IHG Graduate Programmes

Day 13 & wrap up 

“Hello! We are Anthony and Lauranna. Anthony looks after the learning aspect of the Future Leaders programme and Lauranna manages the programme for the Europe region. For those past two weeks, we were in Tender Heart NGO with the Future Leaders. Our roles were to make sure that the project ran smoothly in terms of meeting the set objectives that would help Renu Bali (the founder of the NGO) and her team there but also to make sure the Future Leaders took advantage of this opportunity to grow their soft skills and learn how to be a stronger group together. We are very proud to say that our mission has been accomplished. Both objectives were met and exceeded. Not only they produced what they came here for and, believe us, we thought, at times, that they would not manage it. Indeed, we saw them struggling to adapt to the working culture, struggling to work as one team as they did not know each other well when we arrived in Faridabad and the tough living conditions of the kids made them doubt a lot of their potential impact. Nevertheless, they have released their full potential, especially during the second week to make things happen, they became stronger together and managed to make a real difference in the lives of the kids they interacted with and through the realisation of their projects. Let’s now hope that the hard work will pay and that more volunteers will come directly to Tender Heart. From a self-development point of view, we saw the group becoming more unified day after day and this helped to perform better. 

Individually, each of them has grown: Nail & Thomas learned how to understand other’s feelings better, Ines has learned how to be more flexible for the group to be successful, Louis managed to set his own boundaries, Benoit learned how to delegate to include the rest of the team and therefore achieve greater results with the support of a group & finally both Olga and Serafin learned that exposing their true personalities is often a key to success when it comes to federate a team. We also learnt a lot… Anthony has learnt that being more flexible can help others develop better while Lauranna worked on personalising her approach to each individuals. We are both incredibly proud of them and cannot wait to see them graduate soon. They are all amazing persons and we are now convinced that they will highly contribute to the growth of our company through managing to inspire their teams in their respective functions and hotels. Thanks a lot for following our adventures for the past two weeks!”

Day 12 (Thomas)

“Today was a very different day. Not working on our project made us reflect on other things, such as discovering parts of India, spending a complete day with the kids from Tender Heart NGO outside the school environment. I am so happy that we had the opportunity to bring them with us. For us it might be logical to see visit the Taj Mahal while in India but for them it is an experience once in a lifetime. 

This trip made me realize also what we have achieved as a group during these two weeks. We had highs and lows, but we did bounce back and became stronger.  In our group, we have so many different and strong personalities and this makes us so unique. I am proud to have led this project and the work that everyone has put into it. I want to thank everyone: Olga, Nail, Benoît, Ines, Serafin, Anthony, Louis and Lauranna to make this project happening. Thank you!”

Day 11 (Nail & Benoît)

“It was another day of learning and self reflection for both of us. We should be used to constant changes of plans and adapting to them at work. Nevertheless, the difference in pace that decisions and actions occur can be sometimes frustrating. Playing with the kids towards the end of the day is re-energizing and priorities become re-assessed and clarified. The highlight of the day was buying 20 clay cups for the new Tender Heart Shop Cafe from one of the slum kids parents. Her face expression and the pride she displayed bringing her parents 230 rupees (3 Euros) is something that won’t easily be forgotten and will be cherished. A simple purchase we take for granted everyday back in Europe but one that has a large positive impact on her and her family. Drinks can now be served with cups that come with a story. In addition, the cooperation between IHG and Tender Heart we are working on is strengthening and showing great promise. It is very encouraging to see passionate hoteliers coming all the way from Delhi to Faridabad to inspire young women about hospitality. Food for thought will be the fact that although a partnership can be built for months, if one piece of the puzzle does not fit it can break down within a single day. It is crucial to take into consideration all wishes and opinions at all times so all parties are aligned. Leaving Faridabad in a few days, we are now working on the final handover to Tender Heart to ensure the sustainability of this promising project.”

Day 10 (Louis & Serafin)

“While playing with the kids we met one of the local volunteers. Her name is Sonia, and she help us translating and organising the games. After the activities we sat with her and she explained to us how the education works here in India. That a proper education cost a lot of money and that attending a good school is a Luxury. Not all can afford it, and as school is mandatory, kids attend government schools which left them with a very minimal education level in this area of India.

This is why the WOOPIE (way out of poverty is education) programme here at TenderHeart has been created, so that the kids can access a better education. WOOPIE stands for “Way Out of Poverty is Education”. While this is only one way in which Tender Heart help the most unfortunate kids, the message is so powerful. Tender Heart gives a chance to the one that have none, they are dedicated to help the helpless.

