Skip to Content
Capgemini_Stories_sharing-happiness_2
Life at Capgemini

Sharing happiness

One colleague shares how helping non-profit organizations master social media can contribute to society – as well as to one’s personal wellbeing.

Online promotion

Barbara Schafarczyk is a service delivery manager for an automotive client at Capgemini. In October 2020, she had the opportunity to get involved in the Social Academy week in Germany, during which she was able to share digital promotion skills with not-for-profit organizations.

“During the pandemic, I became interested in the power of LinkedIn to promote an organization – and one’s own expertise – through written articles,” says Barbara. “And in my opinion, women sometimes need an extra boost of confidence to do this.” 

After Barbara conducted a webinar on the subject within Capgemini, she was invited to lead a session for the Social Academy week in October 2020. 

Social Academy: Digital training for non-profits

The annual event is organized by tech companies based in Berlin and Munich and takes place over the course of a week. Participating businesses conduct online seminars and workshops with the aim of empowering and upskilling non-profit organizations on a pro bono basis. Barbara was astonished when she found out her class was the second-most subscribed. “I was completely shocked,” she says. “The organizers told me 100 people had signed up. It turned out the number was actually 250.”

Adjusting expectations

Barbara conducted the talk in German, which is not her first language. “I was concerned people would notice my mistakes,” she says. “But once I started, I realized that didn’t matter. They were simply interested in what they could learn.” The fact the session was online rather than face-to-face also proved to be no obstacle. “I was blown away by the energy and enthusiasm I could feel from the participants,” says Barbara. “It was something I didn’t expect from a virtual workshop.”

Maximizing value

For not-for-profit organizations, understanding how to maximize the value from LinkedIn and social media can be crucial. “It can become a reliable source of donations, further pro bono work, as well as future collaborations,” explains Barbara. “I was also really honest about the need to self-publicize because non-profit organizations need clear and candid advice. I emphasized that if I hadn’t heard of their organization, none of my colleagues had either.”

Back to school

Barbara supports colleagues in the CSR team on a project to help schools in Germany learn how to use Microsoft Teams as a teaching resource. This has meant literally “going back to school” because the training takes place on site. “Schools have struggled during the pandemic, so we’re supporting them by training teachers to get the most out of Teams, alongside some of our partners from Microsoft,” she says.

Reaping the rewards

For Barbara, the main benefit of participating in pro bono work is the satisfaction of helping others to create the future they want. “People ask why I spend extra time working on these projects,” she says, “I tell them that, rather than being a burden, it’s a fantastic way to deal with stress. After you see not-for-profit organizations take your suggestions seriously and start to use social media more effectively, you get a great sense of reward.”

Becoming Robin Hood

Barbara feels that doing CSR is like becoming Robin Hood. “You’re not taking away anything, but you’re enriching people’s lives. And you do feel heroic once you get involved because, honestly, you can find yourself changing someone’s life for the better.”

Supporting the community through technology in Germany

Our German colleagues bring their technology expertise to multiple initiatives to support the community around them.

Online volunteer mentoring

More than 60 Capgemini colleagues in Germany have been helping refugees to gain new skills through one-to-one tuition on CVs and careers, with a strengths and development plan for participants.

    Cyber mentoring for schoolgirls

    Each year, female Capgemini colleagues work with schoolgirls between the age of 14–18 through the CyberMentor platform to act as role models and mentors while providing careers guidance.

      Virtual hackathons

      Capgemini colleagues participate regularly as hackers and judges in virtual hackathons that aim to solve social problems and generate technology solutions, while connecting the tech community with NGOs and politicians.

        Virtual strategy workshops for NGOs

        As part of a virtual volunteering day in Germany, We have supported NGOs by giving their employees virtual strategy workshops on topics such as online fundraising and virtual collaboration.

          Inside stories

          Hunting for dragons
          Future-shaping projects

          Hunting for dragons

          Sarah Gonçalves wasn’t always a data engineer. She began her career as an archaeologist, unearthing the secrets of the past in sites across France before retraining as a data engineer. She brings the same curiosity to her new vocation at Capgemini, using artificial intelligence (AI) to uncover what lies beneath the surface.

          Latest Story Image
          Environment

          Sustaining a national wonder with AI

          Latest Story Image
          Life at Capgemini

          Building bridges