Mentoring

Partnering with the Australian Business and Community Network, our staff donate their time to mentor students in primary and secondary schools. Our executives also partner with school teachers and principals to explore leadership challenges.

In 2010, more than 700 Commonwealth Bank staff provided 5,100 hours of assistance to over 2,300 students and school leaders under a range of programs. These included:

• Career Choice Day. Groups of 20 students from Years 10 and 11 spend a day experiencing different working environments, meeting professional people and hearing about what they do. In 2010, 60 students visited the Commonwealth Bank.
• GOALS. Volunteers are matched with high school students for one-on-one mentoring partnerships that aim to widen the students’ life choices. In 2010, 21 mentors from the Bank volunteered their time.
• Spark. Spark is a reading program for primary school students. Volunteers are matched with a student and spend an hour a week visiting the school and encouraging the student to engage with reading. In 2010, 87 Bank staff volunteered for this program.
• 121. 121 is a pilot program run with Bourke Street Primary School in Surry Hills, Sydney, which aimed to improve students’ numeracy. The program delivered an average 30% improvement in students’ numeracy skills. In 2010, 76 Bank staff volunteered for this program.
• Partners in Learning. Business and educational professionals work together to solve problems and learn from each other’s experience. School principals are partnered with Chief Executive Officers, while senior teachers work with executives. In 2010, 10 executives from the Bank participated.
• Partnerships, Opportunities & Projects. Smaller one-off volunteering opportunities for employees who can’t commit to sustained programs. Schools identify areas where they need practical assistance. In 2010, 257 Commonwealth Bank volunteers participated in seven programs at six schools.