Later on, this day, we saw other volunteers teaching the kids English lessons. This just reminded us how volunteers are crucial for Tender Heart School to continue this amazing initiative. We do hope that our work here will make many more volunteers come to the school! I guess something to take away with us is that very often we take education for granted, while these kids want to learn, but just can’t afford to.”

Day 9 (Olga & Inês)

“We have just arrived from a very interesting weekend exploring New Delhi, the history, the culture and markets! Being together for such a long time in a non-working environment has made us aware of the different personalities we all have and consequently we have got to know each other much better. Being in a group for 24 hours during two weeks means understanding, accepting and adapting and that is certainly something we have learned and will continue to work on for the next few days. Like any other family, sometimes there are things we disagree on, but it is all about how we overcome those differences. 

On top of that, we were a little reckless and underestimated the sun. As such we arrived to Tender Heart very sun-burnt and looking like lobsters! Then....an unforgetable thing happened. Renu saw us, laughed a little, and ran directly to fetch some fresh aloe vera leaves. She applied a layer on each of us and it instantly soothed the skin. She was so caring, showed so much love to us and in that moment, we truly felt 'home' and part of the Tender Heart family. 

It will definitely be difficult to say our good-byes as part of our hearts will never leave Faridabad. We really hope there will be more and more volunteers coming in and experiencing that feeling of belonging too as it's something wonderful.” 

Day 7 & 8 (Nail)

“Namaskar, 

Wow! Has it really been 8 days? When looking back so many experiences and things have transpired in such a short time, where does one begin. Faridabad and Delhi are places like no other, and ones where all your senses are tried and hardened on a daily basis. Even though I have only been here for a short time, I already feel I have gotten accustomed to some of the simple cultural differences one would find compared to Europe. Nevertheless, the inspiration and learning I have gained so far is invaluable and something not easily attainable back in Europe.

It is invigorating to move away from a world of materialistic values and ideals to one of life, passion, happiness, and simplicity. I am still struggling to grasp and accept the large gap in living standards that is evident wherever you look, and something you can’t simply ignore. Visiting India has certainly changed my perspective on certain things in life. It is indeed a harsh and unfair place, but one that is not evident from the behavior of the kids at TenderHeart. The joy, openness, and curiosity they display daily, makes it seem like there always two sides to every story.

I have become a big brother to some, and have gained sisters and brothers during my time here who have inspired me like no CEO or public figure could. I am proud that our time spent here will help the organization and most importantly the kids, move one step closer to a more positive journey in their lives.”

Day 6 ( Benoît)

“India... what a beautiful country despite hard situations bringing one back to reality sometimes. Every afternoon we use to play with the children from Tender Heart after class. That is for me the most positive moment of the day. The 9 of us, 50 children and one ball. That makes the best football game, wonderful discoveries and genuinely laughing people. These children mostly do not know what they are missing or what a typical European life would look like. That is why they live in small huts and are still able to run, play, learn and have fun. 

This leads to a lot of self-reflection. Back in Europe we have a job, a flat and big opportunities. However, we end up complaining too often. I will work more on that. So, I am really looking forward to accompanying the kids and visiting their homes next week.”  

Day 5 (Louis)

“It has only been five days and I am already amazed how this experience has changed us. We came to make little changes that could have a positive and sustainable impact on the life of little kids that have not much more than the few hours of education that Tenderheart provides them with.

We planned our stay to be able to make the most of this two weeks. We work on projects like refurbishing the dorms and refreshing the canteen hoping that with paint and brushes we can help the people of Tenderheart continue the great work they are doing here. We have tried to get several organisations to come to Tenderheart to see what is done here. We are also supporting Tenderheart to create a strong identity to help them to find their vision. We play every day with the kids from the slums to give them all the joy we can provide them with.

We were not prepared for how Tenderheart would impact us. 

Going around Faridabad looking for new furniture for the rooms and kitchen made us proud of being part of Tenderheart. Having a company wanted to partner with Tenderheart and IHG to make a difference, shows us that our resilience on a project can have a great effect on the result even if the path is challenging. Using our skills to create the marketing strategy proved us that we are lucky to have got training and education. Playing with the kids brought us a lot of joy and seeing were they live, humbled us.

We came with the plans and projects, they made us grow into better persons.”

