Batgung

The usual way for your company to help others is for a group of staff to visit and help one of the charities in Hong Kong.

But there's another way you can help. It's only available to businesses, and gives regular, ongoing help directly to the person that most needs it:

This is a work placement offered by Wildfire restaurant to one of the students at the Nesbitt Centre, an organisation that caters to English-speaking adults with learning disabilities.

If you remember your first pay-check, and the feelings of pride and independence it gave you, you'll know how valuable the chance to work is for these students. Unfortunately the Centre has more students than work placements - could your company help?

If you're interested, the person to contact at the Nesbitt Centre is Ms Kay Rawbone, Director of Work Opportunities, Tel: 2813 4550, or
email: kay.thenesbittcentre@gmail.com. She'll be pleased to hear from you, and will be able to answer your questions, and any concerns you think your staff may have.

Also talk to Kay about the benefits you can expect. There are the obvious results of getting the work done. But there are also the positive effects on your staff, both from the knowledge they are helping others, and from the friendly attidude the students bring to the workplace.

Finally, don't worry if you're in a different field of business. If you check the 'Work Opportunities' section of the Nesbitt Centre's website, you'll see more examples including data-entry at inProjects, work at ParknShop, gardening, and library work.

Readers, what other volunteering opportunities (work placements or others) can you suggest for companies?