It's not often that a team-building event involves panhandling by day and spending the night outside in a cardboard box, but those were key components of a two-day program held this October by Aeroplan, the membership rewards division of Aimia (formerly Carlson Marketing). The primary objective for the annual Aeroplan Days event: to raise awareness about the plight of homeless youth in Montreal and create a life-changing experience for participants.
Montreal-based Atmosphere Event Communications was asked to provide suggestions. "After many years of working with this client and embracing their culture, we knew we could present an idea that would most definitely push the envelope and engage an audience, emotionally and physically," says Atmosphere president and chief innovator Jason Katz.
Atmosphere developed a program that began with an invite directing employees to a website that would allow them to learn about the event and create personal fund-raising pages. The agenda was largely a mystery, but participants were told they would have the option of sleeping out for the night in a parking lot in front of Montreal's Bell Centre. The rest would be revealed throughout the course of the program.
A learning experience
The journey began on Oct. 11, 2011, as 330 employees from Aeroplan were transferred to an undisclosed location in the heart of an industrial sector of Montreal. The space was decorated with a 40-foot graffiti wall designed by street kids, black-and-white images of homeless children and teens, and posters showing key facts about the problem.
The next 24 hours were spent learning about life on the streets, with the guidance of a local organization, Dans la rue, formed in 1988 to help young people without a home.
"We brought Aeroplan and Dans la rue together and created an experience where employees would live a day in the life of a homeless person," says Katz. "We put the employees through a series of activities that helped them tune into the harsh feelings and unfortunate realities that some of these people face each day."
Employees were eased into the experience through a series of inspirational presentations. Aki Tchitacov, executive director of Dans la rue, presented the organization and its aim. A motivational presentation delivered by Joe Roberts (the "Skid Row CEO"), a former street kid himself, spoke about his struggles to survive on the streets and how he overcame adversity, setting the tone for the day.
For their first challenge, employees donned rubber gloves and hairnets and collectively produced an impressive 1,000 sandwiches in 10 minutes. These sandwiches were then handed out to street kids by the foundation.
Panhandling for a cause
Next, the group was broken into teams and dispatched to metro stations
throughout the city. Participants had the humbling experience of
panhandling for the cause. An incredible $13,000 was raised in only two
hours, and the sense of accomplishment truly was emotional.
Then, employees had the option of heading home for the night or sleeping
out on the streets. More than 130 people opted to spend the night in
the Bell Centre parking lot in support of Dans la rue.
"The most poignant experience was the sleep-out," says Katz. "Every
employee who took part will not forget what they experienced."
Among morning-after comments from participants:
"It was a difficult but rewarding night in my cardboard shelter -- a humbling experience that will be forever remembered."
"It's 5 a.m. and I didn't sleep. I'm proud of what we have done."
"It's not easy to sleep in when you're sleeping on concrete."
"I have a whole new respect for a comfortable bed...and quiet."
Going social
Throughout the experience, participants were encouraged to use social
media to share their thoughts and feelings via Twitter, Facebook, blogs
and other social media platforms. On-site was a "Get Social" station,
equipped with Wi-Fi and mounted iPads, encouraging participants to get
the word out.
In addition to generating awareness, the site around the Bell Centre was
adorned with large banners with key facts about street kids and facts
about Dans la rue.
"We really didn't see this experience as happening in a vacuum," says
Katz "We wanted people to talk about what was happening in real-time and
share it with others."
Giving back
Over coffee that morning, Aeroplan handed a check to Dans la rue for
$66,000, collected via the panhandling exercise as well as participants'
fund-raising pages. And the money keeps coming in -- as of Oct. 28,
$80,000 had been donated to the foundation through Aeroplan employees'
efforts.
"Supporting our local communities is a big part of our culture at
Aeroplan and a key objective," says Kevin O'Brien, chief commercial
officer. "This experience gave our employees an opportunity to assist
homeless youth, and the money raised by our employees will go a long way
in supporting key services at Dans la rue and help to build a stronger
community."
"It is important to realize that one person can make a difference," says
Dans la rue's Aki Tchitacov. "Each and every employee's action will
have a considerable impact, not only on the lives of our youth, but on
every person they encountered on the streets during these two days. They
will bring about positive change."
Atmosphere's Jason Katz adds, "Employee engagement happens at so many
levels. Corporations are beginning to realize that the CSR experience
and team building go hand in hand. The results can have profound impact
on the culture of the corporation and the community."