Watch the video summary below

DAY 4 (Thomas)

“Hello, I'm Thomas from the InterContinental Berlin. We've now been in Faridabad for 4 days. We are now working actively to make Tender Heart NGO raise more money, attract more volunteers & hopefully sell more of their amazing products. The first days were more about strategy, planning & knowing what we would need to buy. There is already a lot of improvement made and I can see even more coming.

As project leader, I'm firstly very proud of my cohort who put a lot of energy, resources and effort to perform at their highest level of efficiency. To see how the project is going on, after all the work done as preparation to get the grant, it's a big achievement and it makes me very happy. Personally, I have also learnt a lot, thanks to the kids, women and people working at Tender Heart NGO. They made me realise what was important in life and what we should focus on to be happy. These kids look so happy to see us and have a good time with us but they should really know that they are the ones changing our lives.”

Day 3 (Serafin)

“So today was the experience that will last for a life time. After the school we took a ride with the kids on the school bus back home. The kids were very excited to share the ride with us and even more excited to show us where their home was. What we saw, couldn't be described as a home in any way. Mountain of wooden sticks, formed as walls with black foil covering the top of the hut, all located on a field with huts one next to each other. 

Despite this, they were so happy to show us where their home was. We were left speechless for the rest of our ride back to the school... I guess this was the moment where I have realised how Tender Heart School is so important to these kids and the community; trying to create a better future for them, and that our role here, although small, will help the school continue to support the most unfortunate.  With this in mind, here is to our third day!”

DAY 2 (Ines)

“It had been a while since my last experience with kids, almost 8 years to be precise. I cannot say I had forgotten the feeling because it is a kind of happiness that can never disappear but despite that, it was getting blurry. Today, hearing their screams, those little people climbing all over me, the pictures and the hugs, made everything clear again. I feel so fortunate. I am thankful for hot and clean water. I am thankful for my job and upcoming opportunities. I am thankful for my family and for my friends. However, today, what makes me feel thankful is being here. We are here to try to make those little kids feel fortunate too. We are here to create opportunities to those who weren’t as lucky as we were”

Checkout the DAY 2 summary now: 

Intro

Welcome reader - yes, YOU! We are IHG Future Leaders - cohort 2016, and just yesterday we embarked on a journey to India to continue the CSR immersion project launched last year.  

For the next two weeks (10-25 March) we are going to share our personal first-hand experiences, the ups and downs, the highs and lows… Watch a video testimonial or have a more in-depth read - the choice is yours!  For now, have a look at the intro video ;)

Journey & DAY 1 (Olga)

“I had felt very anxious for the past week and a half without truly understanding the reasons behind it. Yes… it was the build-up of the upcoming journey but the true nature of my apprehension has become clear to me today. It had not been very easy for me to ‘give myself fully’ into hands of my colleagues. I had not been in control of the planning process, travel arrangements and communication with the counterparts in India. I was scared of unknown.”

“I must say, I have been pleasantly surprised when we landed - the boys, who took charge of the project, have done a great job. And that’s when it hit me…

Gentlegrads, start your engines!

The recruitment campaign for the awesome 2018 cohort of IHG Future Leaders in Europe is now officially open!  Time to brush up your smile, get a refresh on the basics of the programme, and start your application.

See you in 2018!

Jijivisha Project, last day, time to reflect -the IHG Europe Future Leaders in India 

 Hello, we are Lauranna and Kelly from France and Australia, both working in London. We are looking after the Future Leaders programme: Lauranna is managing the programme in Europe and Kelly is providing training and coaching to the graduates for development. 

 Today is the last day of our Jijivisha project which took us along with the 12 Future Leaders to Faridabad, India. Our goal going there was for the group to understand the importance of empathy and self reflection, for a stronger performance in the workplace. 

We had some expectations and we were quite pragmatic about these: group frustration, healthy conflict, stress, and self centred negative reactions. We also anticipated positive outcomes: the project would allow them to shine individually and the group would bond, coming back stronger formidable leaders. We experienced a few stormy moments of course! Quite entertaining, to be honest, from our view. But what we didn't expect was that we would learn as much as the graduates did. 

what we didn't expect was that we would learn as much as the graduates did 

Our group experience began with a sleepy bus ride to Faridabad, all of us amused at our luggage travelling on the bus roof. We reached Tender Heart School and were immediately enveloped in warmth with the welcome from Renu Bali and her team. Chai and inspiring discussion were immediately presented to us which we drank in. With an immense understanding of people, Renu pushed us to pause the busy agenda we had set (including our volunteer induction and tour of the school) to indulge in a nap after the long journey, which we gratefully took. 

