As a Company we have an opportunity to provide tremendous resource to benefit the community in which we work, whilst meeting a number of our own business goals and challenges.
It is with this in mind that we have committed to participating in a number of different projects within the Education sector. Through YE Programmes we hope to develop management, communication and presentation skills and personal awareness for our staff by partnering with schools local to the Agency or to our employees’ homes.
We have identified a number of our key players to represent Saatchi and Saatchi and each one has been very keen to participate and seen this as a reward. Whilst there has been a certain amount of trepidation on their part, they have tackled the programmes with enthusiasm and commitment. We have found this a great vehicle for staff motivation and as a team building exercise.
In turn, as individuals, they have developed or enhanced their communication and interpersonal skills, increased their awareness of the community, provided them with a feeling of worth and a sense of putting something back, which in our type of industry is often lacking and cited as a reason for leaving the business.
After presenting to a group of 50 plus school children, clients prove to be no problem at all!
Kate Morris
Director of HR
Saatchi & Saatchi
A select few of us at Saatchi & Saatchi were given the opportunity to work with Young Enterprise. I was thrilled to have this opportunity as it meant that I could give something back to the community and it would take me outside the business bubble and every day working life!
On arrival the reality of the rest of my day started to creep in, I was about to enter a classroom of nearly thirty 8 year olds and attempt to educate them on life in ‘Our Community’. However hearing that I had I had the “difficult” year group was not music to my ears, so knowing that the teacher was staying with me helped my confidence. Once I had introduced myself to the class and began the programme things just seemed to fall in to place and my nerves began to subside with each passing lesson. It was great fun and I felt really privileged to be working with the children. Seeing the different personalities and skills of each of the children was fantastic. Assessing their needs and helping them was such a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment.
When the day was over I was sad to say goodbye but I felt it had put areas of my working life into perspective and I could certainly see the importance of contributing to a worthwhile scheme. I was relieved I had survived the day and I felt like I had really achieved something.
By Saatchi & Saatchi teaming up with Young Enterprise it has given me the opportunity for personal development and it has enabled me to look at the bigger picture. I would most definitely recommend participating in YE and would love to do it again. You certainly get a glimpse of the trials and tribulations of being a teacher.
Nicola Ridley
Account Manager
I was thrilled when asked to take part in the YE scheme as it fulfilled a personal need I had to participate in an activity outside of the work/social environment.
I thought the idea behind it was great - exposing school pupils to the wonderful world of business. Far more sensible to broach the subject now rather than leave it to University as not all of the girls would follow that path.
I knew it would be a challenge, so in that sense it appealed, but I felt confident some of the skills we employ on a daily basis at work would be transferable: holding an audience's attention so that they would listen to what I have got to say about my product (in this case advertising). I devised a game-plan in a very ‘advertising’ way: find out about the target market, tailor my message accordingly and make the speech interactive where possible to ensure I draw them in.
Nice theory. When faced with a room full of 70 girls all talking a million words a minute about anything but careers I suddenly felt a little less sure of myself.
Thankfully the program the YE had pulled together formed the basis of the day so the structure was already in place. The morning was easy…Verity, admirably lead the way talking us through economies and budgets in a relevant and interesting way. She had pitched it at just the right level…the girls were learning something new but it was approached in a very accessible way.
The afternoon session was all about advertising so over to me. In a nutshell, I loved it. It was a great opportunity to babble on about something I find very interesting and thankfully it was a topic that seemed to appeal to the girls too.
As well as talking generically about advertising, the YE program suggested an activity whereby the girls split into teams and are asked to launch a new brand of water: devise a name, logo, strap line and advert. What a success. They took the task very seriously as they were going to have to present their ad on stage to the rest of the class and a prize would be won. The noise levels grew and grew along with my anticipation!
How did they do? Brilliantly. What amazing performers. We had singing, dancing, crying, laughing, every emotion under the sun to try and sell their products!
If I didn’t love my job so much I would have been tempted to go back to school. For me it was fun, entertaining, educational and fulfilling. I just hope the girls got something out of it too!
Melanie Powl
Saatchi & Saatchi
