On International Volunteer Day we want to express our thanks for the commitment, dedication and solidarity of the Banco Sabadell professionals who contribute to the volunteering programmes promoted by the Banco Sabadell Foundation. Their contributions are key as they generate a positive impact on people and give shape to our aim to build a more egalitarian and diverse society.

Below we share some feedback from employees who have taken part in some of the projects that we promote:

B-Value: social transformation of social entities through innovation

We recognise social entities and support them for nine months to help them develop their projects with strategic and innovative vision through the B-Value Programme, a project created jointly with the Ship2B Foundation, in order to promote social transformation through innovation. This initiative is run with the participation of 40 mentors from Banco Sabadell and 15 mentors from Sabadell Seguros.

Victoria Climent, Governance, IT Risk and Business Continuity Director, tells us what being a mentor in this programme meant to her: “Providing an independent perspective and bringing value from what I do in the business world, and then sharing that with an organisation like theirs (ACAPPS Association) so that they can bring their project to maturity, has been fantastic”.

Learn more about the experience of Banco Sabadell mentors in this video.

Coach Project: improving the employability of socially vulnerable young people

The Coach Project, an initiative of Fundación Exit, seeks to guide and motivate socially vulnerable young people who have had an unsuccessful academic experience, using coaching and mentoring techniques. For two months, 20 volunteers from Banco Sabadell took part in this programme, working in pairs with young people from the provinces of Cadiz and Seville.

María José Martínez, Commercial and Service Manager, tells us about her experience as a volunteer in the Coach Project: “It has been a very interesting challenge in which we have both grown. Through active listening and observation, we were able to pinpoint areas for improvement and increase motivation, so that the young person I worked with was able to develop his own resources to build his self-motivation and enthusiasm, and reflect on where he wants to go. Always focusing on doing the work to be the best version of himself!”

Mentoring programme and talent management at the CCTA: developing skills for future professional life

Young students from the University of Alicante are accompanied for four months by professionals from Banco Sabadell’s Centre for Technological Expertise of Alicante (CCTA, by its Spanish acronym). Together, they work on a technological challenge that allows them to develop key competences and skills necessary to face their professional future. 15 professionals from the CCTA have participated as mentors in this third edition, which began on 22 November.

Miguel Ángel Soriano, a member of the CCTA and part of the demand methodology and project management team, who took part in this programme as a mentor for the third time, explains: “Being able to help, guide and contribute our experience to university students so that they can get a closer look at the real professional world is very important to us. This year the mentoring programme will focus on improving accessibility and inclusion around digital products and services for vulnerable groups, which will serve as a common thread to guide our interactions with the students and improve their skills.”

Art and Social Impact Hackathon: connecting the social world with the world of culture

The Art and Social Impact Hackathon is an initiative of the Banco Sabadell Foundation coordinated by U4IMPACT, which connects the social world with the world of culture, bringing young talents together so that, using artistic tools, they can work on finding solutions to real challenges posed by organisations in the sector. 15 volunteers from Banco Sabadell assisted around 70 young people between the ages of 18 and 25 who worked on addressing challenges around functional diversity, introducing adolescents to classical music, building knowledge about sustainability, helping young people with self-awareness, or tackling technology addiction.

Gonzalo Ortiz, head of Organisational Development and People at Banco Sabadell’s Eastern Territorial Division, speaks about his participation in the Hackathon: “Some years ago I worked as a mentor in programmes run by the Foundation and they told me about this Hackathon event that combines social impact, creativity and working with young people, and I jumped at the chance. The young people responded to me with enthusiasm, creativity, attentiveness and fresh ideas, and their continued interest over an entire weekend demonstrates the impact of this initiative and their commitment; I am getting so much out of this experience, I am learning from them.”

Find out how the Hackathon went in the following video:

TalentUO Hackathon: seeking solutions to business challenges related to the SDGs

30 students from the University of Oviedo took part in the two-day TalentUO Hackathon, promoted by the Banco Sabadell Foundation and coordinated by U4IMPACT as part of the TalentUO initiative, which seeks to support and give visibility to young talent. The students, with the help of volunteer mentors from Banco Sabadell, searched for solutions on behalf of five companies facing challenges related to the SDGs.

Ana Pangua, head of Organisation and Human Resources at Banco Sabadell’s North-western Territorial Division explained what it was like to take part as a volunteer in this initiative: “From my point of view in Human Resources, a Hackathon gives us an opportunity to get to know young talented people, understand how they use new technology and how they interact with each other, and it also helps me to find out more about young people’s interests. I have learned that the new generations are very proactive, they have an excellent grasp of technology and great teamworking skills, which sets them apart from older generations such as my own.”

The Conecta Jóvenes–Conecta Mayores programme of the Balia Foundation: bringing generations together and conquering the digital divide

Conecta Jóvenes–Conecta Mayores is an inter-generational project in which young people between the ages of 14 and 18 from vulnerable backgrounds volunteer to learn how to teach basic computer and digital device skills to people over 60 years old who are at risk of digital exclusion. As part of the programme, a guided activity took place on a botanical trail in the Parque Dehesa de la Villa in Madrid.

Gema Mouriño, a commercial agent in Retail & Business Banking and a volunteer in this initiative, shared her experience of it with us: “We took part in a guided tour to discover the flora and specific features of the area, led by an environmental educator. A total of 30 people took part, including young people between the ages of 14 and 18, older people aged 60+ and various volunteers from the Bank, all forming part of the Conecta programme. It was a real treat to take a stroll with them and have lunch together. We were able to see the growing bond between these young people and their elders, enjoying the moment together.”