AsiaWorks and Community Service

The following is an edited transcript of conversations between Mark Hemstedt, Managing Partner, Marcus Marsden, Director of Marketing and Research, Suresh Kumar, Linda Lu, Regional Directors, and Sherri Wang, Regional Marketing Manager.

Mark: As a way to start, let’s get clear on the scale of the Community Service effort organized by AsiaWorks since 1993.

Location	No. of LP Program	Est. No. of Participants	Hours of Community Service	WOW Days
Hong Kong	151	6,110	79,470	151
Taipei	132	5,040	65,560	132
Khaosiung	31	655	8,520	31
Shenzhen	12	476	6,188	12
Malaysia	114	3,420	44,460	114
Jakarta	75	2,250	29,250	75
Singapore	65	1,950	25,350	65
TOTAL	580	19,901	258,798	580

Marcus: These are amazing statistics. There are few companies in the world which could demonstrate such an ongoing commitment to serving the community.

Mark: They are amazing but they still underestimate the overall impact that Asiaworks graduates have on their communities. It is very difficult to accurately assess the number of people that have been touched by the commitment of the LP graduates. None of this would be possible without the passion and drive of the graduates who are willing to take a stand for our work and to open and then maintain centres in their respective countries. Remember, LP participants are dedicated to making their community and the world a better place, every single week!

Marcus: So maybe in the region of 1 million people?

Mark: Very possible, but the importance of Community Service goes way beyond the mere numbers involved. For us at AsiaWorks, Community Service runs through our company DNA. It is an ongoing part of who we are. It demonstrates our stand in the world.

Marcus: What do you mean by that?

Mark: Well, for instance, some of our Partners have established community projects of their own or play large roles in their own communities. Our Chairman, Chris Gentry, was one of the first people to arrive at the parts of Indonesia devastated by the Tsunami in 2004. As a company, we donated in excess of 100,000 USD in Tsunami relief and our graduates from all over Asia raised extra money. Graduates in Indonesia and Malaysia were actively involved in relief efforts in the affected areas.

Not only that, but in two of our cities, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta, the graduates of our programs have set up Community Foundations, which serve as ongoing ways for people to continue giving to the Community long after their LP has finished.

Marcus: I remember from my time in Unilever, that the Corporate business is also keen to include community service projects in their Leadership Development programs.

Mark: Exactly. Community Service projects are a key part of our senior Leadership development program and we have also worked with the United Nations in their “AIDS Awareness” program as well as delivering free workshops for UNICEF.

Marcus: So what role does Community Service play in Leadership Development?

Mark: Both in LP and Corporate programs, leaders are required to focus on being in service to others. Money is raised in support of the project, but the real focus is who you are and who you can be in relation to others. It is much more challenging to give yourself to a community project than it is to give $5. Not only that, but people are required to enroll others to join them in their vision for the community. The projects are always bigger than just the participants themselves. Participants are required to get creative and really enroll others to make the biggest difference possible.

Marcus: So people develop as they focus on other people?

Mark: Yes. It is our belief that you become who you really are when you are contributing to others. Personal growth comes from giving rather than navel-gazing. So many people have the conversation “When I have time or when I have money or when I have fixed myself, then I will contribute”. What we do is to break up that conversation and bring people into action now.

Marcus: Any particular projects that stick in your mind?

Mark: There are so many! I especially remember the participants in a Unilever program building an orphanage for kids with cancer. Everything was completed within 3 months, despite none of the participants actually living in Brazil! That was truly amazing.

Marcus: So, Suresh and Linda what role does Community Service play for you in your roles as Regional Directors ?

Suresh: Community Service is the central foundation stone of the LP program. So much of the world today is characterized by negativity, fear and separation. What Community Service constitutes for me is a coming together of human beings in search of a bigger possibility. It breaks down barriers and walls and has people focus on being in service to others and giving rather than fear and protection.

Linda: Community Service embodies the two key LP distinctions: accomplishment and contribution. I believe that contribution makes the world a better place. I also think that Community Service offers LP participants a means to interact with people in such a way as to apply what they have learnt in the training to their life and the lives of others. We are creating a loving and giving society via our Community Service work. This has always been a core essence of our LP program.

Marcus: Any projects that stick in your mind?

Suresh: Like Mark, there are so many! However, for me, I remember a project where the LP participants were working with disabled and Down’s Syndrome children. The LP participants were helping to feed the children without any thought of their image or what other people might be thinking. Their focus was totally on serving the children. That was particularly special.

Linda: I am very touched and proud that in NEA, there are always service projects which are created by people from different LP programs. We often see LP graduates holding events to serve people after natural disasters and passing on the spirit of contribution. Their influence goes on long after they have completed the LP program.

In addition, seeing how LP participants support projects such as children’s learning after school, keeping aboriginal kids in schools, serving handicapped or retarded people, setting up schools for children in inner cities of China – these touch me very deeply.

Suresh: Also remember that in KL, for the past 9 years we have run a free Basic Training for people who work in Community Service projects. On average we have about 130 people in each of those trainings.

Mark: In SEA, we also have two free seats available in every Basic Training for people who work in service to the Community. Like I said: Community Service really is in our company DNA.