How do you get employees to come out and support a local charitable initiative on Toronto’s snowiest day in two years? Have them take the lead on the cause! According to the 2011 Deloitte Volunteer IMPACT survey, employee-led volunteer initiatives can significantly improve employee engagement, and subsequently improve productivity. The activities can create a positive work culture and brand by uniting employees across departments behind a common cause and help improve morale and establish friendly relations.
As a new intern at Softchoice, I learned this first-hand when I volunteered at a fundraising event called Tokens 4 Change. The event is held every February to raise money for Youth Without Shelter; a Toronto-based, emergency youth residence and referral agency focused on removing barriers that prevent our homeless youth from becoming independent. [Read more...]
Softchoice sports event raises money for local charity through a friendly game of 
Children are inspirational: They are resilient and whatever life throws at them, they take it in stride. They also look towards the future rather than harping on the past.
The building adjacent to our guesthouse in Bali is owned by a local church. From afar, its majestic columns and polished tile stand in stark contrast to the rice fields that surround most of the island’s interior. Much like Bali itself though, there are constant reminders that this is purely aesthetic. Small rodents call this building home, and share the space with roaches and a family of birds, who disappear into the light fixtures each night. This duality is essentially why we chose Bali as our project location. 
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