For nearly a decade, HSBC has stood alongside the Coalition for the Protection of Children (CPC), championing initiatives that bring hope and opportunity to those that need it most. Among these, one programme shines bright in addressing the root cause of instability. The Roots for Success programme helps individuals not only move off financial aid, but more importantly, empowers participants to reclaim their confidence, dignity and lay down a path to a better future through meaningful employment.
CPC Executive Director, Kelly Hunt, explains that too often the focus was on the symptoms rather than the root causes of insecurity and it was clear that cycles of dependency needed to be addressed in a different way. “The CPC saw the need to support parents with an educational fund, job-readiness training, and workshops that support both personal and professional development,” she says. “At the end of the programme, clients have an updated CV, letters of recommendation and specific, individualised goals.
“Ultimately, parents feel empowered to seek employment opportunities and pursue their objective to become more self-sufficient after completing the programme.”
Roots for Success is a 10-week development programme for guardians, as well as parents, incorporating interactive workshops, individualised coaching, and volunteer work placement. Workshop topics prioritise employability competencies, life skills and parenting tools, and include communication and conflict resolution, personal branding and advocacy, self-reflection and problem solving, and collaboration and family dynamics. The programme also includes financial literacy and budgeting workshops, which are hosted and delivered by HSBC.
“The overarching goal is to reduce the reliance on financial assistance while promoting long-term family stability,” continues Hunt, who highlighted a number of the programme’s success stories.
One of these was a mother with low self-esteem and a limited formal education, but through the CPC’s life coaching and group activities, she found her voice. She then did so well in the programme’s communication modules that she was offered a customer service job at a local retail outlet. Not only did she succeed for herself and her family, but her success also inspired others in her cohort to believe in their own potential.
Another inspirational success story is that of a father who had struggled with long-term unemployment. He joined the Roots for Success programme to be a good role model to his children and the hands-on experience he gained led to multiple employment opportunities: “His children witnessed his slow but steady transformation and the family’s reliance on financial assistance decreased, marking a generational shift in mindset and opportunity,” praises Hunt.
These are just two of many success stories of caregivers who have gone into the programme on financial assistance and come out of it more self-sufficient.
Roots for Success has also given participants the confidence and skills to start their own businesses. One such example was a mother with a background in culinary arts who used the creative problem-solving components and peer mentorship to launch her own baked goods business: “With guidance from industry professionals and CPC’s support, she transitioned from unemployment to becoming self-employed and obtaining part-time employment at an eatery now providing for her family,” shares Hunt.
In addition to working with the private sector, CPC also partners with Workforce Development, which has led directly to job offers for workshop participants and, says Hunt, “validates the programme’s design and demonstrates the power of collective impact in tackling unemployment.”
“Strong families are at the heart of a strong community,” explained Tanya Bule, Head of International, Wealth and Premier Banking at HSBC Bermuda. “We’re deeply honoured to support the Coalition for the Protection of Children and the life changing work they do. For us, this isn’t just a partnership, it’s a shared commitment to walk alongside families through their hardest moments and help them build brighter futures.”
While Roots for Success is a huge component of HSBC’s support for CPC, it is not the only programme the bank supports. They have also provided staff, office space and funding to ensure that some of the organisation’s other programmes can be delivered. These include their child abuse prevention initiative, Speak Up and Be Safe.
“Continued support by the corporate sector is the only reason why the CPC can facilitate these important programmes,” says Hunt. “We not only rely on the private sector to believe in us, but we essentially have no other way to deliver our programmes.
“We are honoured that HSBC has been a corporate partner with us to ensure that parents who are struggling are supported with the resources they need to find their way out of the difficult situation of financial hardship.”
Roots for Success builds resilience and empowers parents and guardians to pursue their own professional and personal development goals and provide for themselves and their families. This resilience and empowerment embodies one of HSBC’s main pillars of philanthropy.
