Genius Care at iAdvize: A Day Dedicated to Corporate Community Engagement
iAdvize
At iAdvize, we believe in the importance of community engagement. That's why we created the Genius Care program, which allows our employees to dedicate paid time to volunteer activities. Whether it's participating in charity drives, supporting non-profit organizations, or cleaning up local beaches, Genius Care offers a variety of opportunities to make a difference and turn good intentions into action.
Genius Care: Giving Time to Others
What is it?
Genius Care is a program that allows all employees, including interns and apprentices, to dedicate paid time to a charity or cause of their choice. Each employee is given one paid day, or two half days, per year to participate in volunteer activities.
How did it start?
This program was first launched in 2017 with an initiative focused on the Résonantes project, a partnership to support the New York-based NGO A Safer Place, that raises awareness and helps prevent gender-based violence through their app, App-Elles.
The goal of this project was to help the App-Elles founder, Diata N'Diaye, develop a new user interface and increase the app’s visibility. iAdvize team members provided technical and marketing expertise to advance this cause, sparking interest in continuing similar projects.
What does it look like today?
A Genius Care day can be used at any time of the year, and the activity can either be done in person or virtually from home.
After the event, employees are encouraged to share their experience by writing a few words about the cause they chose to support and what they accomplished during their day of giving.
Active and Ongoing Projects
Here are some of the projects employees volunteer for on Genius Care days:
- Collecting hygiene and care products for Fondation des Femmes
- Cleaning a beach with Surfrider Foundation Europe
- Collecting clothes and food for Les Restos du Coeur & Les P'tits Gilets
- Raising awareness of biodiversity issues with EcoTree France
- Helping grant wishes for children who are hospitalized at Magie à l'hôpital
Group Initiatives
The Genius Care program is not limited to individual participation. Group initiatives are regularly organized to strengthen cohesion and team spirit.
In November 2023, employees organized a drive to collect warm clothing, food, and hygiene products for the association Les P’tits Gilets, which helps the homeless population in Nantes get access to essential supplies. The group was able to collect nine boxes of items valued at over €1,000!
Environmental protection is another cause close to the heart of many iAdvize employees. On July 5, 2024, a group organized a beach cleanup event, where volunteers gathered at Lanséria Beach for 3 hours to collect trash and contribute to the preservation of our coastline.
Project Spotlight: Our Partnership with Télémaque
Since 2022, iAdvize has partnered with the Télémaque association, an organization dedicated to providing equal opportunities for young people. Our employees participate in this partnership by providing mentorship to students to help motivate and support them in discovering their full potential.
Télémaque's mentorship program is based on a dual approach. Each student is supported by both a corporate mentor and a mentor from their school, which provides comprehensive academic, professional, and personal help.
98% of Télémaque's general track mentees go on to higher education after their high school graduation. In France, the average rate for this is just 44%.
iAdvize employees can volunteer to become mentors, and currently, three of our employees are part of the program. The role requires a minimum commitment of one year, with monthly and quarterly activities including:
- Monthly outings: Each month, mentors organize an outing with their mentee to build trust and share their experiences. Activities include things like visiting a museum, touring a company, exploring a new place, or simply having lunch together and chatting.
- Group activities: Group outings are organized once a quarter to bring mentors and their mentees together for collaborative activities.
Laura, a Customer Experience Enabler at iAdvize, didn’t hesitate to get involved as a mentor. Her adventure began with the creation of the partnership in 2022:
As a corporate mentor, Télémaque gave me the opportunity to build a wonderful connection with my mentee, a middle schooler soon to be in high school, who I can support throughout her education.
Now that our paths have crossed, we’re exploring new possibilities together, fueling our curiosity, opening doors, and learning a lot while having fun through the monthly outings we plan together. These tend to be visiting a museum, sharing a hot chocolate, exploring our creative passions, taking a train for an excursion, meeting a professional, discussing the future, visiting a new place, stocking up on books for the summer, going to the theater, signing up at the library, visiting a high school, and philosophizing.
For me, Télémaque is also a story of trust. It’s the trust I have in my mentee, the trust she shows me, the trust of her family, and especially the trust I see growing in her own potential.
Employee Feedback on the Program
Feedback on the Genius Care program is overall extremely positive. iAdvize employees feel valued and motivated by the opportunity to contribute to causes important to them through their workplace.
Committed to Advancing Women’s Causes
Jessica, VP of People at iAdvize, joined Force Femmes in 2022, an association dedicated to the re-integration of women over 45 into the workplace. She described the experience as incredibly enriching for both her and the person she mentored:
Thanks to the Genius Care initiative, I overcame my hesitation and fears about volunteering. I often thought, "I'd like to get involved in an association, but I'm afraid it will take too much time." Genius Care dispelled these doubts and allowed me to take impactful action.
For a year I dedicated 1 to 2 hours a month–via video calls, emails, document reviews, or in-person work sessions–to supporting a remarkable woman determined to change her career. She just needed a little help with IT tools and boosting her confidence. With her incredible determination and our regular interactions, she landed a permanent job in her dream role after her first interview!
I’m extremely proud of her journey and the result. This experience with Force Femmes, facilitated by the Genius Care initiative, not only allowed me to positively impact someone's life but also brought me immense personal satisfaction and the reassurance that even small actions can have a big impact.
Solidarity engagement can take many forms, like organizing collections. Some of our female colleagues have chosen to support the Fondation des Femmes, which works alongside associations to help end violence against women.
"It was a wonderful experience that gave me the opportunity to get more involved and share values that are important to me: mutual aid, raising awareness, and being an advocate for people in need. The Genius Care program is a great way to get involved through the company and easily connect with organizations."
Sylvie, Graphic Designer at iAdvize
A Program That Reflects Our Commitments
The Genius Care program exemplifies iAdvize's commitments and values. By allowing everyone to dedicate time to causes they care about, we hope to foster personal fulfillment and solidarity within our community.
Want to learn more about the values that drive iAdvize and support initiatives like Genius Care? Discover them here.