Commit to Change
The world's local bank- USA – Higher education support for students
- France – HSBC Education Foundation
- Korea – Island Watch for a Future Generation
- Malaysia – Reading and Writing Programme
- UK – Thriftwood school
- New Zealand – The Gifted Kids Programme
- China – Rural teacher training course
- UK – Kielder Challenge
- Singapore – Youth Excellence Initiative
- Australia – HSBCkids
- UK and Korea – Outward Bound
- USA – Boys & Girls Clubs of America
- Global – Future First: Investing in our children
- UK – On-line mathematics
- South Africa – Disadvantaged schools
- Brazil – HSBC Solidarity Institute
- USA – Jumpstart
- Thailand – HSBC children's book
- UK – Tall Ships Youth Trust
- China and Hong Kong – Mainland/Hong Kong Exchange Programme in Special Education
- Malta and the UK – Eco-Schools
- UK – HSBC scholars
- India – Madhapur Mandal school
- UK – School governors
- Hong Kong, China, and Brazil – Zippy's Friends
- USA and UK – Teach for America/Teach First
- Canada – York University scholarship fund
- UK – Sailing Academies
- China – Soaring under the sun
- China – HSBC China Charity Federation Fund
Malta and the UK – Eco-Schools
Our HSBC staff members have enthusiastically gotten involved with our Eco-Schools initiative. Both they and the students are having a great time, learning a lot, and making a real difference for the future. Click on any of the topics below to read about the HSBC Eco-Schools project in the UK from our staff volunteers’ points of view.
Green-fingered gardeners from HSBC have worked their horticultural magic at a Sheffield Primary school.
Laden with shovels and spades, 18 HSBC/Eco-Schools volunteers and their friends, dug the foundations of a vegetable patch in the grounds of Eco-School Stradbroke Primary.
They gave up their Saturday morning to help the school achieve its green goal of creating a vegetable bed. It is hoped youngsters from Stradbroke’s learning difficulties unit will grow and look after vegetables and in turn learn about where food comes from and the benefits of healthy living.
Julie Wallace, Procedural Support Desk Operator at HSBC, is the principal volunteer at Stradbroke Primary and she rallied the troops for a morning of mucking in.
Julie said: 'I think we made fantastic progress. We turned over all the grass to create the foundations for a vegetable patch in just two hours, despite the fact it was muddy and boggy. Headteacher Barbara Clarke was really pleased with our hard work and how well we worked together as a team, even though some of us had never met each other.'
The vegetable patch needs to be turned over once more in the next month, before Julie will go back and help pupils plant some vegetables.
Julie added: 'This project which involves being outdoors and gardening is ideal for me. The fact that it should benefit children with learning difficulties is a real bonus and that’s why I think so many volunteers were willing to help out. We are stuck in an office all week, so it’s a great opportunity to be outside, helping children and doing our bit for the environment. I couldn’t have asked for anything more.'
As part of the Eco-Schools programme youngsters at Stradbroke Primary are also involved in recycling projects, keeping the school grounds litter-free and saving water.
The first training day for the HSBC/Eco-Schools volunteering programme was held at the Hilton Hotel in Sheffield recently.
The 40 employees signed up to the scheme were invited along to learn about their new eco-roles and meet co-ordinators and other volunteers involved.
There were presentations about the Eco-Schools programme and HSBC’s involvement, and workshops were held about the different volunteering roles, including Eco-Committee Member, Practical Project Worker and Green Flag Assessor. A practical assignment to build the tallest water cup holder turned into a fiercely competitive contest.
Volunteers also learned that their placement will be financially rewarding for the school involved. Each school taking part will receive £400 from Eco-Schools and that amount will be matched by HSBC, meaning a substantial £800 to spend on their green projects.
The highlight of the day was the passionate presentations made by pupils from the two Green Flag schools in Sheffield. Volunteers responded with enthusiasm as the youngsters from Reignhead Primary and Mosborough Primary spoke confidently and warmly about their individual eco-friendly projects and future aspirations to make their schools more sustainable.
When asked why they wanted to be an eco-warrior, one pupil replied: 'Because I want to make the world a better place,' which was met with a round of applause from volunteers.
The schools are being awarded with a cheque for £500 to say thank you for their help in the training day. Children at Reignhead are now looking forward to making their dream Zen garden a reality.
The headteacher of Reignhead said: 'Valuing the environment and each other is not in the National Curriculum. The Eco-Schools programme gives children a real empathy with their environment and makes them really good citizens. It encourages the children to go into local communities and be more responsible.'
Eco-volunteers in demand: Fran Arnold and Helen Jones
Two Eco-Schools volunteers are such a big hit at Dore Primary, pupils have requested they spend more time with them.
Fran Arnold and Helen Jones' efforts were so well received, pupils wrote letters to their managers at HSBC, asking if the pair could stay for longer periods while volunteering.
Fran and Helen visited Dore Primary to spruce up their tired and dishevelled garden in time for the summer months. It is hoped more birds, insects and frogs will be enticed into the garden for the youngsters to observe and enjoy.
