CSR Story
ON BEING FIRST
First Citizens
It’s the financial services group that likes to be first, even when picking its opportunities for CSR spending.
First Citizens has recently been at the front of the line in providing a wider audience for Spoken Word poets; first in offering real-world work experience to UWI Computing and IT students; and first in supplying teenage girls with some of the skills they’ll need as independent women.
Poetry Slam
As the packed NAPA auditorium hummed with expectation in May 2019, 16 First Citizens National Poetry Slam finalists squirmed on stage, awaiting the coronation of a new Slam Champion.
Poet, Isaiah Wayne John, had earlier performed a piece about the dignity of his mother, who “even though she’s struggling, still makes it look like she’s strong in your eyes.” Former winner, Idrees Saleem, acknowledged that he’d be surprised if he placed, but was more concerned about giving his all, having a say, and leaving the audience with a message anyway.
Spoken Word performance has come a long way from its early days at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine campus, where every third Wednesday, a few poets gathered outside a fast food restaurant to grouse, extol and express at UWI Speak’s open mic night. In a way, they were a new wave of calypsonians, responding to society through commentary.
In 2013, First Citizens partnered with the 2 Cents Movement, an NGO founded on the principle of critical thinking, which was expanding the reach of Spoken Word by taking it to schools and eventually to the big NAPA stage. “Having that first corporate investment allowed us to feel a certain sense of value,” says Derron Sandy, 2 Cents Movement’s Artistic Director, “that people were now looking on and we had the attention of a wider circle other than our peers.”
The circle has widened. The National Poetry Slam finals is one of three annual NAPA events that is expected to pack the house, which shrieked in 2019 when Alexandra Stewart was announced as Slam Champion.
Stewart had come through the ranks, from a 2014 Two Cents Movement school workshop, through the secondary schools’ competition and finally to the national stage. “She is a prime example of somebody interacting with Spoken Word and growing through it,” says Sandy. “Similar to like if you were to grow through a cadets programme or something.”
Interviewed after the show, cradling her $50,000 cheque replica under one arm, Alexandra grabbed the mic. Wide- eyed and beaming, she looked into the camera and expressed herself once more. “This is the first time our women took first, second and third place!” she trumpeted. “And that is incredible!”
“I was in a forum answering a question on what is the biggest fear of the performing artiste, and the answer to that was having nobody to perform to. Obviously I think the wider you reach, the more satisfying your craft becomes because you want people to hear and engage with your work.”
Derron Sandy, Artistic Director of 2 Cents Movement, organisers of First Citizens National
Poetry Slam Competition
The UWI-First Citizens Interns
In 2017, an intake of 15 interns from UWI’s Department of Computing and Information Technology (DCIT) gathered with First Citizens managers and a few university lecturers for a brainstorming session. The university had launched its first internship program, and First Citizens had jumped on board.
It was immediately apparent that there would be no shortage of real-world tasks for the interns. One manager wanted a system for tracking opportunities for outdoor marketing. Another hoped for a simple app to track the progress of industrial relations concerns. And a third wanted a portal to access current budget data for his department.
UWI lecturers were pleased that their students, most of them Year Two undergraduates, were being exposed to the expectations of a professional workplace. “The discipline it engenders was good for them,” says Dr. Permanand Mohan, Head of UWI’s DCIT. “First Citizens was the first to give us a chance to implement that internship. That was a big start.”
Some of the software developed in the 2017 DCIT internship is still in use at First Citizens; and several interns have been hired for permanent and contract work. Dr. Mohan says his department is yet to undertake a study to examine the benefits of internship, but based on student feedback, interns appreciate the experience, which counts as a two- course credit. Several have reapplied after their first go.
“The greatest benefit is to explore and even forge your career path,” said intern Darcelle Modeste. After returning to school, Rhequimo Leslie credited the program with improving his work ethic – one of the obvious benefits of any internship – and allowing him to perfect the skills he had learned at school.
The First Citizens/UWI internship partnership has continued since 2017 and been expanded to include Management Studies students as well.
Girls First
After analyzing the outcomes of their annual Women’s Conference, First Citizens decided that they wanted to focus on girls and female adolescents. “We wanted to prepare them for their lives as strong, independent and successful women and mothers,” says Larry Olton, Head of Brand and Marketing.
Girls First was the forum they came up with, gathering 13 to 18-year-olds in a space where professionals could engender a spirit of sisterhood, resilience and self- esteem. The girls are encouraged to stretch themselves – mentally with budgeting and finance training, and physically with self-defense techniques. They are also exposed to Health and Wellness education.
And the Girls First forum keeps on giving even after it’s over. Registration proceeds are donated to NGOs, most of which cater to the needs of girls in their communities.
