Fujitsu strategic community investment with St. Laurence College, Loughlinstown

In August 2021, Fujitsu launched the Fujitsu Strategic Community Investment Fund globally inviting employees worldwide to put forward social causes that support the UN Sustainable Development goals. Fujitsu employees from across the globe applied to this fund, and St. Laurence College, Loughlinstown was selected as one of the recipients to benefit from this investment.

As a leading Global technology company, Fujitsu are committed to building new possibilities by connecting people, technology, and ideas, creating a more sustainable world where anyone can advance their dreams. Fujitsu’s Community Investment fund has enabled them to partner with St. Laurence college to support students in the school, in particular students with Autism. The school’s mission is to meet the needs of the whole school community so that the growth and development of each individual is realized.  The school has developed programmes to support students with Autism in the area which has twice the number of children with Autism than the national average.

Fujitsu will support the school’s vision of building a state-of-the-art sensory garden, a safe space where all children are welcome and included. Michael Jackson of Fujitsu recalls meeting one of the children from the school “Pre lockdown I met with one of the children  and he was so enthusiastic about the garden. I asked him if he had more money to invest in the garden what would he do. He said he would make it bigger so the whole school and the outside community could come in and enjoy it. I thought this was an amazing answer…Inclusiveness radiating from that child”

Fujitsu will also support the school’s by replacing existing outdated technology with an Ambassador Hub within the existing lab, an inclusive space where all children are provided with the same opportunities to learn through technology. Shane Fitzgerald, the Principal of St. Laurence is committed to providing a safe environment where the children are happy to come to have equitable access to the tools to give them every opportunity to succeed in life. Educational programmes in Coding, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics will be provided, and in addition, a course on Crypto Security for parents to be aware of how to keep their children safe online.

Future workplace and society is another element of the programme which focuses on the integration of the students of St. Laurence into the world of work. Fujitsu have collaborated with local GAA Club Cuala to provide coaching, both athletic and academic, and to integrate the communities together through sport, academia and business. This involves career guidance days, work experience and job placements. Irish Government Minister Cormac Devlin TD has also committed to help drive this community movement to integrate the students of St Laurence into the future workplace and society.

Fujitsu have commenced collaboration with the school primarily because we share the core values of empathy, aspiration and trust align. Together we will build trust with the local community and will support the students’ aspirations. We jointly want to create a pathway in a safe environment that allows the children to be the best they can be and create the best life possible for themselves and their families.

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