April 13, 2011
Alcoa Volunteers for Youth
Alcoa is teaming up with highly regarded children’s program Rainbow Riders this week to provide much needed maintenance support to the organisation’s Connewarre site. Alcoa’s contribution supports Rainbow Riders’ mission to help young people with self-esteem and confidence, family and peer relationships, social skills and behavior modification.
The volunteer event on Thursday 14 April is partnered by BacLinks (Business and Community Links) and will involve around ten Alcoa volunteers.
 
Rainbow Riders is an Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Centre that provides a unique, long term, client focused day program for disadvantaged young people in the Geelong Community.
 
Alcoa employees will assist with vital upkeep and maintenance tasks including the pruning of trees, the removal of green waste, replenishing hay stocks, and the removal of toxic onion weed from paddocks to prevent consumption by the program’s horses. 
 
Alcoa Point Henry Smelter Operations Manager Stewart Esdale said corporate volunteering gave Alcoa the opportunity to apply and share core business strengths and values, such as conservation and sustainability practices, for the benefit of local communities.
 
“Volunteering is the 'lifeblood' of our community and our employees thrive on supporting the Geelong community through hands-on projects like the one today.  We believe Rainbow Riders is an exceptional program and I applaud the organisation’s great work with the youth of Geelong.”
 
The unique Rainbow Riders program asks young people to take a journey with a horse – from first meeting, to learning basic horsemanship, and finally riding independently. Along the way, barriers are broken down, personal strengths are explored, and young people begin to trust and be empowered. The running costs involved with maintaining this crucial process creates a reliance on the invaluable services of volunteers.
 
Rainbow Riders’ Manager Colin Frisch said that “Rainbow Riders does not receive any direct government funding and exists through the generosity of our community. We have a list of jobs as long as your arm waiting for the Alcoa team! Once completed, the work will improve the safety and sustainability of our farm and charity for our children and their families."
 
BacLinks Manager Sheree Holdsworth added that “Alcoa’s community engagement program is an ideal model for other community minded businesses to follow. It allows for projects that are mutually beneficial for both parties and ensures strong outcomes for the community agencies involved.”
 
BacLinks partnership with Alcoa Point Henry has led to an established calendar of community involvement for 2011, giving employees the opportunity to volunteer during work hours for a range of interesting projects during the year.
 

For more information, please contact BacLinks Business & Community partnerships Officer Tracy Bull on 0438 513 172 or the BacLinks Office on 52 498989.