It is end of November, on what is called Black Friday, to be exact, and, for some, the beginning of the season of giving. While my inboxes are bulging with advertising for deals, I am trying to take a time-out from the bombardment and reflecting on my giving, or volunteering, done this year and still to come.
As a business coach I have the privilege of working in a profession I consider a giving profession.
One where I, as a business coach, can provide my clients with the space to explore their topics in different ways, find new solutions, something so rare in hectic, busy routines. Another privilege my work as a business coach affords me is the time and head space to volunteer for good causes. I volunteer in a few places, one with the department of engineering at Bristol University, where I mentored a group of first-year students in Aerospace Engineering for the third time this year.
Another with German Dream, an organisation that goes into schools across Germany to hold spaces with students from the age of 14/15 upwards, about values, what they mean to each one of us, and how we live them. And a third with an organisation that brings together students of all ages and Jews to have conversations about the diversity of the Jewish community in Germany and what being Jewish means to each volunteer individually.
There are definitely parallels between the dialogues with students on values, to the work I do as a business coach with my clients on values.
It’s always inspiring to bounce around ideas in these groups and answer inquisitive questions. As well as that, I am always uplifted to see how much reflection and thought the students have put into this topic at what is quite a young age, at least to me. Having made many of the big decisions along my path based on my values, I hope they find these exchanges helpful.
In my work with engineering students it’s thrilling to see that the percentage of female students has increased manifold from the 8-9% percent that made up the course when I was in first year of the same course.
What we focus on particularly is preparing for applications to internships and looking at what being an engineer can mean in the working world.
It frequently strikes me that many students have received little to no preparation in school on how to write CVs and applications for jobs, and feel lucky that I can help.
I have two more volunteering sessions this year and am excited to see what the, in this case, primary school children, ask and reflect upon. I look forward to the conversations. And I think that is the inspiration that takes me through all my volunteering, from exchanges on values, to what it means to me to be of Jewish descent in Germany today, to preparing for that first internship interview.
It’s the insightful questions, the lighting up in the other’s eyes when they have ideas, the open dialogue that ensues.
This is the gift that I take out of this work, as well as my work as a business coach. Going into these sessions always involves giving on both sides. I am very grateful for what these groups and individuals share with me. I walk out of them with a bounce in my step, inspired by the dialogue had, the great insights made and the hope for the future these students hold in their hands.
If you have any questions about this or my work as a business coach, feel free to get in touch. Speak to you soon.
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