Lesson 1: patience. As you may have read over the last 12 days, each of our Future Leaders has experienced growth and many unplanned lessons during our time at Tender Heart. The self reflection was intense. From the beginning the group were tasked with sharing their daily low and high moments with each other. Day 1 centred on jet lag and initial adjusting to the dorm and communal bathroom situation! As we progressed, the learning and thoughts shared became more and more insightful. 

We had some breakdowns, some break throughs and much laughter. So coming back to our learning, we learned that: 

Martha is an incredible photographic artist and as kind as you can imagine. 

Clement who led the project from the beginning is a very funny chap who can be highly focused when needed. 

Stefano has great intentions and cooking talent. 

Evgenii has the ability to ground people and can build a website from scratch quickly. 

Vanessa brings calm to those around her, as long as there's chocolate involved. 

Laura is an amazing observer and has a great understanding of people. 

Thibault inspires people to take ownership of their roles and can deliver impressive impromptu speeches. Justine is driven and can easily promote this feeling in others. 

Anthony has a great sense of humour and connects quickly with those around him. 

Nathalia also has a great sense of humour and infectious laugh, with the ability to relax people. 

Alba brings huge energy and serious dance moves. 

And finally Rosalie allowed us to discover her true personality, very caring and a natural with children. 

 We also learned that being more open invites stronger connections, and that we don't have all the answers. We took time to self reflect also each day to be able to provide better insights to the Future Leaders. Given what you have seen through the blog, we think it's safe to say mission accomplished! 

Reflecting on why we came along for, we now realise how lucky we were to be part of such a group of highly driven and brilliant people who also allowed us to grow and maybe become better at what we do. This was an invaluable experience for them, and for us we hope the beginning of a long term work relationship, and also friendship. Our experience was finalized with a warmer farewell from the team at Tender Heart School; full of hope for the future for ourselves and the school. We rounded the evening out with a visit to Crowne Plaza Greater Noida before our flight back to London. Greeted by Nivesh Bhagtani, a Future Leader alumni in India we were taken on a tour of the hotel Executive room, then joined Mr Greesh Bindra and team in the restaurant for great conversation and delicious food. True hospitality; thank you. 

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you all for sharing our experience. We will miss the laughter, sharing our days, and being able to witness the incredible passion, team work and leadership our Future Leaders display. 

Jijivisha Project Day 11 - the IHG Europe Future Leaders in India 

 Namaste dear reader, I'm Justine, 21, French and based in London. The day we knew we were going to India, we realized that it was the first time for all of us and had to admit that the only notion we had about this country is the well-known Taj Mahal, hence today is the day we've all secretly been waiting for. 

Yesterday we told the kids we won't be there today to play with them as we were going to visit the Taj Mahal, and they looked at us with wondering eyes, not knowing what Taj Mahal was, which made me realize the following: India is a country of contrast, where opulence dances closely with destitution. 

It is with mixed feelings that I make my way toward this newly listed Wonder of the World representing luxury and wealthiness, which contrasts strongly with all the poverty we've been seeing so far. Despite this thought, I strongly hold to the fact that we shouldn't feel guilty for it. We cannot change the world, however we can impact people surrounding us to make everyone conscious of this reality. 

 As the trip is a total of 12 hours drive from Tender Heart school, I will associate the Taj Mahal as the breathtaking and magnificent monument, as well as to all the thoughts and reflection time I had in the car. These two weeks in India seem like two years, not in terms of duration but considering the thinking and maturing process we all had. I'd like to highlight the fact that we are 12 future leaders, between 21 and 28 years old, 9 nationalities altogether working in 4 different countries, alongside with Kelly and Lauranna (two more nationalities), that we met only twice before this trip at the headquarters for a couple of days, and that we spent the last 12 days together. 

 Arriving with fresh clothes and sunglasses on, we were straight in contact with slum kids and underprivileged women in order to realize how lucky we are, and we slowly adapted ourselves to this way of living. 

The only thing we didn't change is our smile, the genuine smile. All 14 of us are more and more impressed by the maturity of our group, we survived being 12 in Delhi for a day, we survived creating challenging daily games for kids, we survived the crazy traffic in India, and all of that made us even stronger. We all know by now each other's strengths and weaknesses and instead of causing frustration, we play on it, and we use each other to be a better group and have a better impact on the local communities. 

For us, those kids and women have had a lifetime impact.

