POLICY MANUAL

 

Directors

1) The organization is governed by a Board of Directors. The Board elects the President, Vice President and Secretary/Treasurer all of whom serve at the pleasure of the Board. The board can be the same as the Directors and can consist of up to 5 members. The director that runs the associated data systems will be chosen from the Board of Directors.

MINISTRY

The organization is:

1. Christian, non-profit organization composed of Christians who travel and live, while volunteering in their self- contained RV’s. Their PRIMARY purpose is to serve where God needs them. Everything else is secondary.

2. The organization is non-denominational and inter-denominational.
3.The primary scope of the organization is in the realm of the construction, remodeling,and repairing.

MEMBERSHIP ELIGIBILITY

All applicants for membership must meet the following criteria.

a) Must be self-supporting.
b) Must have no minor (18 or Under) children living with them.
c) Must own, or have access to, a self-contained RV.
d) Must agree to the Christian standards found in the Bible and this manual. e) Must be willing to work at least 2 projects a year.
f) Must provide their own accident insurance and / or hospitalization.

EXCLUSIVE OBLIGATIONS

Any member of the VMM who disagrees with the policies of the organization always has the privilege of resigning. But, as Christians, no member has the right to remain in the organization and agitate against the policies by trying to win others to his/her point of view. The Board of Directors listens to, and considers, all suggestions. But once a decision is made, it is incumbent upon every member graciously accept that decision or resign.

 

The VMM Board of Directors has the right to remove from membership any member they feel has failed to demonstrate a consistent Christian testimony and /or failed to comply with all stated policies.

If a member fails to complete two (2) projects per year, they will be removed from the membership role.

WORK REQUIREMENTS

1) The primary purpose of this organization is “To work for the Lord”.

2) To accomplish the primary purpose of the organization the following work requirements have been established and they apply equally to all members:
a) Members may choose to do as many projects as they wish with a minimum of at least two

complete projects each year.

b) All members are expected to arrive at the project on the date the project is scheduled to begin- normally on a Friday (always check the date for any variation of this normality) in time for an evening meeting. This does not mean it’s ok to report any time during the

weekend or the following Monday! PROJECTS BEGIN ON FRIDAY so the members can get parked and set up; the Crew Leader can meet the members; set up his work plans and hold a meeting to orient the members to the project, etc., and be ready to begin work the first thing Monday morning. Projects normally last 3 weeks. Members work 4 days a week.

(Which days are determined by the Crew Leader).

All members are expected to remain on the project until it officially ends, which should be
at 4:00 pm on Thursday. Headquarters is aware there will, on occasion, be exceptions to any requirements, such as illness, family problems, RV problems, etc. In such cases the Crew Leader should be notified of circumstances as early as possible regardless, the Crew leader will confer with the project leader of any early departures or closing of the project.

 

LADIES

1) Lady members are NOT REQUIRED to work at all! NO LADY MEMBER HAS TO EXPLAIN WHY SHE IS OR IS NOT WORKING AND SHOULD UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE BE CENSURED BY ANYONE FOR NOT WORKING OR FOR WORKING IF SHE SO DESIRES.

2) Those ladies who wish to work may do so, but only under the guidance of the Crew Leader (not the activity or any of its personnel).

 

  1. 3)  The organization is primarily construction oriented and a lot of the work is not suitable for women. Some ladies, however, like to do construction and if they want to help out, the Board has no objection- as long as it’s on a volunteer basis.

  2. 4)  No Lady member is to arbitrarily assigned to housekeeping and /or maintenance work such as bed making, laundry, etc. Once again, however, if the lady member volunteers to do such work, there is no objection by the Board.

PROJECT LOCATION LIMITATIONS

1) Members should be mindful of elevation, extreme heat, etc. that could impact their ability to work or travel.

2) The organization has established as policy- we will only schedule those projects that can be reached by driving our RV’s to the project site. (This does not rule out the use of ferries to reach a site so long as the members can take their RV along and live in it while working on the project.) This limits us to the United States ( including Alaska but not Hawaii). At present

3) VMM is not scheduling work projects in either Canada and Mexico. 3) Our Policy does rule out scheduling of any activity overseas.

OTHER LIMITATIONS

1) Members normally will not work on any roof steeper than 4/12.

2) Members normally will not perform heavy block, wall, or cement work. On occasion Headquarters may accept a project requiring a variation of block work and / or roofing, but if we do, we will notify the membership in the Project Listing! If there are any questions, the Crew Leader shall make the on-site decisions given the expertise of his work crew.

3) No high work is to be done unless proper scaffolding is provided AND then ONLY VOLUNTEERS are to work on the scaffolding.

4) No member of the organization will act as baby sitter, class monitor, nursery supervisor or in any other duty which puts them in a position, where they can be considered to be in charge of or responsible for children as part of a project.

