The Vopak WeConnect Foundation reaches out to the young people that are living in our nearby communities.
Many young people in our surrounding communities grow up with fewer opportunities in life. Often, they need a helping hand and support to learn that there is a world outside waiting to be discovered. The Vopak WeConnect Foundation can offer this support by helping the youth to acquire useful knowledge and skills, to learn languages, to get inspired by career stories or to help them through music, art or even sports activities. Sometimes there is a need to lay a foundation for their learning like providing internet at school, taking care of necessary stationery or setting up a library.
Since the launch of the Foundation in 2017, many colleagues have engaged with their local community and have started a Vopak WeConnect project together with local partners. During the COVID pandemic, the Vopak WeConnect Foundation provided funding for donations to help young people and their families in our local communities.
You may find an overview of all our projects below. Learn more about a Vopak WeConnect through an example from South Africa.
Americas
Promoting the social and sustainable development of the local community, and bringing about real change since the project's implementation in 2018.
Helping students from local public high schools prepare for the local job market, by enabling them to acquire necessary skills to meet the existing demand.
Empowering students between the age of 11 and 12 from local high schools to take ownership of their economic success.
Connecting students to international business opportunities to learn about global economy, and helping them understand the benefits of school education
Sharing knowledge of film making as well as teamwork and safety at work to youths, with them assisting in creating a safety video as a project.
Assisting young people to succeed in a global economy, through developing successful financial habits and exploring the potential of becoming an entrepreneur.
Providing students from a local junior high school insights to the diverse STEM fields to trigger students' interests in learning more.
Assisting young female students from local high schools in planning and preparing their career and promoting STEM careers.
Supporting young female (to be) entrepeneurs by strengthening their business management skills and contributing to their personal development.
China & North Asia
Introducing students to the petrochemical industry to help them understand what it is like working there, and assisting them in future career planning.
Increasing the students' awareness of the polluttion caused by plastic waste and encouraging them to drive the change with regard to single-use plastic.
Empowering children living in the local community to learn more about safety, and provoking their interest in the subject of chemistry.
Sharing knowledge with young people from a local middle school about identifying mental issues in an early stage and increasing mental resilience.
Assisting in a local activity that aims to strengthen the society's awareness on autism and empowering the autistic children to live a fulfilling life.
Raising cross-cultural and safety awareness through practical exercises, and stimulating students' interest in chemistry at a local middle school.
Sharing knowledge about science and technology with the aim provoking students' interest in these subjects during National Popular Science Month.
Supporting young students in the local community as part of the summer program to share Vopak's safety values.
Asia & Middle East
Inspiring less privileged students to improve their self development skills and make them more aware of their future career opportunities.
Organizing a skill development program for youth through training and knowledge sharing, specifically related to the terminal industry.
Supporting children in nearby community by paying school items such as books, school bags, uniforms, and organizing safety training at the schools.
Assisting young women in developing digital skills to bridge gender and economic divide and improve the economic situation of the families and communities.
Guiding school students from low-income families to the business world by career exploration, preparing job interviews and a field trip to a local museum.
Offering asylum seekers a three-month internship at Vopak to gain work experience and prepare them for the Australian job market.
Helping underprivileged students enhance their digital literacy, through building a Raspberry Pie computer and programming in Python.
Increasing the job readiness of underprivileged youths via online mentoring classes, and empowering them through a charity run for our employees.
Increasing the job readiness of underprivileged youths via online mentoring classes, and empowering them through a charity run for our employees.
Offering graduate students an internship program to gain professional work experience and prepare for the local labor market.
Harnessing the power of football to help children develop leadership skills and learn moral values by playing as a team while staying active.
Europe & Africa
Providing practical and engaging lessons related to safety and health to students who have difficulty in processing theoretical information.
Empowering young people with tools that will help them to define their career path and make the right decisions for their future education.
Providing internet connection and IT resources to a local school to enable the children to become more familiar with the digital world.
Offering young people the chance to capitalize on their academic qualifications and professional training and mentorship at Vopak.
Assisting young people in developing social, emotional and cognitive skills for individual transformation and make healthy decisions in their lives.
Organizing sailing trips with Young Vopak professionals to develop collaboration skills, expand their professional network, and gain more insights of the industry.
Supporting underprivileged young people with intervention methodology through basketball, coaching, and workshops to empower them.
Sharing knowledge and providing practical experience for students, in relation to the school’s topics: HR, Investment, Non-financial Information, and Sustainability.
Assisting young people in developing social, emotional and cognitive skills for individual transformation and make healthy decisions in their lives.
Giving educational support to students from a local high school by assisting them in improving their school performance and enhancing their digital skills.
COVID-19 donations
Food and essential equipment were provided for students and their family. Other equipment such as laptop were donated to underprivileged students to assist them with learning.
Our colleagues supported their local communities by giving goodie bags, care packages, groceries, and cleaning supplies for children to return to school.
Donations were spent on face masks and virus protection to enable local students to study in a safe environment and to provide school packages for students to return to school.
The Vopak teams assisted underprivileged students by supporting them in school education, as the pause in learning affected many, as well as providing aid to cover their personal needs.