Four teenagers had their lives transformed by the Involve program, an initiative of Neoenergia aimed at mobilizing young people from
communities to develop skills that contribute to their professional future.
They participated in the computer course developed in partnership with the NGO
Casa da Comunidade do Berardo, in Recife, and, even before completing their
training, were hired as young apprentices by Celpe, a Neoenergia concessionaire
in Pernambuco. The action is part of the international volunteering project of
Iberdrola - Neoenergia´s controller - in which employees from other countries
and Brazilians contribute voluntarily in actions in the community and mentoring
with young people.
The project, which is already in its 9th edition and is carried out by Iberdrola also in Mexico, took place in the capital of Pernambuco for the first time in 2019. The place chosen was the Sítio do Berardo Community, in Prado, West Zone of Recife, where the Casa da Comunidade is located. The NGO offers citizenship courses and actions for residents and the partnership with Neoenergia enabled the complete renovation of the space to receive the Involve program. 40 young people were selected to participate in the basic computer course and, among this group, four stood out: Ingra, Breno, Deyvison and Leticia. Aged between 15 and 17 years old, they got their first job at Celpe as young apprentices. By the end of the year, three more students will be selected for spots that will open soon.
“The project has transformed the lives of several teenagers in vulnerability situation. In the computer rooms set up by Neoenergia, Iberdrola volunteers not only provide training for these young people, but also create bonds that will help them in the follow-up. All of this with the ultimate goal of facilitating their successful incorporation into the job market", says the manager of Internal Communication and responsible for Neoenergia's volunteer program, Clayton Freire.
ABOUT INVOLVE
The project has the essential participation of volunteers. In the previous edition, there were 44 employees. Of the total, 20 are from different countries (United Kingdom, Spain, United States and Mexico), in addition to 24 Brazilians (20 volunteers from Celpe and four from other Neoenergia companies - Coelba (BA), Cosern (RN), Elektro (SP/MS) and Holding (RJ) - one from each location. During their stay in Recife, the group performed computer training tasks such as WordPress, Office Package and Social Networks, with guidance and focus on training for the job market for the young participants. That moment took place for two weeks at Celpe's Training Center, in Bongi.
The highlight was the promotion of moments of interaction and development with students. This is because, after the volunteers return to their places of origin, they continue to monitor the development of young people, in a kind of distance sponsorship/tutoring. Meanwhile, young people continue to take computer classes, funded by Iberdrola and Neoenergia. In addition to classes, the group went to the community for a day of social action that revitalized public spaces and the headquarters of the NGO Casa da Comunidade do Berardo. On the occasion, the team performed services for painting streets and sidewalks, planting seedlings and organizing the NGO.
This year, as a result of Covid-19 pandemic, the program is being developed remotely and in digital format.
MEET THE HIRED YOUNG PEOPLE
Ingra Gaudino
Youngest in the class, Ingra is 15 years old. She is in the
9th grade of elementary school and dreams of being a lawyer. The
student's godfather is volunteer Francisco, from Spain.
“The opportunity with the course and now hiring at Celpe
has changed a lot in my life and advanced my professional plans. I want to study
law, working with the merger of large companies. For this reason, working at
Celpe gives me the chance to learn about how a company works and to learn more
about the area I want to pursue. I was very happy with the selection, mainly
because I didn't expect it. Within the project, I formed a family, becoming
friends with many people. The exchange with the volunteers was also very
enriching, as I was able to learn several things, like the language. I'm very
communicative and so is Francisco, so that made it easier. What I can say to
everyone who has this chance is to hold on to it, because in the end, it will
only bring good fruit”.
Leticia Ferreira
The 17-year-old student is in the 2nd year of
high school. She has a desire to graduate in psychology and be a child
therapist. In the image, Letícia (left) is next to Paula, from Spain, volunteer
'godmother' of the young woman.
“When I received the news that I had been selected, I
couldn't believe it, it took me a long time to realize it was true. Only when I
went to Celpe to sign the contract, did I think 'now it is official'. This has
been a unique experience. I know that I will take this learning forever,
because I want to embrace the opportunity in the best possible way, taking
advantage of everything I am entitled to. My parents are also very proud, as I
have a chance to study and work. I was in need of a chance to help them at
home, as they have no fixed income. My mother is a housewife and my father is a
waiter. He had been unemployed since before the pandemic started and he had a
few jobs working as a cabinetmaker and only now did he get a temporary job at a
restaurant”.
Deyvison Gabriel Nascimento
The 17-year-old is in the 1st year of high
school and wants to pursue a career in administration. Deyvison's godfather is
José Molida, a volunteer from Spain.
“I am very happy to have been contemplated with the
initiative and now to be able to enjoy the experience, which has been surreal.
I didn't think I would have the capacity for all of that, but I kept on playing
and conquered. We came from a needy community and achieved an objective that
few have the privilege of. This is my first experience working and it helped me
a lot to see that this is exactly what I want: to work in the administration
area. After I started the course, I have been doing a lot of research on the
subject, to help me develop in the area. I watch videos on YouTube, I search on
internet sites, with a lot of focus on learning”.
Breno Guedes
Student in the 1st year of high school, the 16-year-old
wants to be a mechanical engineer.
“I started the course without knowing anything, from then
on I learned several tools, image editing programs. With this knowledge that I
acquired, my mother and I, Polyana, had the idea of opening a small printing
house at home, about six months ago. We bought a printer and a notebook and
started to work in the community. We make banners, posters, photocopies,
printing, 2nd copy of bank slip, among other things, receiving
several orders through WhatsApp. Everyone here knows Xerox's Polyana. Before,
my mother was an artisan, made ribbons, and today she takes care of the
printing shop. I am always helping her, teaching her how to use her notebook,
the tools, how to make prints, in short, all the doubts she has, I am there to
take it out. I am in love with this opportunity, something that I couldn't
miss, that will help me in the future, so I just have to be thankful”.