MEMBER EXPERIENCE LIST

1. An M.E.L. of all members scheduled for each project is sent to the Crew Leader. It contains the background experience of each member, the size and type of RV each member owns to help in planning the parking.

2. Each member should periodically review his/her M.E.L. and update the information when necessary. This information is confidential and should not be discussed or shown to anyone other than the member concerned.

ROSTER OF ORGANIZATION MEMBERS

The roster of members is intended only for use of the membership. It is published periodically as changes in membership dictates. This information will be provided on line by HQ.

In the interest of protecting the privacy of fellow members PLEASE DO NOT permit any non- member to read this roster.

The year is a calendar year.

PROJECT MONTH

Monthly projects normally begin on the first Friday of the month and run for three weeks. There are exceptions such as at Christmas, New Years, etc., so be sure to always check the dates as listed with the Project Listing. A project consists of (12) seven -hour work days. Projects DO NOT end until 4 pm on the last scheduled day unless the activity coordinator and the Crew Leader determine that the work has been completed or they have come to an agreed upon stopping place.

PROJECT WEEK

A work week is any four working days from Monday through Saturday as selected by the Crew Leader.

PROJECT DAY

Normally a workday begins at 8 AM & ends at 4 PM with one hour off for lunch and two 15 minute breaks, one AM and one PM. Start and end time may be changed under special circumstances. Be sensitive to the needs of the activity and the members. Some crews have found that they can move the morning break and add the devotion time keeping an hour for lunch and eliminating the afternoon break. This works especially well in winter with short days.

MINIMUM NUMBER OF WORKING COUPLES ALLOWED PER PROJECT:

A minimum of 3 COUPLES on a project is strictly adhered to where construction is

involved.

This requirement can be waived by Headquarters under certain conditions, when requested by the Crew Leader or the activity. But it must be approved by Headquarters BEFORE any work begins.

COMMUTING TO WORK PROJECTS

1) Normally members will not be permitted to commute from their home to a project. This policy was established as the results of complaints from members who were not commuting and who felt a lack of Christian fellowship when left alone at the project site.

2) This applies to those members working on their own churches the same as to everyone else.

3) Headquarters has the authority to grant exceptions when it is in the best interest of the organization, the project and/or member concerned. Each such request will be handled on an individual basis.

PROJECT LISTINGS

Listings of available projects is maintained at HQ ( On-Line ) and will be provided to members when changes occur.

PROJECT PARKING

1) Parking of members at Project activities is a part of the responsibility of the Crew Leader. In order to help him plan the parking, Headquarters tells him, via the Crew Leader’s kit, the size and type of RV possessed by each member. ( See M.E.L.).

 

2) When members arrive and park at an activity before the Crew Leader arrives, they must realize it may become necessary for them to move, as directed by the Crew Leader, in order to more equitably utilize the parking area.

3)  Many times a restricted amount of parking area demands all rigs be parked in a certain manner. In such cases someone with the authority to do so must make some decisions and the Crew Leader, who knows the size and type of each RV, including any that have not arrived, is the one who will make those decisions. We are certain all members will cooperate fully with the Crew Leader in such cases.

4)  Most activities will not object when a member reports a few days early for a project, but that does NOT mean to arrive anywhere from a week to two weeks early! Especially- when the activity is paying for parking spaces in a local RV park. No member should arrive at a project prior to the Thursday before the start date of that project, UNLESS they have contacted the project and made arrangements beforehand.

PRIORTY CRITERIA

Scheduling will be on a first come basis. The Crew Leader will be responsible to provide Headquarters with names so the on-line schedule can be updated until project is full.

BUDDY SYSTEM

Any member who knows of someone who may be interested in joining the organization, but would like to experience a project first, may do so under the following conditions.

1)  They must be eligible for membership as outlined in this document.

2)  The sponsoring couple must be on the same project and acquaint their guest with the Policy

Manual, especially the following sections: Organization Requirements and Insurance.

3)  If Headquarters grants permission, the sponsor notifies the project Crew leader.

4)  The Buddy is considered a guest of the sponsor.

5)  The Buddy must sign a Hold Harmless agreement and stay the full three weeks.

6)  This will be a one -time experience for each prospective member.

7)  Members must be assigned prior assigning a Buddy.

8)  Remember you must be assigned to the project in order to take a Buddy.

9)  If the Buddy joins the VMM during the project, he/she will receive credit for a project worked.

10) When sponsor is not available, the Crew Leader will assume these duties.

 

PET CONTROL

. NOTE: IT IS THE PET OWNERS RESPONSIBILITY TO WATCH FOR THOSE PROJECTS THAT DO NOT ALLOW PETS. DO NOT ASK FOR OR ACCEPT AN ASSIGNMENT TO THOSE PROJECTS.

