Making a difference in our communities through leadership development is one of our key focus areas at Comcast NBCUniversal, and is a core value to many of our employees across Utah. As National Mentoring Month is underway, we want to highlight one of our employees who understands the impact a mentor can have on someone’s life.
It is always a thrill for me to see how excited he is when he visit’s our office every month,” said Chad Hall. “I am glad that I am part of an organization that really cares about the community in trying to bring some joy into these kid’s lives.”
Chad Hall is one of the many employees in Utah who volunteer their time to serve as positive role models for young students in our community. January is National Mentoring Month and we’d like to recognize the difference our teammates are making through our Beyond School Walls workplace-based mentorship program in partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah.
This year we have 24 matches in our Beyond School Walls program, where students from Heartland Elementary School, a high-need school, are paired with Comcast employees to meet for an hour every other week during the school year at our Comcast office. By bringing students into our offices, they get the opportunity to explore workplace environments and career paths they may not have been familiar with otherwise. Surveys conducted at the end of the program’s 2018 – 2019 school year showed that more than 90 percent of student “Littles” maintained or improved their grades in school; their expectations about what the future holds for their education; and the strong bonds with their families.
Comcast is uniquely positioned to increase technology access by expanding digital skills within our communities. Each Little in our program was awarded an iPad to provide additional opportunities for students to learn and explore all the digital economy has to offer them.
Many of these children come from lower income households, creating a disconnect from the world, and the connection with others is so vital today,” said Krishna Floisand, BBBS Site-Based Coordinator. “The iPads that Comcast gifted the Littles will help them stay connected and continue to learn beyond academics and potentially spur our Littles to pursue a tech career, which would not be there without inspirations like this giveaway.”
For more than a decade employee “Bigs” across Utah have been helping to make a difference in the lives of their student “Littles” – nationally more than 1,200 Comcast employees have participated in the program since it launched. And currently, there are more than 300 matches throughout 14 Comcast offices nationwide.
Interested in becoming a mentor? Reach out to BBBS of Utah to learn more.