What are Work Projects?

Work Projects are a tangible way for you and your youth to serve the community through the painting and light weatherization of homes as well as work on other simple projects. Our goal for Work Projects is to create a meaningful work experience where youth can make a difference with their skills and abilities while building relationships with families and neighbors.

What kind of work will we be doing?

Work Projects typically consist of scraping old paint, filling holes with insulation, caulking windows and applying a fresh coat of paint to a home. You may be involved in any or all of the painting process and may or may not complete an entire house during your time. Painting is a relatively easy task and is something in which youth can be successful. Done well, it can create a real sense of pride both by the painting crew and the homeowner.

Do we only do home painting?

Painting homes is primarily what you will be doing, but there is a chance you could also be involved in projects that deviate from it. A couple examples of these kinds of projects are yard work (mowing, weeding gardens, picking up trash, etc), cleaning or building wheelchair ramps. From time to time we also work on projects that bless our housing partners or the larger community. Examples of these kinds of projects are painting for a local church or school which does not have the resources to do so otherwise, cleaning / doing repair work for local parks, or even working in community gardens.

How does YouthWorks determine what houses to paint?

We work alongside members from the community to identify those in the greatest need. Possible community partners include local churches, tribal councils, local government agencies and other key members of the community in which we are serving. First priority is given to the elderly and the housebound as they are unable to do work like this for themselves. Second priority is given to the impoverished, unemployed or the underemployed that have significant physical needs hindering the resources they have to complete a project like this without help.

Are supplies included?

All the supplies are included in the price of your trip.

Can we help by bringing any supplies to our site?

Depending upon the Work Projects scheduled for the week of your trip there may be a need for specific supplies and materials. Two to three weeks before your trip, the Site Director will be contacting your Trip Leader to talk through last-minute details. This would be a great time to ask about any supply needs that the site may have.

What is the role of adult leaders on a Work Project?

The adult leaders have three main roles on a Work Projects site.  The first is to keep an eye out for safety. Safety is our number one priority on all aspects of your mission trip, and the work site is no different. The second ties into the first. Adults are going to be overseeing all aspects of the work project.  Our hope is that the youth will step up to take leadership of the work and of the site, but being the adult, you are ultimately going to be the one in charge. Lastly, the role of the adult is to work alongside the youth. By jumping in and participating in the work with the students, you will have an incredible opportunity to serve the community in a very tangible way. You will also have opportunities to build some great relationships with the youth you are working with.

What is the role of our youth on a Work Project site?

While the adults at Work Project sites are ultimately responsible, our hope is that your youth will feel empowered to take ownership of it. To everything from scraping to painting to cleaning up we want your youth to lead!

What types of relationships will we get to build on our Work Project site?

There are a couple different types. One is within your work group. We find that great conversation can happen when standing side- by- side painting a house.  Since your work group will most likely be made up of people from at least two different churches, you have the great opportunity to get to know people from a different church and perhaps even a different part of the country than you. Also, you could have the opportunity to get to know the people that live in the house you are painting.  While there are things that could get in the way of that happening health issues or work schedules, for example our hope is that you will be able to build a relationship with the people who live there. One thing to be aware of is that the culture of the people who live in the community you are going to will most likely be different from the culture of your hometown, and this may or may not have an effect on your ability to interact with and build relationship with the people in the house. 

Will there be a supervisor onsite with us?

YouthWorks hires and trains a Work Projects Staff who will be supervising your site. However, because there will most likely be multiple Work Projects running at once, she/he will not be on your site with you the entire time but will be stopping by to check in with you at various points throughout the day. You will also receive an orientation and some training before heading out to your Work Projects site.

Is there a need for specialized skills on our Work Projects site?

There may be some special projects in the community that you are going to that could use skilled laborers. Two to three weeks before your trip the Site Director will be contacting the Trip Leader to talk through last-minute details. This would be a great time to let them know if you have adults with specialized skills who are coming with you. We cannot guarantee we will have projects that require those special skills, but it is helpful for us to know what skills are available as we are planning our projects for the week.

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