#StrongerTogether with Annemarie Nagle, Fujitsu Volunteer

Fujitsu is participating in the Business Impact Map and the #strongertogether campaign.The interactive map launching today showcases what companies are doing for their local communities across the country and also shows the collective impact of the network. As we unveil the social impact achieved by the participating companies in 2017 we take the opportunity to hear from the volunteers that make this impact a reality.

Annemarie Nagle is HR Advisor for Fujitsu, as part of the #strongertogether campaign, Annemarie shares her thoughts on volunteering.

Tell us about your volunteering experience…

I currently volunteer for the Schools Business Partnership Programme and our Charity Partnership with The National Council for the Blind Ireland. My colleagues & I have been involved in delivering/developing a multitude of professional advisory workshops & initiatives to 5^th Year Students in St. Josephs School Rush for the past 4 years. These include CV & Interview Skills workshops, CV & Cover letter clinics, Interview sessions for our Fujitsu Student Summer internship and everything in between. Going from strength to strength, Fujitsu is now going into its 8^th year of this programme. I was also delighted to deliver a similar prospective employee advisory programme to our official Charity Partner Service Users of NCBI (National Council of the Blind Ireland).  Recently, we have received feedback that 4 out of the 11 attendees of these workshops have gone on to gainful employment. This impact is something we are exceptionally proud of. Last June, I took part in the Ladies Mini Marathon in aid of NCBI. Together we raised €1,600 for the NCBI from this event. Additionally, I managed the NCBI clothing collection which is emptied every few weeks. It has been filled and collected 8 times since we received it last year amounting to a value of €3450 for the charity.

Why did you decide to take part and volunteer?

Before I worked for Fujitsu, I worked for a not for profit organisation in Dublin. This organisation helped and supported people who were homeless, suffering from addiction & Youth Services to name a few. While I worked there, I saw all the amazing work the Care Workers did and how rewarding, yet very tough, their jobs were. I knew I didn’t want to change my career, but I knew then that I wanted to get more involved in volunteering and giving something back. Fujitsu has allowed me to do this within my role. It is part of the Fujitsu culture and I’m so delighted that I am now part of this.

What did you enjoy from the experience?

I really enjoy every part of the programmes I have been a part of. I enjoy the interaction with the Students and the NCBI Service Users. It’s great to get feedback from the teachers in the school that the parents of the students have noticed a boost in confidence from their children as a result of the workshops. We have also received fantastic feedback from NCBI and the fact that they want us to continue to deliver this workshop for the remainder of the charity partnership is testament to this.

What would you say to a colleague who hasn’t volunteered before to encourage him/her to give it a go?

I would tell them how volunteering gives me a lift and sense of involvement in my community and workplace. Even when you’re very busy in a demanding role, it’s important and good for your mental health to step away from it at times to get involved in something different. It’s a great way to get to know your colleagues a little better and build your internal network. There are so many benefits to volunteering, you are not only helping others, you are also helping yourself.

How important is it to you that the company you work for shares your values and facilitates you to undertake volunteering activities as part of your role?

This is extremely important to me. I have worked for various companies in varying sectors over the years and I can safely say that Fujitsu is the most supportive and proactive organisation in relation to its CSR and BITCI activities. The passion and the time that Fujitsu puts into its volunteering activities is to be commended. This is a company who does what they say they are going to do. This culture is driven from the top and that is what makes the difference.

Visit the Business Impact Map  to see the impact that Fujitsu have made together with their employees in 2017.

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