Community

The Roots for Success Programme is a job-readiness training programme that employs an evidence-based, multi-media, educational curriculum and work placement to connect education to employment. Since partnering with the charity in 2018, an estimated 97 individuals participated in various phases of the programme, with 18 people successfully securing employment.

The Transformational Support Services programme will assist 40 women over a three-year period, who may be considered under-employed, under-educated, and/or disenfranchised, to secure employment and become self-sufficient in order to confidently provide for themselves and their families. In 2019, qualified HSBC financial advisers also delivered workshops on debt management principles to help participants to improve their money management skills.

This public/private partnership was offered to 15 students from Bermuda High School (BHS) and 15 students from The Berkeley and Cedarbridge Academy and sought to connect young women in Bermuda during a week-long summer intensive programme, held in July 2019. The programme is designed to inspire and equip students with tools, frameworks and confidence as they journey through their education, careers and lives. ‘She Leads' took place again in July 2021.

In 2020, HSBC awarded six students with university scholarships through Knowledge Quest and also provided them with HSBC mentors to further support their academic journeys.

Now in its third year, the Youth Entrepreneurship Initiative aims to revamp the enterprise education curriculum within M1-M3 government middle schools. Its foremost objective is to help today's youth become the business leaders, social advocates, community volunteers and forward-thinking citizens of tomorrow through learning about core business principles and entrepreneurship.

Due to the global pandemic, a large cross-section of our community has been confronted by extremely difficult challenges. This has also led to an increase in demands on our charitable sector. HSBC has provided funding to six local charities which support the provision of critical services and support to Bermuda's vulnerable population.

The PALS charity provides care to terminal cancer patients, primarily in their home settings to enhance their quality of life. The organization also provides emotional, physical and social support to its patients as well as support to their respective families. The charity was nominated by HSBC staff to receive a donation during the pandemic to support the oncology nurses in their daily house visits to patients, therefore providing essential relief to cancer patients and their families.

The Centre Against Abuse charity provides essential services and support to victims of domestic abuse and sexual assault in our community. During the pandemic, the charity secured 5 safe havens to provide shelter and safety to those individuals and families facing domestic abuse. The organization was selected by HSBC staff to receive a donation to assist the charity's efforts in its provision of crisis management counselling, legal support, food and essential vouchers for the impacted families.

In 2020, HSBC supported Age Concern's Senior's Hardship Fund, which provides groceries, prescription drugs, food and minor home repairs to 2,000 qualifying seniors. Participants also have free access to discounts, concessions from local businesses as well as information seminars.

Now in its 18th year, the Toys for Tots appeal receives an estimated 2,000 donated gifts from the public annually for disadvantaged children in our community. In its 4th consecutive year of partnership with the Coalition for the Protection of Children, HSBC staff will continue to help the charity in its appeal through gift-wrapping donated items and providing 100 holiday food hampers for families facing food insecurities.

The Eliza DoLittle Society (TEDS) is a charity that helps alleviate the issue of food insecurity in Bermuda. From 2016, HSBC has supported the TEDS-HSBC volunteer feeding programme by subsidizing the costs of food and groceries which are distributed through TEDS' food banks to the community. To date, 1,200 HSBC staff members have volunteered over 3,600 hours to the programme, and distributed an estimated 27,600 meals to our community. Annually, HSBC also donates 125 holiday food hampers to the food-insecure seniors through the charity.

The Bermuda Diabetes Association (BDA) works closely with the community, physicians and allied health professionals to provide solutions and programmes to the community as they strive to combat type 2 diabetes and address the growing obesity problem. 

Through its efforts The Bermuda Diabetes Association offers ‘Know Your Medicine' workshops for individuals with diabetes, covering comprehensive basic self-care skills in managing diabetes, blood sugar monitoring, medicinal care, as well as nutrition and meal planning. HSBC provides funding to the charity to support their delivery of these important sessions to the impacted members of our community.

Human service providers have the challenging yet critical job of supporting families in overcoming adversity. It is critical that these professionals have the knowledge, skills, and emotional competencies necessary to create positive and nurturing relationships to build resiliency in their clients. 

The goal of the Interagency Committee for Children and Families (IAC) is to increase the programmatic capacity and service standards of agencies serving children and families, in particular vulnerable children and families. 

HSBC supports the IAC's delivery of training to these individuals and organisations including topics around trauma and adverse childhood experience awareness, advocacy, ethical best practice, social programme design and evaluation, Bermuda National Standards Committee certification (BNSC) and accreditation, board development, fundraising, compliance training, as well as personal development.

The Focus Counselling Services Drop-in Center provides referral and support services to adults with substance use disorder as well as breakfast and lunch to the homeless, vulnerable, and less fortunate members in the community. The charity's Feeding Programme is designed to increase access to food security for the less fortunate and the vulnerable in Bermuda through the preparation and serving of daily nutritious meals to those in need. 

In addition to helping individuals meet their basic needs, the charity also serves the community through its provision of assessments, screenings and outpatient treatments to adolescents, men and women who may be impacted by substance use disorder. HSBC provides funding to the charity in support of its Feeding Programme and Drop-in Center.