using our project management software in the member's area of our website. Winter is the season in which projects are in highest demand and so signups can be tight.
Disaster Rebuilding Projects
Disaster Rebuilding (DR) Projects are established after devastating hurricanes or other natural disasters occur. They run longer than 3 weeks, and some times for more than 20 weeks at each site and for year after year as recovery continues. These projects allow participants to sign up for as little as one week or for as many weeks as a NOMAD would like to work. Because team members are coming and going each week, we refer to these as Revolving Team Projects (RTPs). These projects are led by specially trained Disaster Rebuilding team leaders. There is usually a commute to the work sites, with the teams breaking up into smaller groups, working in several homes. Because of this, the smaller work groups develop close ties with each other and with the families they work for, but there is often less time for fellowship with the entire team. In most cases on DR projects, NOMADS works directly with the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) or the local Methodist Conference. These projects are announced to our members as soon as the details are firmed up. Signups for DR Projects are also available in the private Member's Area of our website.
Drop-In Projects
Drop-In work can be done for agencies who have an existing relationship hosting 3-week Nomads teams. The Agency has asked for help and will accept individual NOMADS to “drop-in” and work. A list of the agency partners who've said they MAY like to have Nomads drop in is in the Member area of the web site. NOMADS who wish to do Drop-In work are asked to contact the Agency themselves, arranging dates they want to be there and asking about all the other details regarding RV hookups, location, work to be done, etc. We do request that NOMADS submit their number of hours donated at the end of their “Drop-In” by entering their hours in the project software. According to NOMADS Guidelines, NOMADS cannot be a “drop-in” at an agency during a regularly scheduled 3-week NOMADS project at that site. This is because other NOMADS may have been turned away from the project because it was already FULL, or because all of the RV sites are full for the regular project team.