RWE Companius Forum: A successful premiere
“Community involvement is fun and a great way of broadening your horizons.” This was the message of the first ever RWE Companius Forum held in Essen on 15 October. The more than 75 attendees gathered in the RWE office tower to share ideas and experiences with other volunteers and find out more about new projects in the pipeline.
The event was modelled on the concept of the social marketplace and so provided a platform for not-for-profit organisations to present some 20 different projects in various different fields. The RWE Companius members and other interested parties present then had an opportunity to ask questions about specific projects and even to sign up as volunteers.
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TheUniversityofDuisburg-Essenhad two most unusual projects on offer: Uni-Aktiv was looking for – and found – potential mentors for students who are already doing voluntary work, but who need experienced project leaders from industry for a range of ambitious not-for-profit projects, including some in newly industrialising and developing countries.
Its second project, called METALOG, aims to bring together people from as many different fields as possible in order to use their input to develop innovative solutions to social problems.One line of inquiry for this project, which attracted a whole host of potential advisors, is the question of how alternative concepts can survive alongside large charitable organisations.
In addition to the university, the project organisers present at the forum included the Bundesverband Kinderhospiz e. V., the Johanniter Unfallhilfe e. V., the Franz Sales Haus and Ehrenamt Agentur Essen, all of which were there to solicit support for a wide range of projects.
Some individuals were glad of the opportunity of sharing their ideas for projects with others of like mind. Ute Jungbluth of RWE IT, for example, floated the idea of a mobile play area for a nursery school and asked whether anyone had know-how or experience that might be relevant to such a project. As it happened, two of those present had already worked on similar projects of their own and so were able to give her lots of tips and advice.
Karsten Sund of RWE IT wanted to share an ambitious project he is organising to support the people of Belarus with aid deliveries, while Siegfried Kaufmann, having already completed one project in Ghana, was anxious to present his plans for a midwifery station and an irrigation system in that country.
Inspired by the many projects which their colleagues had successfully seen through to completion, several attendees decided on impulse to sign up as helpers there and then. What had been a pilot event therefore turned into a successful premiere. What is definitely not in doubt, therefore, is that there will be many more such RWE Companius Forums throughout the RWE Group.
