Whatever good things you build, end up building you

Experiencing social impact first-hand is powerful. That’s why ESSCA School of Management gives its youngest new students the opportunity of being involved in making a difference – through a Splash Project – at the start of their course. 

At the start of their autumn term, over three days, we worked with 1,200+ students, all aged 17 and 18, across six campuses. This is the third year we’ve facilitated projects over six sites in the same week with ESSCA.

Through their Splash Project, all the students had the chance to experience the practical and logistical challenges of project management; a key component of their five-year Business Management degree course

All our projects with business schools fulfil the learning objectives specified by the establishments, including:  

• Building a learning environment and foster a sense of community
• Facilitating the step change to higher education 
• Creating a link to the corporate world
• Engaging with global challenges and local impact
• Experiencing inclusion leadership
• Living the values of the business school

All of this while fulfilling at least one of the UN’s SDGs and being FUN!

Paris 

This was our largest site involving 366 students who built shaded seating areas and planters for elderly residents with Alzheimer’s disease at EHPAD Montesson, a Fondation Leopold Bellan residence for 84 people.

The students gained valuable team building skills while massively enhancing the outside area for the residents and improving their lives immeasurably.  

Carole Leteurtre, EHPAD Montesson – Fondation Leopold Bellan, said:

“It was an unforgettable experience to have the ESSCA students and the Splash team on site for a week. This project revitalised our staff and gave joy to our residents and their families.”

Strasbourg 

Here, 45 hardworking teenagers, with the help from four young people from the centre, created a much-needed bike ‘kiosk’ – an outdoor bicycle storage and maintenance base – for Arsea – IME Eurometropole which supports young people with intellectual disabilities to live autonomously. 

René Bandol, Managing Director of ARSEA, sent a message to the future business managers at ESSCA…

“Throughout your life, you will come into contact with difference and difficulty and today you have been able to perceive the gaze of our young people, different from yours, and it is this approach that is incredible. Thank you for what you have achieved within our establishment.”

Lyon 

In Lyon, 283 students joined forces and built seating areas, a shaded classroom, tiered seating, a scoreboard, tables and chairs for ALGED at their ESAT Didier Baron site, where people with intellectual disabilities are supported to access the work environment. 

Angers 

In Angers, 324 students built decking, shaded seating areas, planters, benches, tables, a water feature and a chicken coop at FAM Les Rivières residence – run by the charity HandiCap’Anjou – which provides accommodation and support for 30 adults with motor disabilities such as Cerebral Palsy. 

Through their hard work, the students forged closer connections with each other, and with the charity in their new community. 

Aix-en-Provence

Here, 90 students worked hard to create various planting and covered seating areas, a shed and compost bins for the Institut des Parons, a medico-social establishment for young people aged between six and 20 with intellectual disabilities. 

Bordeaux 

Meanwhile, in Bordeaux, 24 undergraduates now know their way around all the tools needed to build a three-tier stadium style seating area.

For their Splash Project, they also built seating areas throughout the grounds of IME de Pessac Alouette which provides specialised education to children and young people up to the age of 20. 

All their efforts will go a long way to enhancing life for those being cared for.