I have to admit that I realized something: I didn't come to India to change people's life here, I came for them to change my life, and my vision of others. As selfish as it might sound, I believe it is a strength also as I will take everything I have learned here into consideration for my daily life, especially at work. 

We were lucky enough to go to Tender Heart NGO, and now I need to spread the feeling within my team, make them realize as well that we are stronger together, and that from the ground, as precarious as it is, you can reach the stars. For those kids, we have an instantaneous impact. For those women, we have a medium to a long term impact. 

Jijivisha Day 10 - the IHG Future Leaders in India 

Bonjour, my name is Anthony, I am French, working in London, and I have let my friend Rohit tell you about the day he just spent at Tender Heart: नमस्ते ! 

Namaste! My name is Rohit, I am Indian, I am 9 years old and I live in a small village near Faridabad. I would like to share with you the amazing day I spent at Tender Heart School with my friends, my teachers and the people from Europe. As every morning, I woke up at 6 in the room I share with my brothers and sisters, accompanied by the singing of peacocks around. 

I had breakfast with my family in our big house under the stairs of Tender Heart dormitory, where my new best friend from France, Anthony, is sleeping. I picked up my school bag and ran to the school next door to be on time for my English exam. On my way, I met two of the beautiful ladies from Europe, Rosalie and Alba, who went to have breakfast with their group; they greeted me in Indian and wished me good luck for school. 

They are so nice and all the Indians want to take pictures with them. They must be really famous. After my exams, I went back to my home for lunch and met my best friend Anthony who greeted me with what he calls a “high five”. I love it and I am now doing it with Manjit, my other best friend. Anthony told me he had a great morning, that he hosted amazing Indian people: Sonali, Sneha, Amulya and Aditi. They are all from the same company he is working for, I think it is called IHG, 

I don’t know what it means but I am sure people working there are happy and spend good times together. When I was on a break at 11, I saw all of them from my school’s courtyard, European and Indian from IHG, smiling, laughing and sharing stories together. 

Anthony explained me that they were all gathered to talk about the beautiful goods my mother and her friends are making everyday and to present the school where I study. Anthony told me he was so thankful that these important people from his company were taking time to meet them and listen to their projects. After lunch is my favorite time of the day. It is when all the European people come to my school to take care of my friends who cannot go to the same school as me. Today, they taught us about countries and capital cities around the world. They are so many… I want to visit them all when I grow up, especially Australia, Anthony said you can see real kangaroos there! 

Jijivisha Project Day 9 - the IHG Europe Future Leaders in India 

 Namaste from India! My name is Vanessa and I am Swiss, working in London at the InterContinental London Park Lane. For the past 9 days, we have been living and experiencing a most incredible time in Faridabad, India. To keep this meaningful adventure alive, I would like to share my impressions and learnings through this blog, hoping to take you on a short journey to India. 

Tender Heart NGO, our local placement here in Faridabad is committed to three main areas:

providing education to underprivileged kids 

leading rural women towards financial independence 

creating a learning environment for special needs kids 

Today, we have had the opportunity to spend some time with Tender Heart’s special needs kids. Children with disabilities in India are frequently perceived as an overwhelming challenge for their families and as such are not entirely accepted by society. Being aware of this reality, Renu Bali, the Founder and Director, has shared with us her genuine motivation to welcome and integrate special needs kids in Tender Heart: “Every special needs kid has a special talent” With this inspiring quote in mind we could witness a very warm and attentive learning environment created by the teachers for the kids. 

I was amazed to see a little boy with disabilities learning how to write letters in a baking tray filled with rice

The resources available for teaching, creating activities and stimulating the kid’s different senses are very limited. As a first reaction, I would have thought learning is impossible without books and black boards, but Tender Heart NGO convinced me of the opposite: anything is possible, no matter the amount of resources. I was amazed to see a little boy with disabilities learning how to write letters in a baking tray filled with rice. 

The educational effect was powerful and the resources taken directly from the household. This creativity to find alternatives to succeed inspires me a lot, and shows how Tender Heart NGO conveys a message of hope to never give up. This same trust in hope is shown by the slum kids who join us in the afternoon for educational activities. 

Today, we introduced them to a ball game in two big teams that we had all played in our own childhood. The positive energy and passion the kids put into the game was deeply touching; the teams never lost hope for winning even if they were lacking behind in points. In a broader sense, I realised how important it is to never lose hope for change in a situation, solving a problem or impacting our lives. After seeing the kids off, we got a further beautiful insight into the Indian culture!