Lola Adelaja is Collateral Management, Treasury Operations at HSBC. Lola tells us about presenting to Sixth Formers on the subject of ‘Code switching’ and why volunteering to support young people as they navigate studying and careers, is so essential. 

Why do you volunteer?
I believe volunteering is often an essential tool to inspire, encourage and inform young adults in preparation for them entering the world of work, and for life after education. It is particularly helpful when they can relate to someone that looks like them or comes from a similar background.

What have you gained from your volunteering experience?
Volunteering on the ELBA program was such a great experience. I had the pleasure of delivering a presentation on Code Switching to 6th formers from ethnic minority backgrounds. Code switching (which is when a member of an underrepresented group (consciously or unconsciously) adjusts their language, syntax, grammatical structure, behavior, and appearance to fit into the dominant culture) was a very interesting topic to discuss as there is a debate about whether it is needed or not.

When I started my journey in the corporate world, I was very conscious of my south London dialect because I thought I would be judged. I was able to share my experiences about navigating the corporate space, being part of a minority.

Would you recommend volunteering to a colleague and, if so, why?
As a working professional it can be so easy to just focus on yourself and your career progression. The opportunity to volunteer is a great reminder that you are also here to pave the way for the next generation.