Lend Lease's annual September Community Day
By Brian Milroy
Every year, over 4000 Lend Lease employees from around the world volunteer their time and lend their skill, knowledge and muscle to local community projects. Employees are encouraged to provide support to local communities and this, in turn, supports Lend Lease's vision of becoming a sustainable organisation. Known as Community Day, the programme is the longest running and most popular activity of the Lend Lease Foundation, which was formed in 1983, to enhance the wellbeing and career development of its employees through social, educational and community-related activities.
According to Tamara Reeves, Foundation Program Manager, employees from over 30 countries are involved in Community Day activities every year. "Throughout the world, they give their time to about 200 projects every September, which adds up to over 180,000 hours over the past 11 years," she said.
"In Australia, Community Day in September 2006 resulted in 62 community projects being completed by over 1300 Lend Lease volunteers. These projects are demonstrating an impact on people from inner city suburbs to country communities."
"Projects for Community Day can be nominated by any Lend Lease employee who then becomes the team leader responsible for putting the team together and guiding the project to a successful conclusion," Tamara said. "In this way, the project also serves as an important tool for the team leaders to learn project management and development skills."
People who benefit from the efforts of the Lend Lease volunteers on Community Day are typically disadvantaged groups, the elderly, youth, the homeless and people with disabilities. Projects can range from building vegetable gardens and preparing food to renovating community buildings such as schools, libraries and community centres.
One example of employee involvement is a project team of 37 Lend Lease volunteers who helped out at a Rozelle facility which provides meals for homeless people. The property was acquired by Just Enough Faith, a charity established in 1993 by former restaurateur Jeff Gambin and his wife Alina. The Gambins and a team of volunteers supply food seven days a week, all year round for some of Sydney's homeless.
"A team of 37 Lend Lease employees was organised to work on five separate projects at the Rozelle facility," Tamara said. "They expanded the vegetable gardens, installed drip irrigation systems, renovated existing garden beds, built a pathway and tidied up the surrounding areas. It is really great that they could help Just Enough Faith to help others."
Just Enough Faith serves about 400 hot meals a night from their van. Gambin and his wife Alina still draw solely on their own funds for 80% of the operating costs. The other 20% is covered by the goodwill of suppliers. Some of the fresh ingredients are supplied by a farm. The new and restored gardens at Rozelle will add to this supply.
Lend Lease volunteers also built a vegetable garden in Picton, NSW, for the local Meals on Wheels' organisation. The garden will supply fresh vegetables for meals which are eventually delivered to people in Picton and surrounding areas. The local Meals on Wheels' volunteers say the garden is very important because vegetables can be grown cheaply. Many of the clients are elderly and need nutritious, fresh, healthy food.
During the school holidays, 20 Lend Lease volunteers also descended on Pacific Paradise Primary School at Coolum, near Maroochydore in Queensland, to take part in a large-scale makeover of a garden and some small construction and painting jobs. The school's front garden was merely a dirt patch and was causing safety concerns but the job was so big that it required the use of bobcats and trucks to shift 50 metres of soil and 50 metres of bark chips.
According to Ian Miskin, the school's principal, such a major job would not have been possible during school hours. He said the makeover included the painting of an outside reading area next to the library with about 50 litres of paint and the construction and painting of cubby houses for the younger children's play areas. This community work has ultimately provided a reinvigorated environment for both students and teachers.
"These are excellent examples of Lend Lease employees being able to use their skills to create something sustainable for a community organisation," Tamara said. "Community Day provides Lend Lease employees around the world with a great opportunity to give back to their local communities. "The day allows staff to participate in activities where they can make a difference to the community where they work and live," she said.
More information
Visit Just Enough Faith