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AmeriCorps is a national service program that recruits members to strengthen communities, get things done, build leaders and expand horizons. Project POWER, which stands for Putting Opportunity Within Everyone’s Reach, is the local program of AmeriCorps and a program of Children First/Communities In Schools of Buncombe County.

Created in response to America’s Promise, Project POWER/AmeriCorps has contributed to the success of thousands of young people across the area, and has provided meaningful service opportunities to hundreds of AmeriCorps volunteers since 1998.

Located in the mountains of Western North Carolina, in the city of Asheville, Project POWER/AmeriCorps serves at-risk youth in schools, non-profits and faith- based organizations throughout Buncombe County.

Program Overview

The primary objective of this program is to provide increased enrichment and mentoring services to vulnerable youth in the city and county. Now in its thirteenth year, Project POWER/AmeriCorps has served thousands of youth with multiple activities designed to impact the high school drop-out rate in Buncombe county, including one-to-one mentoring, participation in the design and completion of service learning projects, and developmental training in conflict resolutions skills. In addition, Project POWER/AmeriCorps seeks to empower community members to increase engagement with youth with an extensive volunteer component that includes recruitment, training and support of volunteers.

Services associated with Project POWER/AmeriCorps are provided by AmeriCorps members at community and faith-based sites, including public schools, non-profit agencies, and charter schools. Below are the stated performance objectives of Project POWER/AmeriCorps:

Provide specialized enrichment activities for at-risk youth by offering
classroom assistance during the school day and after-school assistance in
learning centers.
Recruit, train, and support volunteers who provide services along with AmeriCorps members.
Increase at-risk youth’s ability to connect with their community through service and volunteering.
Provide ongoing, extensive training/continuing education for AmeriCorps members who deliver the services of Project POWER.

Project POWER/AmeriCorps provides specialized enrichment, volunteer recruitment and support, and service learning to the community and member development to our members. These components help increase the capacity of our local non-profit and school partners by providing trained and committed volunteers to provide enrichment and volunteer opportunities for community members and at-risk youth in Buncombe County.

Specialized Enrichment

Project POWER/AmeriCorps members serve in elementary, middle, high schools and afterschool/summer learning centers as enrichment specialists. A school enrichment specialist may serve as a classroom teacher assistant, a technology assistant in the school’s computer lab, a parent-volunteer coordinator, or even a garden specialist. Please see Children First/CIS Project MARCH program for more information on member involvement in learning centers.

Volunteer Recruitment and Support

Project POWER/AmeriCorps members help schools and non-profit organizations leverage limited financial resources and to build a network of service among community members. The members identify, enlist and support volunteers to help meet the needs of the organizations.

Service Learning

Project POWER/AmeriCorps members serving as after school enrichment specialists plan and implement two 10-session service learning projects over the course of the year. The members work with students to identify a community need and organize the project to increase students’ ethic of service, self-esteem, community commitment, academic achievement, and ability to work with others. Project topics are diverse and flexible, limited only by members’ creativity and desire.

Member Development

Project POWER is one of the longest-operating AmeriCorps programs in North Carolina. Much of the program’s success is attributed to a commitment to members’ needs, support, and training.

Each service year begins with a three-week orientation that includes trainings on mentoring, after school programming, conflict resolution tactics, self-care and budgeting strategies. The orientation time also affords ample opportunities for team building and reflection.

Throughout the year, members continue to receive extensive trainings at weekly meetings. Topics include non-profit management, discussions on dismantling racism, leadership and professional development, stereotypes in service, and life after AmeriCorps, just to name a few.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Children First/CIS and Project POWER/AmeriCorps encourage individuals with disabilities to participate as national service providers through the AmeriCorps programs. Children First/CIS and Project POWER/AmeriCorps prohibit any form of discrimination against persons with disabilities in recruitment, as well as in service.

A “qualified individual with a disability” is an individual with a disability who, with or without reasonable accommodations, meets the essential eligibility requirements for the receipt of services or the participation in programs or activities provided by the program. Reasonable accommodations may include modifying rules, policies, or practices; the removal of architectural, communication, or transportation barriers; or the provision of auxiliary aids and services.

Children First/CIS provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment, without regard to race, color, gender, national origin, age or handicap in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws.

2010-2011 Outcomes:

748 at-risk students served in Buncombe County with enrichment services
1,441 volunteers recruited and provided 24,464 hours; 660 mentors recruited
98.79% of students were promoted to the next grade level

For more information about the Project POWER/AmeriCorps program, please contact us:

Children First/Communities In Schools Buncombe County
Project POWER/AmeriCorps Program
50 S. French Broad Ave. Ste. #246
Asheville, NC 28801
(828) 259-9717
fax: (828) 281-3308

Tammy Capps–Program Director
tammyc@childrenfirstbc.org

Victor Barrett — Grant Compliance/Fiscal Manager
victorb@childrenfirstbc.org

Project POWER is funded by the N.C. Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service and the Corporation for National and Community Service. This material is based upon work supported by the CNCS under the AmeriCorps Grant No. 11AC124652. Opinions or points of view expressed in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position of, or a position that is endorsed by, the Corporation or the AmeriCorps program.