Being a Champion of Good

The National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) recently recognised Changi Airport Group (CAG) as a Champion of Good for being an exemplary leader in catalysing social change and advocating a culture of giving amongst employees. In its inaugural year, the Champions of Good status is part of NVPC’s Company of Good, a nationwide network of businesses who have inspired their staff and made an impact in community development.

Justina Tan, Managing Director, People Team, receiving the Champion of Good status from Minister Heng Swee Keat

 

The ethos that drives CAG’s corporate giving philosophy is the belief in the potential of people. As a result, Changi Foundation -- the philanthropic arm of CAG - was formed in April 2012, with a special focus on helping disadvantaged youths realise their untapped potential and prepare them for future employment. Since its inception, the foundation has gone from strength to strength with more employees and partners in the airport community stepping up to volunteer their time, services and resources. Even passengers play their part too! It’s hard to miss the ubiquitous Changi Foundation donation boxes that dot the pathways of the terminals.

One key beneficiary is NorthLight School, a vocational school that aims to prepare students struggling with academics for employability. Changi Foundation’s programmes are specially designed for these students to deliver a wholesome developmental experience. The fully immersive initiative sees volunteers leveraging their specific skills to mentor the students in a myriad of ways, such as sharpening their interview skills, providing one-to-one coaching in Math, or bonding over soccer. Even more heartening is that today, 21 airport partners have pledged their support for NorthLight School by offering annual job attachments and other programmes – up from the initial six partners when it first launched!

These opportunities are positive life-changing experiences not only for the youth, but for their mentors too. One active employee volunteer is Mr John Ong, a safety management manager at Changi Airport who has committed nearly 30 hours to volunteer work in 2017. He recalls his most memorable experience was mentoring a student from NorthLight School who had a five-day job attachment at Changi Airport: “I witnessed how my mentee transformed from a quiet and hesitant person on day one, to a confident and motivated young man who was ready to take on challenges. I felt like a proud father when I saw him receive his certificate of completion on stage.”

To further ingrain the spirit of giving, employees are often encouraged to volunteer together as a division, with training provided to prepare them. Changi Airport employees are given three days of volunteer leave, and this policy was put to good use last year as Changi Airport volunteers clocked more than 2,500 volunteer hours.

Ms Ivy Choo, Senior Manager from People Team, summed up “The community is at the heart of all we do, and through our strong partnership with NorthLight School, we hope to make a difference in the lives of these disadvantaged youths and inspire them to give back to society. At the same time, our employees feel a deeper sense of purpose and togetherness, which goes a long way in building a meaningful and positive work culture.” 

Visit Changi Foundation for more information.

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