IBM volunteer helps young entrepreneurs in Hong Kong

IBM employee Winston Lin is giving his time, skills and talent to helping the Junior Chamber International Hong Ko (JCIHK) in Hong Kong.

As an integral member of JCIHK, Lin volunteers more than 10 hours weekly, helping members gain international exposure, develop global friendships and derive awareness on cross–border and cross–cultural issues.

Currently serving as the JCIHK's International Affairs Officer, Lin made use of solutions in IBM’s On Demand Community, a strategic global online community that combines the skills of over 160,000 IBM employee and retiree volunteers with the power of access to innovative IBM technology, resources, training, and support. Lin identified solutions in the On Demand Community such as Becoming an effective not–for–profit board member and Share Project Management Skills to help him plan large scale events like the JCI World Congress in 2008.

Lin's work on the JCI World Congress went over so well that after the conference he was asked to become a trainer, sharing his personal and professional experiences, mostly related to information technology, with JCIHK members. He has also shared his knowledge of presentation skills with other JCIHK students.

Smarter education and the next generation

Recently, Lin became involved in another JCI project called "Care for Children in China Suburban Area,” and was successful in being awarded an IBM grant that provides four computers to a rural school in China

With the computers in place, Lin used the On Demand Community's assets called Help people use the Web and Introduce young children to technology to introduce the students to the basics of the computer and Internet, even teaching them how to setup e–mail accounts. "This was a meaningful project as it provided education opportunities and hope to children who had never even seen a computer before," says Lin. "The most touching thing to me was receiving emails from the children once I returned to Hong Kong."

IBM is marking its centennial year with a worldwide celebration of volunteer service. Throughout 2011, IBM invites everyone to join our global community of employees, retirees, families and friends as we support the communities where we work, live and learn together.