Nike employees are invaluable assets to the company, but they can also make an impact within their own communities. For UK retail employee Tanya Watkins, her personal footprint can be found at the beach and on the streets.
After joining the EXTRA:TIME program in 2006, Tanya spent time at after-school clubs, helping children with disabilities and volunteering in organized sports programming for children from seven to 18 years old. Tanya also worked closely with the Youth Offending Team (YOT), a UK based rehabilitation program for young offenders, and after training with the YOT, Tanya was paired with a youth to mentor.
“Working with the YOT, I was introduced to a lad who’s had some challenging times, but since I began working with him, he found his own flat, which we decorated together!” said Tanya. “Spending time with young people has given me confidence in other things I do. The program has also given my colleagues a real sense of achievement, especially working with young offenders and helping them get their lives back on track.”
Tanya and her colleagues were also involved in a local beach clean up, which she coordinated. Over half of Tanya’s work colleagues, led by Tanya, are now involved in local projects, whether with children, young people or the environment, something that’s largely due to Tanya’s enthusiasm for the EXTRA:TIME volunteer program.
“Volunteers make an invaluable contribution to our campaigns,” said Emma Snowden, Marine Conservation Society Beachwater project co-ordinator. “In 2007 we had over 4,200 volunteers at 358 beaches. Without their help there would be no data to analyze and these beaches would cease to be the great destinations that they are.”
Tanya has since left Nike to take up a post working with young adults at the YMCA and it was her role within EXTRA:TIME that she attributes to securing this career change.
EXTRA:TIME is the Nike volunteering program which is open to every single employee in the UK and Ireland. Working in partnership with CSV (Community Service Volunteers), Nike allows all full time employees six days per year to volunteer their services in the local community. During FY ‘08, Nike’s EXTRA:TIME program touched the lives of nearly 20,000 people.