Ollie Baker – DHL UK Foundation Ambassador and GoTeach Champion

Ollie Baker, Vice President of Home, Garden and Leisure at DHL Supply Chain, proudly serves as a GoTeach Champion for a local school. As part of DHL’s GoTeach pillar, The DHL UK Foundation work with DHL employees to support young people from underserved backgrounds develop employability skills needed in the workplace. Ollie is also a member of the Ambassador board (a group of senior representatives across the DHL UK divisions who encourage and support colleague engagement in GoTeach programmes). Through these roles, Ollie encourages DHL employees to help their community and eagerly shares his knowledge, skills, and experience with young people. We caught up with Ollie to understand his experience of GoTeach and why he is so passionate about supporting others.

Why did you join the DHL UK Foundation’s Ambassador Board?

I was fortunate that the DHL UK Foundation have the Ambassador programme, and I was able to explore how I could get involved in making a difference. After being a longstanding employee at DHL, there comes a point where you really want to start helping others that need it the most.

Can you share more about your role as a GoTeach Champion for our partner school and how you have supported them this past year?

As an Ambassador, I knew I couldn’t promote GoTeach without experiencing it myself. Initially, I observed other employees delivering sessions which is a great way to develop your confidence. I then felt comfortable to take on the role as a GoTeach Champion. This essentially means I am the lead contact for our partner school in Birmingham. The school is accessible to me and they are great to work with. I have never had any trouble with any students; they are so attentive. I have now done three or four sessions including a CV and Interview Skills and Logistics Challenge. We’ve also been involved in the careers fair at the school. The sessions can feel daunting however they certainly get easier the more you do.

What has been your highlight as a GoTeach Champion?

There have been so many! A great example of how GoTeach can inspire young people is when I met a student whose teachers told us she would typically walk out of classes and was very disengaged. When we delivered our GoTeach session though, she was really involved in the activities – it was amazing to see. Another example was when our session clashed with the students’ football lesson. I was worried that a particular group of boys wouldn’t be interested in what we had to say, however once they saw the activities and rewards, they were so enthusiastic. It was extremely enjoyable, and we all bonded well as a team.

What advice would you give colleagues that are interested in getting involved in GoTeach?

This is a massive opportunity to get out of your comfort zone, which I am an advocate for in life generally. It is rewarding, fun and better than an average day in the office! My three key bits of advice are: a) sign up, b) prepare ahead of your sessions and c) observe other employees before you deliver.

What do you hope to achieve from being an Ambassador?

Being an Ambassador is multi-layered. My purpose is to support the community and those that need it most by involving DHL employees as much as possible. I want to get a key message across that helping young people carves a path for opportunity for their future.

And finally, how would you summarise GoTeach in 3 words?

I would summarise GoTeach as: rewarding, challenging and fun.