Initiative: Volunteering
Colliers CRE, one of the UK's top 10 property advisers, has piloted avolunteering programme bringing together employees from the company'snetwork of 20 UK and European offices, as well as those from clientNationwide Building Society's Swindon HQ.
These employees came together to construct two ecologically-sustainablebuildings for pupils at Covingham Park Junior School in Swindon in justeight hours. The day proved so successful it has now been rolled out toschools close to Colliers CRE's other offices.
The employees were divided into five teams - two for building, one eachfor fundraising, decorating and communications. Every hour - from 9am to6pm - the team leader was changed and one member of each team switchedto another to share skills and information.
As well as the construction challenge, participants were given the taskof raising funds from the local community for the New Start Trust(NEST), a charity dedicated to building homes for orphans and theircommunities in the developing world. With four programmes completed todate, almost 40,000 has been raised.
Jenny Chandler, head of human resources at Colliers CRE, says: "Theprogramme, devised by leadership development experts Aspire, differsfrom many others because it not only encourages participants to sharetheir skills, but also engages the pupils in a community-based projectand leaves them with a lasting gift."
The format enhanced team-working and leadership skills within internalteams, as well as helping strengthen working relationships betweenColliers CRE's staff and its clients. The company now plans to hold moreof these days throughout 2008.
