Digital services firm Zaizi recently took part in their first Future Frontiers programme. We worked closely with Tracey Robinson, Chief People Officer, who reflects on how taking part in the programme allowed Zaizi employees to feel more connected to the communities they serve.
“We engaged with Future Frontiers this year for the first time and had our first cohort of students in to coach in their future careers. I thought the whole setup of the process as a coach was fantastic - we got lots of guidance and I really enjoyed it and could really see the benefit of it for the children.”
What made you choose to work with Future Frontiers?
“We chose to partner with Future Frontiers because it fits with our values, but we also wanted to give our employees an opportunity to learn and develop as well. We had a lot of volunteers and they were all keen (as well as to help the children) to develop their own skills. It gives them an opportunity to do something else while they're at work, that's helping and impacting other people's lives.”
One of our key reasons for doing this was around diversity. The work that we do is to help UK citizens and to enable us to do that effectively, we need to be able to have employees within the organisation that reflect the diversity of the UK.
Why did the Future Frontiers mission resonate with you?
Future Frontiers mission really resonated with Zaizi and our values. We talk about realising potential and that's for everybody, all of the UK: citizens; ourselves; our employees, so it was a really great opportunity to help start realising the potential of the students. One of our key reasons for doing this was also around diversity. The work that we do is to help UK
citizens and to enable us to do that effectively, we need to be able to have employees within the organisation that reflect the diversity of the UK.
It was great to see the impact report at the end of our sessions and we're aware that Future Frontiers continue to work with the students that we've coached. To really have an understanding of who those students are, and to think about them in their future - how they might be attending school more, doing better in their grades and progressing through to finishing education and going into a career - it really makes it meaningful.
How would you describe your experience as a volunteer?
The experience I had with my student was a real journey. She did come in with a bit of an idea about what she wanted to do when she finished school, but she was open to exploring other ideas. I think the programme allows you to go off piste from what a student is initially thinking, but actually we ended up coming back to the same career path that she was interested in in the first place. To me, that says that is what she should be doing, because she's very passionate about it.
“To really have an understanding of who those students are and think about them in their future - it really makes it meaningful.”
Tracey Robinson, Chief People Officer, Zaizi