1) Pets should never be permitted to run free at any activity, but should be kept on a leash AT ALL TIMES when outside the members RV. All members must take the responsibility of cleaning up after their pet (s).

2) If any member does not respect the rights of others, the Crew Leader will ask the member to comply with both spirit, and the letter, of these requirements.

3)  PETS ARE NOT TO BE BROUGHT TO DEVOTIONS.

4)  PETS ARE NOT TO BE BROUGHT TO POTLUCKS, COFFEE BREAKS OR ANY SOCIAL GATHERINGS.

5) DO NOT ASK YOUR CREW LEADER TO MAKE AN EXCEPTION TO THESE RULES.

MISCELLANEOUS FINANCIAL HELP FOR MEMBERS

Members must be self-supporting.

INSURANCE

THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES NO INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR IT’S MEMBERS. Each member has signed the “Hold Harmless” clause as part of his / her application for membership. Similarly, each activity is required to sign a “ Hold harmless” clause. This protects the organization, it’s members and the project.

COLLECTIONS FOR ACTIVITIES FROM MEMBERS

No member shall solicit or take a collection for any organization or for any purpose from fellow members.

Every activity is required to furnish our members with utilities at no cost to the member. It is unnecessary to make any contribution to offset the cost to the activity for the utilities used.

MEALS FURNISHED BY PROJECTS

Projects on occasion offer to treat members to lunches and/or dinners at restaurants or someone’s home. Such offers voluntarily made by a project should normally be graciously accepted by the Crew Leader. These meals are certainly NOT a requirement for the project.

CONTRIBUTIONS

THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR DONATIONS, however members need to realize that

VMM is a Non-Profit Corporation and is totally dependent upon its members for the funds needed to meet operating expenses throughout the year. All donations to the VMM organization will be tax deductible once the IRS approves our application for 501(c)3 (nonprofit status).

MAILING INSTRUCTIONS

All schedules will be provided on-line. Special notices will be provided as circumstances dictate.

METHOD OF SCHEDULING PROJECTS

The list of available projects is maintained on-line at our website.
From that list a person that is eligible * (“see checklist for setting up a project” below) to be a Crew Leader can select a choice and then call the point of contact to determine the best month, number, of parking spots, utilities available, as well as phone with WiFi connectivity.

 

Once these are determined Crew Leader contacts HQ to ensure no conflicts and Crew Leader name is posted on website with the number of workers desired. All scheduling then is done by members contacting the Crew Leader until the project is full.

ACTIVITIES

1.We do not give the requesting projects at any time, a list of scheduled members by name and or skills. This information is only furnished to our Crew Leader who has complete charge of assigning our members to work.

2. Each project is required to furnish our members a place to park, electricity minimum 30 amps), water and a means of sewage disposal, (not always a sewer hookup). On the rare occasion where no utilities are furnished, information to that effect will documented in the project listing.

3. Headquarters tries to determine that the project provides parking for members at the work site. If this is not possible, an evaluation is made to determine whether or not we can accomplish the project given the distance required to travel.

CREW LEADER
1. The Crew Leader is the direct representative of the VMM at each project. The Crew leader

should plan to arrive at the project on the Thursday prior to the start of the project.

2. The highest priority of he Crew Leader should be the creation of an atmosphere of love and service which will be glorifying to the Lord. He should evaluate each member’s capabilities in light of that persons physical condition with the aid of the M.E.L, “Member Experience Listing”, TO ENSURE NO MEMBER OVER -EXERTS HIMSELF/HERSELF.

3. The Crew Leader should recognize AND DIPLOMATICALLY SUBDUE ALL COMMUNICATIONS WHICH INVOLVE, OR COULD LEAD TO DENOMINATIONAL OR DOCTRINAL DIFFERENCE.

4. The Crew Leader is the direct contact for VMM with the project and should insure that a assigned work is understood.

 

*CHECK LIST FOR SETTING UP A PROJECT (CREW LEADER)
TO SET UP A PROJECT AND BECOME A CREW LEADER YOU NEED TO HAVE

COMPLETED AT LEAST 5 PROJECTS.

Under the new organization, selection of the Crew Leader for the projects will be the person that initiates the project. The person who sets up the project can ask for another member to be Crew Leader. We are asking the first person (couple) that signs up for the project to work with headquarters as well as the project to determine work, parking spaces, and route of travel. For first time projects this will normally be done at the headquarters in conjunction with the Crew Leader.

Active members are not permitted to work in any capacity, at any activity where a project is in

progress, unless so assigned by the Crew Leader and coordinated with HQ, then that member must be subject to the direction of the Crew leader.

Each project is to assign someone as their representative who has authority to make decisions and to act on behalf of the project. The Crew Leader will obtain information regarding the work to be done from the project director. No member may act as the project director for any activity where a project is in progress.

