Trust to Achieve Association
Trust to Achieve (TtA) Association’s mission is to empower visually impaired individuals and equip them for the workplace through a comprehensive program tailored to their career goals. This holistic approach encompasses career guidance, professional coaching, skill development, job application assistance, and networking opportunities.
Amaury Marchandise
20 years in CBD; Belgium, Malta, Geneva.
Amaury Marchandise and Thibault Trancart (a current P&G employee) play pivotal leadership roles. Since 2019, Amaury has served as the President of the Association, overseeing strategic development and partnership initiatives. Amaury’s startup has successfully hired three Blind and Visually Impaired Persons (VIPs) for sales positions, serving as a tangible example for companies interested in recruiting VIPs. Amaury as well has secured partnerships with 10 companies (including P&G) and 2 foundations, providing crucial support for our programs.
Thibault Trancart, blind since the age of 14, is currently a Brand Manager at P&G and a valued member of our Board of Directors since 2019. He is responsible for member relations and has built a community of around fifty individuals, including VIPs and sighted professionals, fostering collaboration and support within Switzerland. His personal journey and advocacy efforts have inspired other VIPs to share their stories, resulting in positive change within the community.
In supporting his work, Amaury explains in his letter; “Five years ago, Trust to Achieve Association was founded by myself and six other Board members with the aim of bridging the integration gaps between VIPs and the professional realm. We firmly believe that VIPs represent an untapped talent pool, and fostering diversity and inclusion can drive organizational success when embraced effectively.”
The project will build upon TtA’s past two years of professionalizing its tools and support processes, and embark on the next phase of developing its support services. This will take the form of 1) more individual support for 25 VIPs in addition to currently supported VIPs; 2) group coaching and training in a different format to promote economies of scale, and 3) involving a greater number of people/organizations: business coaches, mentors, relays in institutions, relays in companies, all of which will require greater coordination.
The goal of the project is to help 25 Visually Impaired People to pursue their dreams. The scope includes: 1) helping them put together an ambitious and viable career plan and portfolio; 2) teaching them how to present themselves and their competencies when interviewing and selecting opportunities (10 hours of professional coaching, peer to peer and professional mentoring 10 to 20 hours); 3) helping them acquire additional skills to be a competitive candidate (English, sector knowledge, specific resources: 10 to 60 hour course); 4) continuously monitoring and evaluating; 4) ensuring VIPs are thriving within the specific organization and position by learning the right skills, IT tools, and behaviors to navigate their environment (mentoring), and 5) following-up with the VIP and the team during the year following recruitment (start of employment, integration, career development) – 6 to 9 hours of support.
The PGAF grant of $15,000 will contribute to the coaching and mentoring of visually impaired individuals (VIPs) with team costs comprising a professional coach overseeing process validation and personalized support, a headhunter specializing in recruitment, an English teacher facilitating language proficiency enhancement, a project coordinator managing program logistics, board members actively involved in development strategy and a core of 7 volunteer mentors with extensive professional networks.
Saliou’s Journey: After receiving support from Trust to Achieve, Saliou secured his first job. Two years later, with newfound confidence and experience, he successfully pursued a new career opportunity in a company teaching other VIP’s on assertive technologies.
Sacha’s Transformation: Initially skeptical about his ability to work, Sacha underwent appropriate training and now serves as a client advisor in a supportive banking environment, thanks to Trust to Achieve’s integration efforts.
Thomas’s Success: Despite losing his sight at a young age, Thomas, with tubular vision, found employment as a Brand Manager at Procter & Gamble, facilitated by Trust to Achieve’s intervention. His internship quickly transitioned into full-time employment, showcasing the effectiveness of inclusive hiring practices.