Detroit Students Learn the Power of Volunteerism, Thanks in Part to Assistance from the UAW-GM Center for Human Resources

National Volunteer Week, April 18-22

DETROIT, April 18 -- Thanks in part to assistance from the UAW-GM Center for Human Resources (CHR), twelve teams of Detroit high school students will perform valuable community service this week during National Volunteer Week.

The twelve Detroit teams, part of the UAW-GM POWERTEAMS program, offer a good example of how the UAW and GM team up with the Detroit Public Schools to teach life skills, teamwork and the importance of volunteerism. POWERTEAMS stands for Positive Organization Where Everyone's Rewarded Though Engaging And Mentoring Students.

For the 2005 school year and this year's National Volunteer Week, POWERTEAMS began in September 2004 with teams at Cody, Finney, Mumford, Western International, Northern, and Pershing high schools. Each team of approximately 20 students identified a community need, researched possible solutions and designed a volunteer project.

As part of the program, a UAW-GM sponsored facilitator worked with each team one day per week to teach skills such as: volunteerism, communications, conflict resolution, team building, research, and writing skills. The students created a written proposal to solicit funds from the UAW-GM Center for Human Resources to implement their projects.

Of the twelve participating schools, four have been selected to provide a representative sample of community services projects. The Northern High team will provide and serve lunch to residents of the Doorstep Homeless Shelter, clean the parking lot, landscape the common areas and refurbish the dining area. Students from Mumford High will assist a Boys and Girls Club where they will paint the library, replace flooring, update bathrooms and provide educational and bedding supplies. A second Mumford team will refurbish outdoor common areas at the Boys Hope and Girls Hope in Detroit. The Mumford students will also paint the library, replace flooring and provide educational supplies.

Cody High School students will landscape and repaint an outdoor play area at the Salvation Army/Brightmoor House. In addition, Cody students will assemble hygiene packets for residents and host a lunch. Students from Pershing will paint the exterior of the Cass Community Center, landscape common areas and sponsor a lunch for residents.

* Thursday, April 21 - Doorstep Homeless Center, Highland Park, 10-11:30 a.m., Northern High School; Boys and Girls Club, Detroit, 11 a.m., Mumford High School

* Friday, April 22 - Boys Hope and Girls Hope, Detroit, 1-2 p.m., Mumford High School

* Tuesday, April 26 - Cass Community Center, Detroit, 12 -2 p.m., Pershing High School

* Thursday, April 28 - Salvation Army/Brightmoor House, 1-2 p.m., Detroit, Cody High School

* Details on the locations and projects can be obtained from the UAW-GM CHR contacts listed below.

"The UAW-GM POWERTEAMS program helps Detroit students maximize their school experience by learning the value of teamwork and positive community service," said Richard Shoemaker, UAW vice president and director of the UAW General Motors Department. "This unique program fosters an awareness of the positive results that come from giving something back to your community."

"The UAW-GM POWERTEAMS program provides an alliance of business and labor with the Detroit educational community in a project that teaches business and life skills," said Guy Briggs, GM Group Vice President of Manufacturing and Labor Relations. "These learnings directly affect the community of Detroit through the performance of beneficial community service projects."

UAW-GM POWERTEAMS is an example of how the UAW and GM partnership works for the betterment of people and the communities where GM facilities are located and where UAW members live and work. Other joint projects include a Character Education initiative with six Detroit public schools, the International Association of Organ Donors (IAOD) and national sponsorship of Make-A-Wish Foundation(R).

Background

Sponsored by the Points of Light Foundation, National Volunteer Week is about thanking one of America's most valuable assets -- volunteers -- by calling the public's attention to what they do to improve our communities. National Volunteer Week began in 1974 when President Richard Nixon signed an executive order establishing the week as an annual celebration of volunteering. Since then, every U.S. President has signed a proclamation promoting National Volunteer Week. Additionally, governors, mayors and other elected officials make public statements and sign proclamations in support of National Volunteer Week.