Values into Community Action - Tyler Foundation

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Values into Community Action | 2007-2008 In the past year participants have included: Cynthia Cournuejouls, Robert-Jan De Bruin, Linde Groven, Maaike Janssen, Pit Kuijper, Leon Mensink, Barbara nijhuis, eveline scholvink, Angelique schuyt, Mardin smayel, Critania smith, Jochem spaans, Bas stevens, Carolijn Ulmers, Jantine Vermont, Luurt Wildeboer and Merel Zwankhuizen. In addition, around half of the office employees donated a toy for the “Donate a toy” initiative. More information (Dutch) can be found on: www.amsterdamcares.nl stICHtInG LeZen & sCHRIJVen Stichting Lezen & Schrijven (The Reading & Writing Foundation) is an initiative of Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands. The foundation was launched in May 2004 (with which we assisted), its objective being to devote attention to the 1.5 million members of the Dutch population who, because of poor literacy, are unable to participate fully within society. The foundation aims to stimulate debate about this problem and to contribute to its alleviation. Volunteers have included: Jasper de Jong, Martin Plak, Wijnanda Rutten and Michiel Wuisman. More information (Dutch) can be found on: www.lezenenschrijven.nl PRO BOnO WORK The activities described above are a general overview of the pro bono and community work carried out by the Amsterdam office and its individual employees. This overview, however, is not an all-embracing report of all our community work. The work of our non-legal staff, for instance, is not registered in a pro bono timekeeping system. Furthermore, many of the initiatives taken by our fee-earners are not recorded. That is because in the Netherlands, pro bono and community work are often regarded as private commitments, not as commitments to or of the firm. Other work over the past year has included that for Madurodam, Plan Nederland, Stichting Streetwise Network, AMREF, Ronald McDonald Stichting, Stichting Kids Moving the World, Stichting Missing Children Europe and Stichting ZAM-net. Additionally, the Employment department of the Amsterdam office regularly acts on a pro bono basis for individuals who have difficulties with their employers but who can neither afford to pay for legal advice nor are eligible to apply for state-subsidised lawyers. We only offer such help where the employers in such instances are not our clients. CHARItABLe GIVInG AnD FUnDRAIsInG We participated in the Peace, Love and Ice Cream programme of War Child in August 2007 (see above). Two A&O teams participated in the Dam tot Damloop run (see above). It is customary for the Amsterdam office to contribute to charity at Christmas, with many employees choosing to contribute part of their salary to a given cause. The office Christmas contributions this year went to Amsterdam Cares and Giving Back. The Amsterdam Cares Christmas donation was used to boost the amount of Christmas gifts we could donate to the “Donate a toy” initiative of the Red Cross. Gifts went to the 1,400 Amsterdam Children living under the bread line and that receive food support from the Amsterdam “Voedselbank”. Altogether around 700 new gifts were donated. Also at Christmas, the Amsterdam office purchased War Child Christmas Cards, hence donating to their cause. During the year the office supports Giving Back by providing much needed meeting room facilities and secretarial support. This support enables the foundation to maintain a professional service levels to its volunteers and partners as well as keeping costs down. We sponsored the Kinder en Jongerenrechtswinkel, an organisation that offers children free access to legal expertise and help. 34 © Allen & Overy LLP 2008
POLAnD 2007-2008 I Values into Community Action The Warsaw office is very active in pro bono and community work. We have developed a diverse pro bono and community affairs programme which reflects the interests, aspirations and skills of our staff. PRO BOnO ADVICe In June 2007 Allen & Overy Warsaw established a partnership with PILI (Public Interest Law Institute) by signing a declaration on Pro Bono Publico. The declaration was discussed by representatives of various law firms during a meeting held by the Constitutional Tribunal on Legal Pro Bono Support in Poland. The following law firms took part in the discussion panel: Dewey Ballantine, Hogan & Hartson, Lovells, Miller Canfield, Baker & McKenzie, White & Case, Linklaters, Gide Loyrette Nouel and seven Polish law firms. Allen & Overy was represented by Arkadiusz Pędzich. PILI is an international NGO headquartered in Budapest which advances human rights around the world by stimulating public-interest advocacy and developing the infrastructure to sustain it. PILI pursues its objectives through five programmes: promoting pro bono practice, legal aid reform, legal education reform, NGO advocacy training, and public interest law fellowships. We are now acting to identify possibilities for Allen & Overy’s (Warsaw) active participation in PILI’s projects. We are also establishing a partnership with one of the charity brokers. We have selected three of them: International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights, Centrum Pro Bono (Clearing House) and ENGAGE acting through Centrum Wolontariatu. We are about to make the final choice. After signing the agreement, we provide pro bono assistance to a range of not-for-profit organisations and charities (and in some cases to individuals) that will be referred to us by the charity broker. CHARItABLe GIVInG AnD FUnDRAIsInG The Warsaw office supports two orphanages on a regular basis – the Tczew Orphanage in the Pomorskie Voiodeship, northern Poland and the Kruszwica Orphanage near Inowrocław. In December 2007, during the Christmas party, we organised a charity auction to raise money for our sponsored charity. It was a huge success since we managed to raise PLN129,000. The money collected during the auction was spent on Christmas presents for children from the Tczew orphanage. Some of the money raised will be spent during the year on new clothes, bed linen and books for the children, furniture, paying for holidays for the children, sightseeing trips, renovation and redecoration (for example new playground equipment, preparing the football and volleyball fields, new entrance door), and paying for internet connections. Legal education As in previous years, we donated PLN20,000 to ELSA (the European Law Students Association) and £10,000 to the British Centre to support legal education in Poland. COMMUnItY ACtIVItIes The community activities of the Warsaw office are linked to our relationships with the two selected orphanages and includes the following activities: n in June 2008, organising a weekend in Warsaw for older children from the Tczew orphanage to visit the most important cultural sites and to have lunch; to visit the office where they will be given a presentation on the legal profession; to have dinner and a trip to an IMAX cinema; n providing computer training; © Allen & Overy LLP 2008 35
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