Skills Volunteers

Over the past years, we have successfully experimented company volunteering in which employees of large corporations and companies provide their experience and skills to projects, especially with training activities and testimonials of excellence. With Project Growing Tour, three professionals from Visa accepted a more original formula which combines professional skills volunteering  with team volunteering activities providing practical activities to local communities.

Barbara, Flaminia and Silvia, who have very different stories and professional experiences, participated in financial literacy activities held in the suburbs of Milan and Naples for Save the Children’s “Light Points.”

The activities were supervised by our community manager, Cecilia Stajano, who confirms the success of the formula: “It was extraordinary to assist the Visa volunteers who proved to be extremely generous, especially in presenting their often complex stories to mothers, pre-adolescents and adolescents. They were true role models showing that where there's a will, there's a way.”

Barbara was born in Pisa. When she was just six months old, her parents moved to South Africa, where she grew up. After completing her studies, she worked in London and then transferred to Milan. She has had many different jobs because she loves the challenges and knowledge. She has now been in Visa for 14 years and currently works on products. Her favourite phrase is “the life you wish is the only one you will have” by Giovanna Giufreddi.

Flaminia was born and grew up in Rome, where she studied humanities. After a couple of years, moving around central Europe and Turin, in 2011, she returned to Rome, where she now lives with her partner and three daughters, aged 8, 6 and 4. She worked for a long time in consumer goods. She has currently been working for 2 years in marketing, at Visa, but is still not sure what she wants to do when she grows up …

Silvia was born and lived in Rome until 2006, when she transferred to Milan. She studied political sciences and has been working in the financial sector for over 15 years. She has been in Visa for 10 years and currently works in marketing. She has a partner and a two-year-old. She loves travelling, baking cookies and interpreting dreams!