In a city where fewer than 60 percent of public school students graduate, there is a clear opportunity for the Atlanta business community to take a role in preparing youth for the future. If Atlanta is to continue to thrive, it must invest in tomorrow’s leaders.
Corporate philanthropy has an important part to play, yet writing a check is simply not enough. We must take a comprehensive approach — leveraging our unique talents, resources and ideas to drive real impact.
Organizations such as the Metro Atlanta Chamber’s Partners for Education and the Georgia Council on Economic Education help companies do just that. Georgia also recognizes this mission, as our high school students are required to take and pass a course on the principles of economics, business and free enterprise. And as a firm of audit, tax and consulting professionals, PwC is able to leverage our strengths and resources to improve the financial literacy of youth.
Despite the statewide requirement, less than 20 percent of educators feel prepared to teach personal finance. To address this need, we collaborated with organizations to develop “Earn Your Future,” a financial literacy curriculum available to teachers, nonprofits and anyone interested in improving our youths’ financial knowledge. Our partners and staff volunteer with organizations, including Junior Achievement of Georgia and the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Atlanta, to help students learn about saving, investing, paying for college, establishing credit and making financially responsible decisions.
Our outreach also includes one-on-one mentoring. Through our “Life Skills” program, now in its 21st year, we help Sutton Middle School students prepare for the working world. We have worked with 3,500 students through these and other programs.
Yet perhaps the most valuable impact stems from relationships students develop with our people. Through lunchtime conversations and casual meetings, students learn how the business world works and how to build relationships. They receive guidance that helps them identify what they enjoy, what they are good at, and possible career options. During these interactions, we see eyes brighten and confidence levels rise.
By aligning corporate responsibility with an organization’s strategy and capabilities, companies can help volunteers make the most of their skills, which contributes to deeper personal satisfaction, stronger company loyalty and higher work performance. It can also address the talent gap, one of the biggest challenges companies face today, by helping youth build skills to succeed in the future.
When it comes to youth education, we’re in this together. Parents and teachers are on the front lines, but the business community shares responsibility.
Every business has resources, skills and ideas. We owe it to Atlanta to leverage them to provide our youth with the tools they need to succeed and build a stronger, more productive community.
Reggie Walker is managing partner for the Atlanta office of PwC, a firm that specializes in audit and assurance, tax and consulting services.
