March 27, 2024 | Alexa Johnson
From NCCC to New Construction Crew Leader for Habitat for Humanity of the Charlotte Region, I had the pleasure of chatting with Ellie Gums as she continues her AmeriCorps journey.
NCCC, or National Civilian Community Core, is an AmeriCorps program that engages 18-to 26-year-olds in team-based national and community service in the United States. This is a separate branch of AmeriCorps that is uniquely different because members who participate spend ten months traveling the country and “performing a variety of intense, multi-week projects. In the traditional NCCC program, members might shelter disaster survivors, build houses, restore the environment, tutor children, and more.” The aspect of travel piqued Ellie’s interest when deciding which AmeriCorps program to do, “I liked the opportunity to go to different places, different nonprofits, and do different types of work,” said Ellie. It is one of the many reasons why people choose NCCC versus a State/National AmeriCorps program.
After her NCCC term, Ellie had a better idea of what she liked and did not like regarding work. She realized she was still interested in construction and Habitat’s work, so Ellie felt ready to settle in one location, Charlotte, North Carolina! We are so excited to have Ellie on the AmeriCorps team, and given her previous experience with NCCC, she is a wealth of knowledge for the other AmeriCorps members.
When I asked Ellie how the transition is going between NCCC and the new role she mentioned, despite the responsibilities being different, she finds comfort in her new work routine. She no longer travels and works on varying projects, allowing Ellie to focus more on completing one task or house at a time and building lasting relationships with co-workers and volunteers.
New Construction Crew Leaders “play an integral part in building and repairing homes. They lead groups of skilled and unskilled volunteers and homeowner families in construction activities while maintaining a safe, efficient work environment, thus, developing and enhancing one’s volunteer management and construction skills.” Without leaders like Ellie, Habitat for Humanity of the Charlotte Region would not be what it is today!
If you would like to learn more about Habitat AmeriCorps opportunities click the button below.
Or read more stories from current or fellow AmeriCorps on our blog: https://www.habitatcltregion.org/blog/?fwp_blog_categories=americorps
