International Corporate Volunteering: Putting Your Skills to Good Use - Sponsored Article

Photo Caption: From left to right – Jann Kohlman (centre) with Mrs Ngai Lim, and Mrs Bhun Mai at their chicken farm in Ta Chat village, Koh Kong province in south-west Cambodia.

Australian corporate volunteers are using their skills to build the capacity of a range of international programs and promote cultural awareness through Austraining International’s Corporate Volunteering Program.

Optus employee Jann Kohlman, Group Manager Sponsorship and Community Programs, used her 25 years experience in the marketing and communications industry to help boost the profile of international aid organisation CARE.

Austraining International’s Corporate Volunteering Program provided Kohlman with the opportunity to undertake a five week placement with CARE Cambodia’s head office in Phnom Penh.

Austraining says its Corporate Volunteer Programs utilise the skills of an individual employee in a capacity building program to raise cultural awareness and provide personal and professional development. The programs can vary in length from four to 12 weeks

Adelaide-based Austraining International provides an all encompassing Corporate Volunteer Program including assignment sourcing, briefing and training as well as supportive in-country management.

Kohlman’s role was to develop a practical and manageable communication plan that could be implemented by CARE staff once she returned to her day job in Sydney.

The Newtown resident also contributed to a number of other communications projects, such as interviewing women involved in CARE programs, and writing stories that demonstrate the positive changes these programs are making in some of the country’s poorest communities.

Kohlman says through participation in CARE’s programs these women have developed the skills, confidence and support to do things like open small businesses, introduce new options to their farms, all things that have given them an income and some independence.

She says it was a privilege to meet these women and to share their stories to assist CARE in their communications activities.

Optus Corporate Social Responsibility manager Helen Maisano says that the partnership with Austraining International through their Corporate Volunteering Program has assisted Optus employees to develop leadership skills and allows employees to make a tangible difference in developing communities.

If you want to find out more about corporate volunteering, please visit http://www.austraining.com.au/corporatevolunteering/