BARCLAYS employee Bal Jandu has presented Junior Achievement with a cheque for £1,000 after she was awarded the bank’s 2012 Citizenship Award which attracts a cash prize to be donated to the winner’s charity of choice.
Mrs Jandu was nominated for the award in recognition of her volunteering work for Junior Achievement, in particular her central role, along with colleague Serena Heathcote, in leading a series of workplace open day sessions with secondary school students designed to provide young people with an insight into real-life work situations.
Mrs Jandu is an ardent supporter of Junior Achievement and has trained and coached a number of her co-workers to volunteer for the charity that aims to encourage entrepreneurial spirit in young people and prepare them for the world of work.
She also has the distinction of being the only person to date to have completed Junior Achievement’s Community Volunteering Qualification (CVQ), the island’s first accredited qualification for volunteering.
She said: ‘I have been volunteering with Junior Achievement since 2010 and thoroughly enjoy making a positive difference to our future generation.
‘In today’s society it is crucial we work together to provide young people with hope, confidence and exciting opportunities to learn more.’
Junior Achievement’s chief executive Sue Cook said: ‘We’re enormously grateful to Barclays for its continued support and to Bal for her passion and dedication that help bring our programmes alive and inspire students to become the entrepreneurs of tomorrow. We’re also delighted for Bal that her motivation and commitment have been recognised with this well-deserved Barclays Citizenship Award in which we are pleased to be able to share.’
More workplace sessions are planned for 2012. For details contact programme manager Joy Spence, 666266, joy@jaiom.im.
Junior Achievement Isle of Man, Suite 2, Peterson House, Middle River, Douglas. www.jaiom.im