Asia, Gosia, Dorota and Basia – very famous amongst the seniors for proliferating the idea of corporate volunteering and devoted to social work in aid of other people, animals or various important ideas. They get involved wherever one needs help because in every place something is to be created or fixed so as to improve the living conditions of others.

Professional work and volunteering in the same firm?

That is how it works. PZU Insurance is the socially responsible company.

It was established in 2004 and since then has been pursuing objectives of philanthropy. This is considered the official strategy of our business.

Its primary objective is development of the civic society in broad sense. The Foundation organizes promotional activities supporting educational programme addressed to children and adolescents, actively promotes young talents, equalizes the chances of people with disabilities, and expands access to cultural property and community life.

The Foundation motto is „Getting close to people and their needs.” This is the slogan that Asia, Gosia, Dorota, and Basia keep in their hearts. The women-volunteers are active in our local (Opole City) senior policy providing our projects with professional and financial support.

The company considers corporate volunteering a crucial issue and approaches it in a professional way carrying out a thorough survey amongst its employees. The study covered their up-to-date experience concerning volunteer work as well as issues of the utmost interest. Since then a new volunteering strategy has been implemented to feature new goals and course of action. Activities aimed at local groups remain of crucial importance for the PZU Insurance Group.

It is the senior citizens that make one of such communities in Opole City and it is not a small group. Many a time they took advantage of the Foundation resources to tackle their issues of interest or care about health which has recently become the priority.

Opole Senior Centre in co-operation with PZU Insurance Foundation performed the tasks as follows:

1. sewing protective masks and eco bags for seniors;
2. smoovey training for the elderly;
3. common singing for children and seniors as part of intergenerational co-operation;

4  establishing the new rental of rehabilitation and mobility equipment.

The volunteer women were asked about the reasons for carrying out activities in their company and they responded in the following way:

Ania Lisowska:

The work mates encouraged me to start participating in this project. As usual, first one is always the hardest but once the things have started, you get fully involved. This time we organize volunteering   activities that facilitate getting acquainted with issues of utmost importance for our living quality. Voluntary work provides us with joy and pleasure. It makes our life meaningful thanks to every single effort or getting involved in action. This year we have already managed to implement two projects. Once more we succeeded in doing something for others.

Dorota Kucharska-Morel

I have been an active voluntary worker since 2016. The first enterprise to deal with was aimed at the local animal shelter in Dębowa village. Then the things began to speed up. We are currently undertaking contest assignments as well as non-competition ventures. There are various types of beneficiaries we take care of – from preschoolers to seniors – and it is everyday life that provides us with the ideas. Seasoned voluntary workers must keep their head on neck and that is what we do. Building a puppy-safe shed within the animal shelter seems quite a complex action; nonetheless, it results in great satisfaction with the entire job done. We profoundly regret not being able to support every single creature in need. The project to have been awarded was renovation of a common room in the community club for Local Prevention Centre in Opole. Up to now the children have been showing their gratitude every time they happen to meet up with us in the street. It was also worthwhile to carry out enterprises for the students of the Technical School of Economy in Opole. The event featured two school trips bound for Wrocław and Poznań cities. We ourselves drew much from those educational activities gaining knowledge of graphic designs and printing industry technology. Thanks to it the students benefited from „4PRINT” Poznań International Fair and took advantage of their visit to „ŠKODA AUTOLAB” enjoying the rollover simulator. As a result, the event participants obtained the highest scores at their vocational exams in the entire region. And last but not least – our seniors – we are really into projects for You. The elderly volunteers create amazing atmosphere and willingness to co-operate. Nonetheless, we are still looking for new inspirations and challenges. These activities prove to be very addictive. Overjoying recipients with smile on the face… seeing it is a must.

Basia Konarska

I have been working for PZU Insurance Foundation since 2016 and, along with other volunteers, undertook an action with a view to collect food and pet toys for animal shelter. Furthermore, I organized dancing workshops for people with disabilities. Ecology and “Zero-waste” movement are of the utmost interest for me. Voluntary work helps you realize that helping others is really involving and, at times, one may wonder who draws more fun out of it – helpers or beneficiaries.

Last year Gosia Konarska, was still with us as a full-time employee working on various projects. Now she is a senior herself and, of course, working voluntarily.

All in all, our family of volunteering men and women is a special group of people who undoubtedly feel like helping others and have a great fun from it. The meetings of voluntary work leaders had been  organized on a regular basis before SARS-CoV-2 epidemic and made up a dose of positive energy. One indeed wanted to participate. It had plenty to do with the support from our project coordinator, Ms Madzia Wolska who seems a cure-all person, always willing to help and provide us with advice. She is a real flesh and blood voluntary worker. We are also strongly supported by our management superiors which plays a crucial role. Apart from that, each of us gets the family members involved in the entire volunteering activity.

Another asset is that every project results in new friendships, not just acquaintances.