{"id":579857,"date":"2020-10-21T08:41:13","date_gmt":"2020-10-21T12:41:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.steelcase.com\/?p=579857"},"modified":"2024-07-03T09:24:32","modified_gmt":"2024-07-03T13:24:32","slug":"camp-ignite-sparks-equitable-opportunities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.steelcase.com\/research\/articles\/topics\/people-planet\/camp-ignite-sparks-equitable-opportunities\/","title":{"rendered":"Camp Ignite Sparks Equitable Opportunities"},"content":{"rendered":"

Alexandra Moldovan, project manager at Steelcase, has a genuine, friendly smile. “I had a dream. When I was younger, I participated in a camp for teenagers organized by the Peace Corps. It changed my life. I have always hoped I could help other young people go through the same experience and ignite in them the spark that is in all of us.”<\/p>\n

When Moldovan started to work for Steelcase<\/a> at the company\u2019s European Business Center in Cluj five years ago, the project began to take form, endorsed by the Steelcase Social Impact<\/a> team. Kim Dabbs, Global Director of Social Innovation, confirms: \u201cEverything we do, everything we design as a company has an impact on the world, and making sure we have holistic policies, practices and partners both inside and outside of Steelcase is key and critical to how we deliver. We\u2019ve focused on partnerships aligned with quality education and reducing inequality. We\u2019re trying to bring positive change to the people we\u2019re working with as well as to our planet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alina Foghis, Fundraising & Marketing coordinator at World Vision<\/a>, continues: “Alexandra came to me in 2015 and proposed to organize a camp in collaboration with Steelcase. I like challenges, and I believed in her idea, so I said, \u2018Yes, let’s do it.\u2019 That was the beginning of a beautiful friendship and an impactful project called Camp Ignite.”<\/p>\n

World Vision carries out long-term community projects in under-resourced, rural communities, focusing on education and reducing school dropout rates. According to The European Commission, the school dropout rate in Romania in 2018 reached 16.4% among teenagers aged 14 to 18 years of age; that\u2019s five percent higher than the European Union average, explains Foghis. The numbers are even more dramatic in rural areas, where the school dropout rate is over 26%, and predominantly female. \u201cOur programs facilitate children’s access to quality education, extracurricular activities, career opportunities and improving their families’ living conditions,\u201d says Foghis. Steelcase has been financially supporting World Vision projects for several years. Today, the relationship has evolved into a real partnership and Camp Ignite celebrates its 9th edition.<\/p>\n

\"Camp<\/p>\n

“Camp Ignite focuses on developing leadership and critical thinking skills and promotes gender equity, diversity and inclusion,” explains Moldovan. The five-day camp allows teenagers to experience a journey of self-discovery and empowerment. Steelcase employees are responsible for designing and facilitating each camp session, which takes place twice a year and hosts 30 teens chosen from World Vision projects. The project has helped the company retain some of its best talent \u2014 they currently have a 90% retention rate. The camp has hosted over 270 teens to date.<\/p>\n

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