Employee Volunteering
There are huge rewards to be gained by including an employee volunteering program into your staff benefits package. You’ll be investing in your staff, your reputation and a deserving volunteer project that’s making a real difference to the lives of people in the developing world.
Take a look at the benefits of an i-to-i employee volunteering project for more information.
How can you implement a staff development program within your company?
The requirements of every organisation are different and we aim to cater for all of them. There are three different ways to implement an i-to-i employee volunteering program so you can choose the one that best suits your company.
i-to-i corporate groups
The group package encourages team-building while developing employee skills. These programs demonstrate your commitment to staff development and will help your company to both recruit and retain staff.
By sending a group out to a volunteer project you’ll make your company stand out from the crowd something that’s becoming increasingly important as the business world becomes more and more competitive. It’s also a great chance to improve the reputation of your company by demonstrating your commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility.
i-to-i sabbaticals
Nearly 1 million people are considering taking a career break in 2007*.
That means one million people leaving their jobs in favour of travelling the world. Initiating a sabbatical program can help you combine your employees travel plans with your business goals. Such programs help to reduce employee turnover and increase employee moral. On top of that, your staff will return to work invigorated and ready to face the challenges that lie ahead.
* Research conducted by Direct Line Insurance.
The i-to-i travel club
Sign up to our staff travel club and all of your staff will be eligible for an exclusive discount off all i-to-i travel products. It's an inexpensive and inspiring addition to your staff benefits package!
Group volunteer projects
We work with over 500 projects worldwide so you should be able to find one that meets the needs of your organisation. Below is a list of the types of project you could be sending your group out to.
- Community development
These projects will see your staff working with local people to improve their quality of life and future career prospects. You could choose to send your employees to work in an orphanage in Sri Lanka, to teach in India or to help out at a renovation project in Brazil. Your employees will develop a whole range of interpersonal and communication skills as they learn to work effectively with local organisations.
- Building
These projects offer some of the greatest rewards as employees leave a lasting reminder of all their hard work. We’ll provide the training so you can provide homes, schools and futures for poor and displaced communities. Volunteers will develop language, communication and life skills on these projects.
- Conservation
These projects will see your employees working as a team to preserve fragile ecosystems and endangered wildlife. You could send your employees to save turtles in Costa Rica, plant trees in Kenya or rescue animals in Cape Town. Employees will benefit from increased confidence as they improve their communication skills and global awareness.
- Self-development
These projects are a great way to prepare your employees for promotion or assess their leadership potential. Our self development programs in Malaysia will enable your people to improve their self knowledge and perform more effectively as part of a team.
- Sports
A great way to re-energize your employees, these projects will see your employees coaching local children and helping them to live healthier, happier lives. Your staff could be working in orphanages, schools and community centres as they pass their skills onto the next generation. Employees will develop communication, leadership and team-work skills.
A few possibilities:
Working with a community project in Bangalore
Your employees could find themselves teaching some of the city’s many street children and orphans or they could be helping disabled women to develop occupational skills. These projects are funded by NGOs and government ministries but, due to the widespread poverty in the region, they have very limited resources. The beauty of these projects is that your time and effort is all that is needed to make a lasting and positive impact.
Building homes in Honduras
Your employees will be working with Save the Children to help indigenous Lenca communities to build new homes in the stunning Western Highlands. This is a hands-on project and volunteers will need to be reasonably fit. It’s hard work but extremely rewarding and volunteers will head home with a real sense of pride in their accomplishments. The group could be involved in every aspect of the building process from making mud bricks to painting and decorating the finished homes. They’ll be working together as a team to make a lasting contribution to this underprivileged community. The results driven focus and social aspects of this project make it ideal for team-building and improving staff morale.
Working on an ecology conservation project in Kenya
This is the ideal opportunity for ecologically aware businesses to make a lasting impact on the environment around Mount Kenya. With a government committed to the preservation of Kenya’s rich natural resources it’s unsurprising that environmental programs can be found all over the country. This project involves replanting deforested areas which in-turn helps to protect wildlife, stop soil erosion and safeguard water supplies. This is a great project for team-building, improving communications and demonstrating your commitment to your corporate social responsibilities.
Leadership programs in Malaysia
Fusing the ancient wisdom and teachings of the East with the leadership training, these projects offer a unique range of benefits that are perfectly suited to the demands of modern business. The “Way of the Warrior†teaches emotional intelligence and key leadership strategies through the study of martial arts techniques. “Hidden Tiger, Mystic River†is a journey of personal discovery which takes groups right to the heart of the Malaysian jungle. Together they’ll be trek out to remote settlements to help out at under-resourced community development projects. Both of these two week courses offer the chance for improved teamwork, development of new skills and can often give revealing insights into the leadership capabilities of your employees.
Sports coaching with children in Kenya
Your group will be passing on their athletic skills to the next generation as they help to rehabilitate local children by giving them an alternative to drugs and crime. It’s an incredibly rewarding experience and your employees will head home safe in the knowledge that they’ve made a real difference to the lives of these children. This is a great opportunity to improve employee confidence as well as helping them develop people and leadership skills. They’ll also learn how to effectively work as part of a team as they work with youngsters and colleagues toward a common goal.
Extra activities
An employee volunteering program isn’t just about developing your employee’s skills, it’s about encouraging fresh perspective and improving motivation. That’s why we offer a range of additional activities, includingâ€.
- Sightseeing tours
You employees could be getting to grips with their host country as they visit local attractions and tour the land. This could include anything from taking a Safari to visiting a local temple.
- Cultural activities
Get your employees involved in the local culture by sending them out to take part in traditional crafts. This could include anything from cooking lessons to calligraphy!
- Sports
Let your employees make the most of their host country by doing the things they would probably never do at home! Possible activities include climbing, surfing and swimming with local wildlife!
- Shopping
Everyone wants a souvenir from their travels so why not arrange for your employees to visit the local market and shopping districts.
- Language lessons
Take advantage of this great opportunity to get your employees learning and using a new language. Their new skills will prove really handy when they get back into the office too!
Tailoring your group volunteering program
We offer over 500 projects in five continents so we should be able to find one to suit you. We’ll tailor your group volunteer program to suit the specific needs of your group to ensure that your employees will get the most out of their experience. Call us and we'll arrange a a meeting to discuss your options.
Take a look at our tailor made travel service for more information.
