Values into Community Action - Tyler Foundation

Values into Community Action | 2007-2008
As part of our commitment to City Gateway, we run a number of “Insight Days” during the year, which gives the
students invaluable exposure to life in the City and the practical skills needed to gain employment. These are
organised by Andrew Gilmour, Jacqui Grundy, sanjay nayee and Jon Palmer from our IT department and
consist of a number of presentations given during the day, including sessions on CV writing and interview skills.
Those who have given presentations include Lauren Baldwin, Hayley Cohen, Fiyin Fayeye, Yvette James,
Valerie Jupp, edward Moser, Abdul Muith, nicola Munro, seetal Patel, Kirralee sanders, Katie spooner,
Ben tillson, Dave tregaskes and shuhel Uddin.
We have also hosted a number of “Insight Tours” this year, which are shorter visits focusing on specific areas of the
office. nick Croker, manager of the Health and Wellbeing Centre in Bishops Square, organised a tour of the gym
for students, with Vicky smith and tim Austen assisting on the day. Michael Hosannah and tony Lesforis led
another tour which visited the Creative Services and AV Media teams.
GeneRAL COMMUnItY WORK
Maxitech
Maxitech is a non-profit social enterprise company and has an ongoing programme to train and develop young
people from socially disadvantaged backgrounds through work placement schemes.
These programmes are conducted in conjunction with re-employment organisations and train young people on
computer hardware using our redundant equipment. Maxitech's aim is to help young people overcome the pattern
of social exclusion.
Maxitech arranges for Allen & Overyʼs unwanted equipment to be tested and given to charities in and around Tower
Hamlets. Currently we have donated around £20,000 worth of hardware including base units, monitors, printers and
laptops that are either reused or disposed of in accordance with the Governments new WEEE Regulations.
Alan terry and Gregory Morgan put in all the hard work to make sure that the equipment is ready for collection
by Maxitech.
This year Alan terry also secured a cheque from shpSolutions which purchased 400 redundant mobile phones for
£784. This money has been donated to our Community Partner of the Year.
streetshine
StreetShine is a social enterprise that gives people
who have experienced homelessness, suffered
disadvantage in the job market and are in the
process of rebuilding their lives the chance to earn
a regular income by operating a shoeshine service
within offices in the City of London. One Bishops
Square provides this popular shoeshine service in
the lobby once a week.
Geraldine Artuso, who works in Bishops Square
through StreetShine, says, “I would like to be seen
working because it reflects better on everything,
and I bring in cash that goes back into developing
the business and helping more people.”
Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity is an international charity dedicated to building affordable housing for low-income families
around the world. One of their current projects in the UK is based in Southwark. Over the past year, a number of
teams from A&O have volunteered at the site. Our volunteers have been involved at many different stages, from
helping to clear the site and dig trenches at the beginning of the project, to installing plasterboards and radiators
inside the new properties. One lucky member of staff even got to drive the siteʼs dump-truck.
58 © Allen & Overy LLP 2008