History

1996

Nomad was set up as a detached youth project employing a single male youth worker.  He set about building relationships with young people on the streets of Henley, who were gaining a reputation for anti social behaviour fuelled by excessive alcohol. The name Nomad was synonymous with being nomadic and wondering around.

The Minister of Henley Baptist Church became chair of the newly formed Management Committee of Nomad and made the church premises available as a base for the project.

The committee included representatives from the Town Council, local Police, schools, business and parents etc.

2000 - 2003

A new decade brought new change.  A wider brief to include work with the parents and families was introduced. Two new workers joined the project and little by little began to establish working relationships with professionals and statutory organisations as well as many children, young people and parents in the town.

2004 - 2007

Additional funding enabled the employment of a second youth worker with a specific target to support 13–19 years who were in or at risk of being NEET (Not in Training, Education or Employment).

Nomad became a charity in its own right during this period and the breadth of work grew to provide support for preschool children and their families as well as the young people and their parents.

A further two members of staff joined the team for short periods to manage the growing work load.

In 2007 thanks to a local authority grant, Nomad was able to employ a specific project worker to develop the work with young children and their families.

2008 - 2010

With some workers moving on, three new youth and family support workers were appointed.

Nomad was also successful in its bid to run Children’s Centre Services on behalf of the local authority both in Henley and the surrounding villages of Sonning Common, Woodcote and Goring. It was a great opportunity but also a huge challenge. The Children’s Centre team has grown in this period to support the growing work.

Following the request from the partner schools in Henley, Nomad also employed a Home School Link Worker with a brief to support children and families with barriers to accessing education.

A move to re structure the Management of Nomad to provide a more efficient means of governance.

Looking Forward

As can be seen, Nomad doesn’t stand still.  It is constantly changing organisation that seeks to meet the needs of the children, young people and parents living in the local communities.

The flexibility and fluidity of the project is a mark of the immeasurable contribution that every staff member makes as they work out their different roles and we value and appreciate them and their input.

The journey has only just begun!