The pair helped pupils aged 10 and 11 to clear the area of twigs and branches which had fallen into the garden during recent storms. They also joined in a litter pick and planted a variety of plants in the school’s bog garden.
Fran, a Senior Analyst on the Business Intelligence Team, said: 'Letter writing is part of the curriculum and a teacher set youngsters the task of writing to our bosses asking if we could spend more time at the school during our volunteering visits.
'The letters seemed to have the desired effect because our second visit was longer.'
Dore Primary is working towards its Silver Award and the Eco-Schools programme is enthusiastically supported by all pupils and Deputy Head Teacher Richard Scholey, who is responsible for its co-ordination.
The school hopes their volunteers will help secure one of the Eco-Schools/HSBC grants so they can improve two makeshift ponds in the grounds.
Fran said: 'I used to volunteer at Heeley City Farm where children from disadvantaged backgrounds had the chance of being outdoors and accessing the natural environment. I saw how well youngsters responded, many of them being the driving force behind their families thinking green and starting to recycle. That has spurred me into doing more work with children encouraging them to be eco-friendly.'
Community spirit: Paul Vickers
Born and bred in Sheffield, IT Relationship Manager Paul Vickers, has a keen interest in giving back to his local community.
It was for that reason he signed up to the new HSBC/Eco-Schools volunteering programme. But since becoming aware of how children involved in Eco-Schools projects develop into caring citizens and become aware of their environmental responsibilities, Paul has developed a real enthusiasm for the scheme.
He said: 'I got involved with the volunteering programme because of my interest in building links with and helping the Sheffield community. But now that I know what is involved and how much the kids get out of being part of an Eco-School, I think it is a fantastic scheme and I’m looking forward to getting into a school and helping.'
Paul attended the first training session for the 40 volunteers signed up to the scheme. During the day they learnt about the different volunteering roles and what would be expected of them. They also heard from teachers and pupils at the two Sheffield Green Flag schools, Reignhead and Mosborough primaries.
'The pupils were very aware environmentally and spoke with such confidence. I think that running their own eco-council and being in control of this project has certainly boosted their self-esteem and given them skills that will stand them in good stead for the future.'
The father-of-two has experience working with children after coaching football for many years. He enjoys working with kids, and hopes to get a placement with a primary school.
He added: 'Children take on board a lot more when they are younger. They are more open to interaction and impressionable if you get them early enough.'
HSBC has a tradition of supporting eco-friendly projects, including WWF and Earthwatch. The company’s involvement benefits business with improved staff morale and engagement with the community.
Old habits die hard: Adrian Green
Environmentalism should be like brushing our teeth – a habit. Only then will we be making serious efforts to combat climate change.
So says Adrian Green, IT analyst at HSBC, who believes that making eco-friendly choices a part of our lifestyle is essential to combating the environmental challenges we face.
'Getting children to think environmentally at an early age is an important part of the solution, although it’s not the only one,' he added.
That's why Adrian signed up to the Eco-Schools HSBC volunteering programme as well as believing it will be good fun.
He is hoping to help a Sheffield school with a practical environmental project, like creating a wildlife or vegetable garden.
'I try to be environmentally friendly but would like to do more. Eco-friendly choices are difficult when they impact on your enjoyment of life, like taking long haul, international flights. Children are much more aware of their responsibilities to the planet, which is amazing.
'But by making responsible choices a part of our everyday life, it becomes less of a hassle. Things like questioning where our food comes from and buying local produce and energy-saving products.'
This is not the first HSBC environmental project Adrian has been involved in. He travelled to Lake Baikal in Siberia as part of the Earthwatch scheme. There he worked with a group of researchers, monitoring the pollution levels of the lake.
'It was a fantastic, life-changing experience, which taught me a lot about our environmental responsibilities,' Adrian added.
Taking on the teenagers: Nicola Savage
IT Auditor, Nicola Savage, is fond of a challenge.
The 27-year-old hopes to work in a Sheffield secondary school as part of her volunteering placement, because it will be just that.
'Working with older children to spread environmental ideas and encourage them to make green lifestyle choices, will be a rewarding role,' said Nicola.
'Little ones are so enthusiastic and keen to make a difference, because they have an idealistic view of life. But some teenagers have picked up bad habits, and are a greater challenge.'
She has signed up to be an Eco-Committee Member or a Green Flag Assessor in the Eco-Schools HSBC volunteering programme.
Nicola describes herself as 'quite' environmentally-friendly as she recycles, has a compost heap and uses public transport. She comes from an environmentally-responsible family and is keen to see if some of their project ideas could be put into practice by a school.
'Many kids are concerned about global warming but don’t have the guidance or confidence to start their own environmental projects. The Eco-Schools scheme addresses that and makes students aware of the little things they can do, to make a big impact on the environment,' she added.
Nicola hopes to bring some of the eco-friendly ideas discussed during Eco-Schools committee meetings back into the HSBC office, making staff aware of their environmental responsibilities too.
