Manpower Lends a Hand in Riverwest with Operation Payback
Aug 27th, 2010
Manpower employees and Operation Payback community service workers removed a huge graffiti mural on the rear of a business in Riverwest. The area was over 1,250 square feet and took the team of 20 people two hours to remove. In addition to Safe & Sound staff, the team also included the Milwaukee Police Department, Probation and Parole and Riverworks. The community service session was one of two organized by Safe & Sound to bring the groups together and learn more about each other while getting some work done at the same time.
The sessions started and ended with restorative justice exercises to help the group get comfortable working with each other and to reflect on the day’s goals, and later, accomplishments. Offenders were matched up with Manpower volunteers and the groups worked together to paint over the graffiti. At the end of the project Manpower employees described their business to community service workers and Probation and Parole and Kecia from Riverworks discussed some of the struggles ex-offenders face finding employment and trying to re-establish themselves. It was a give-and-take of experience and understanding that everyone hopes will result in better solutions, including more targeted resource provision and recruitment, for those seeking employment and for companies trying to fill positions.
