In my head of culture role I had the pleasure to interview a mid life information technology professional today who wished to work four days per week. I was delighted to be able to assure her that my company embraces a range of working arrangements. We not only acknowledge that a high performing professional may give 20% of their productive time to other concerns - be it children, parents or the broader community - we as an organisation also devote a portion of our time to the community in which we live. Pledge 1% is a formal way that we give expression to this.
We all have personal stories to tell - here is mine.
I had a lot of troubles when I was an adolescent. Finding my place in the adult world seemed more of a challenge than it perhaps should have been. The adults around me had their jobs and I was not really a part of this - my role was to study and become a professional. I did not have a clue.
I have always loved carpentry. This is one passion my father and I could share. Through a number of strange coincidences I ended up building boats with a passionate man driven to help communities. Last November my wife and I took a week from our busy professional lives and went to Eden with the simple intent of helping a bunch of local indigenous young adults build and paddle wooden canoes. The two week process was made into a short film documentary that featured in the 2021 Melbourne and Sydney festivals.
The second half of the film talks a lot about reconciliation. I can’t comment meaningfully about this - I’m a first generation migrant and it is complex. I was honoured to be part of ceremony.
I was only there for the first week but in that time we built and paddled three wooden double canoes. Lots of other stuff happened around this simple, focused carpentry exercise and in many ways that was the point - it was a gathering of young and old and I will always remember it.
We have so much discretionary time to give and I for one have a great desire to spend that time well. Being part of an organisation that actively supports this kind of thing is heart warming.
DataColada supports Pledge 1% and in fact endeavours to surpass it by achieving Pledge 5% targets each year.
1 Comment
