News

Foster care topic still hot at Marriott

Second year of the shadowing program for foster kids at the Marriott and Courtyard hotels in Prague

The Marriott‘s shadowing program for foster care children entered its second year this August. Five young adults enrolled in the program at the Prague Marriott, Courtyard by Marriott Prague Flora and Courtyard by Marriott Airport.

„When considering our long term CSR strategy, our priority was to identify long term direction that we would support on a consistent basis. During the course of our research, the topic of foster care in the Czech Republic was discussed, and immediately caught our attention and dedication on learning that there are 20000 children in insitutional care, 8000 of them in foster homes“, says Tereza Agnew, Country PR manager.

Long-term studies show that children who spend their childhood in institutional care are greatly disadvantaged for the rest of their lives in relation to children who are placed in a new family. In general, they have poor vocabulary, more limited communication and people skills, less developed abstract thinking, few positive life experiences, coordination difficulties etc. Due to their situation, they lack role models, natural motivation or persistence to accomplish their goals, complete studies, hold on to a job, etc. The sad statistics say that more than 50% face criminal charges soon after leaving the foster home regime.

„We developed an idea we believed would make a difference ... to assist young adults leaving these institutions in finding their professional direction in life. Knowing how little experience most of them have, the aim is to assist them in preparation to enter the labour market knowing what to expect and will be expected from them. Our goal was to share what is our most precious asset...and that is undoubtedly our hotel expertise, our know-how,“says Agnew. Having so many professions in the hotels, the hotels decided to create an interactive shadowing program, where the young people leaving foster homes can gain some real life professional experience by working alongside professionals.

The hotels were assisted in their preperations and in developing the idea by the foundation „Človek hledá člověka“ which was excited about the proposal and adressed foster homes to find young adults interested in our program. They, as well as the hotels‘ management, believed in this approach as a very effective method in helping young people find their direction in professional life. The organizations Project Manager Tomáš Chmelař offers a parallel: „What do you think makes more impact? To give someone a fish or to teach him/her HOW to fish“?

Last August, when the project was launched, four young adults enrolled in the program at the Prague Marriott Hotel (Sales & Marketing, Housekeeping, Front Office and Kitchen) and one at the Courtyard by Marriott Prague Flora Hotel (Kitchen). Each of the young adults had a „buddy“ from the hotel team, a person responsible for making sure the trainees were learning what they are interested in and are guided in the area in question.

„If just one of these young adults finds something beneficial in this experience and uses what he/she has learned to good effect to ease their passage into professional life, then the mission is successful“, concludes Tereza Agnew.

www.marriottprague.com