Never work with children or animals – that’s the old saying!
But here at Approach we find our work with schools some of the most rewarding activities we do. We all know that children make great press photos but the joy we get from working with younger people runs much deeper than getting great coverage – for us and our clients.
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has snowballed in all areas of business and what better way to ‘give something back’ than to reach out to local schools and work with them on a project which not only demonstrates a genuine care for your community but also provides real and tangible benefits to children.
We set up a partnership between one of our clients that manufactures speciality chemicals and their local school. For a company of this type demonstrating openness and transparency is essential to gain the trust of those communities around them. Closed doors and lack of communication can lead to inaccurate and negative impressions of a company with something to hide.
But at Airedale Chemical, each year pupils are welcomed through the doors for a day of videos, workshops and experiments and has become a highlight of the company’s calendar for all involved.
Bradford Manufacturing Week, a Bradford Chamber of Commerce initiative, was launched recently and will take place in October focusing solely on school-age children, recognising them as the future of manufacturing in the region and encouraging them to consider a career in manufacturing. Bradford businesses are being encouraged to open their doors to pupils offering work experience to give them an insight into how interesting and rewarding manufacturing-related jobs can be.
The aim is that 1,000 work experience days will be created at Bradford manufacturers inspiring a new generation to carry the baton and continue the city’s illustrious industrial heritage.
There’s a reason why children and schools play such an important and effective role in PR and CSR campaigns, and it’s not just because of the cute pictures. Working with children actually makes a difference – to their future and the future of your business!
It doesn’t take a huge amount of time or budget to make a truly positive impact on children and their schools, to inspire and be inspired by the next generation. So, consider what knowledge and experience your company holds that you could share with our young ones and enjoy the changes you could make.
(Images courtesy of Airedale Chemical and Bradford Manufacturing Week)
