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
UK – Tall Ships Youth Trust
Ten days on the high seas with up to 70 people you've never met - the participants come back full of new knowledge, new friends and increased self-confidence and awareness. This is the essential core of a Tall Ships voyage.
Since 2001, HSBC has supported one voyage of achievement per year. Forty-eight disadvantaged students from around the UK join each HSBC voyage. With a core crew of experienced volunteers, the young people learn how to sail the ship as well as take care of all of the other on-board duties like cooking and cleaning. In between the hard work of running the ship, they make new friends, practice team building and communication skills, and generally have a lot of fun. HSBC has committed funding until 2009.
For many of these students, the voyage can be a life-changing experience. The following testimony was written by a head teacher about several students who attended an HSBC voyage of achievement.
'As a result of *Allen's voyage on this autumn's HSBC tall ships experience, *Allen has been successful in gaining a scholarship from Trinity House. This will pay his tuition at university along with a salary during university and provide him with a job in the Merchant Navy at the end. It is fair to say that *Allen had not considered a career at sea before the voyage. Out of coincidence he will be joining another HSBC tall ship student at Hull University, *Tom. After his HSBC-supported voyage, *Tom went back to do several more tall ships voyages as crew whilst serving his apprenticeship on the Cutty Sark.
'Other successful students who have taken part in the voyage of achievement include *Mark who went on to get straight A grades and this autumn started at Cambridge (university), and *Kevin on the same voyage as *Mark, who has started a university course in marine biology. *Callum, who took part in this autumn's voyage, has written to his watch leader to try and get a place as volunteer crew.'
*Names have been changed to ensure privacy
2007
This year's HSBC voyage of achievement took place in July on the Stavros S Niarchos. At the end of the 10-day voyage, the very vocal crew was greeted by friends, family and teachers on HMS Belfast in London,. The ship and crew passed under Tower Bridge singing and chanting from their perches in the masts. They also performed a song once on board the Belfast, written for the occasion. To find out more about the experience, you can read the logs the students kept while on board.
If you are interested in supporting a Tall Ships opportunity for young people, or experiencing it for yourself, click here.