If you are not qualified or unwilling to be a crew leader go to the members page of our website vmmonline.org look at all the project that are already set up, pick one that you feel you could help out on.Call the Crew Leader (name and number is listed). Ask the Crew Leader if the project still has openings and if you could join his team for the project. If there is room, he would have the latest info and once he ok’s you he then contacts HQ so the roster for that project will be updated on our website. Note: Those projects that are not listed as full really need your help, and we ask that you consider working at one of these so we can have more versatile and productive team.

For those that want to be a Crew Leader the two major activities that you need to take on are: setting up the project and then executing the leadership role once the project date approaches.

It is important that the Crew Leader contacts the proposed project to discover several details for their particular upcoming project.

  1. Do they want a VMM project?

  2. When do they want the project?

  3. Know who your point of contact is for the project.

  4. How many RV parking spots are available is for this project?

  5. Are all of the utilities available?

  6. What is the status of WIFI computer access?

  7. What is the phone reception at the project?

  8. Provide your name /phone/e-mail to the proposed project.

 

  1. Make sure you let HQ know immediately of the setting up, as wells the name and number of VMMers you have already assigned. ( This is how the web gets updated ).

  2. Ensure geographic position of RV parking to provide to HQ and crew ( sometimes they give you a P.O. Box and this is insufficient for GPS ).

  3. Discover type of work needed ( new construction, deferred maintenance,or demolition, and replace plus any special skills that are needed for this project).

Phase 2 is about the execution of the project.

  1. Make sure all of your crew knows the driving direction to the project.

  2. Provide phone numbers for project and for yourself (to the crew).

  3. Review parking area to ensure best parking arrangements.

  4. Plan a meeting for all to meet and talk about project work.

  5. Plan for devotions.

  6. Set work time and devotion time.

  7. Ensure Paychecks are signed by authority of project.( Available from HQ online).

  8. We suggest Crew Leader fill out Paycheck except address before having camp sign.

  9. Report success of project at close with any bright spots or trouble spots.

CREW LEADER AUTHORITY

All official communication - assigning of parking space, work schedule, work assignments, obtaining materials, etc.- with the project director is to be done by the Crew Leader.

In order to help the Crew Leader in his assignments of members to work, Headquarters furnishes him with an M.E.L. ( Member Experience Listing ) which gives that member’s background, experience, capabilities and any health problems. It also shows the size and type of RV the member has. This is confidential information and is not to be shown to anyone & discussed only with the member concerned.

All matters, including invitations by any member to anyone to a member function, potluck, etc. must be cleared through the Crew Leader.

Active members are not permitted to work in any capacity, at any activity where a project is in progress, unless so assigned by the Crew Leader and coordinated with HQ, then that member must be subject to the direction of the Crew Leader.

Each project is to assign someone as their representative who has authority to make decisions and to act behalf of the project. The Crew Leader will obtain information regarding the work to be done from the project director.No member may act as the project director for any any activity where a project is in progress.

The host project director is to furnish the Crew leader with a written list of all work he wants accomplished, showing the priority assigned to each item.

Members do not follow instructions of any member of the project without concurrence from the Crew Leader.

Every member on the project is subject to the Crew Leader in all matters pertaining to the project. The Crew Leader is encouraged to consult with the members on such matters as days to work etc., in order to form a decision. He is NOT taking a vote. To perform his duties he cannot be, and IS NOT BOUND, by the results of any consultation! The only limitation is that devotional periods are not to exceed 30 minutes. The responsibility & final decision in all matters are the Crew Leader’s to make.

VISITORS TO PROJECTS

A visitor is defined as an unscheduled member. 1) Policy

a) A visiting member should not plan to remain over 36 hours at a project unless the Crew Leader has approved the visitor to remain longer.

b) In the event the visitor is under 18 years of age, the visitor must sign the visitor form and the sponsoring member must countersign it. JUVENILES UNDER 16 YEARS OF AGE , ARE NOT PERMITTED TO WORK ON A PROJECT. Visitors under the age of 16 will not be allowed at the construction site unless accompanied by a responsible adult.

APPLICATION FOR ASSISTANCE

  1. All new project first time requests for assistance must be processed by headquarters. Any interested party should be referred to Headquarters. Headquarters will send the new project an on-line “Application for Assistance” form accompanied by a statement explaining what the organization is, how we operate, what we will do for them and what we expect from them if their request is approved.

  2. The new project shall return to Headquarters the “ Application for Assistance” form accompanied by:

    a. A copy of the statement of faith of the project concerned.
    b. A copy of the work the project hopes to have accomplished.

c. A map showing detailed directions to the site from the nearest easily identifiable city, highway, etc.

d. A statement that they have read, understand and will comply with our requirements as outlined in our request for assistance package.

e. All paperwork to be completed on-line. If unable to scan filled in application, please contact HQ for best alternative.

f. New project will provide confirmation that they are a 501(c)3 by providing their tax ID number.