Business in the Community Northern Ireland calls for business volunteers to support early intervention programmes
Business in the Community Northern Ireland calls for business volunteers to support early intervention programmes
Business in the Community Northern Ireland (BITC NI) is urging businesses to enable employees to step forward and volunteer for its impactful early intervention programmes – Time to Read, Time to Code and Time 2 Count.
Currently, just over 300 volunteers support more than 6,000 pupils in 100 schools across Northern Ireland, supporting children to improve their overall ability levels, boost their confidence and self-esteem, and help them achieve their full potential. The programmes help inspire young people about future careers and link the skills they learn in the classroom to different jobs.
By focusing on numeracy, digital, and literacy skills, these programmes provide children with the necessary tools and resources to succeed in school and in life. By investing in early intervention programmes like these, Northern Ireland is helping to create a brighter future for its children and communities.
Ciara Mulgrew, Programme Manager at BITC NI, emphasised the importance of these initiatives: “Our programmes are about more than just reading, numbers and coding; they are about opening doors to new opportunities and building confidence in young learners. Volunteers are the heart of these efforts, and their dedication makes a lasting difference in the lives of children across Northern Ireland.”
With no funding from government, corporate partners such as Allstate Northern Ireland and A&O Shearman have been instrumental in supporting these programmes.
Dr Stephen McKeown, vice president and managing director from Allstate Northern Ireland empowers employees to drive change, saying: “Allstate gives back to the communities where we live and work, and community outreach forms one of our key pillars. Over the past year, we have worked closely with BITC NI to understand how we can best help Allstate employees volunteer across the programme.”
Pauline Wylie, Communications Manager, A&O Shearman, explains why there is such strong commitment from the global law firm: “We believe every child deserves the opportunity to learn and to build skills that will last a lifetime. That’s why we back the Time to initiatives with funding from the A&O Shearman Foundation and hands-on support from our people. Since opening our office in Belfast in 2011, over 100 colleagues have stepped up to volunteer, helping to deliver the programmes in local primary schools—a reflection of our culture to drive social impact and to use our resources and skills to help build a fairer society.”
BITC NI invites employees from businesses across Northern Ireland to get involved. Volunteering options are flexible to suit you. Your time and effort can change lives.
For more information on how to volunteer, visit www.bitcni.org.uk/TimeToHub.
ENDS
For more information, please contact Helen Bowman, Head of Communications, Business in the Community Northern Ireland on 07714 755312, or by email at helen.bowman@bitcni.org.uk.