What is the context? First-year Global BBA students take a course called the Social Engagement Project. As part of it, they have to choose an association and commit several hours to work for it. Some students work in a solidarity shop, and others take part in outreach efforts such as collecting food products and ingredients, assisting the elderly, or even heading out to sea with rescue teams.

Why is this worthwhile? Based on this experience, NEOMA students need to create a website, keep an event log, have interviews and other activities “that bring greater professionalism to their presentation,” said Nathalie Dioudonnat and Anne-Catherine Wright, the two professors who head the course.

What do the students have to say about it?

Yanis: “I spent a few days in the Trois + Moi association where I offered my time to people affected by down syndrome and autism. Together, we made ceramics, played games and boxed. What I wanted to do was make them smile. Today, I would say we waste a lot of time on our phones and social media and it would be better to devote that time to those in need”.

Princia: “I volunteered with Secours Catholique where I worked at a solidarity shop. As a sales assistant, I welcomed customers and helped them. I always wanted to volunteer my time, but I’ve never had the chance to do it. This project was therefore the moment for me to be useful and to help underprivileged people. And having this experience on my CV also helped me land my internship.

Aymeric: “The volunteer hours at Secours Populaire helped open my mind and become more aware of others. I participated in collecting foodstuffs that required us to canvas door to door and sometimes clean up rubbish. That builds character”!

Lise: “At Emmaüs, the second-hand solidarity shop, I learned listening skills and how to offer assistance. I was there to help sort through clothing. The working conditions were a bit hard because it was cold and I was with people who were in a reintegration programme. But I now know that you can’t give up at the first obstacle, and I developed more self-confidence”.

The proof that the project transformed them: some of them continue from time to time to work with the association.