National Gallery Open House

This Saturday, September 20th 2014, the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands will be holding an Open House from 6:30 to 10:00pm to inform the public and potential volunteers about the organization. Join them for an evening of live music, refreshments and Art. 

Admission is free. For additional information click on the link below: https://www.nationalgallery.org.ky/NGCIcalendar/NGCIOpenHouse9

For information on jobs in the Cayman Islands visit www.steppingstonescayman.com

Literacy Matters

LIFE (Literacy is for Everyone) will celebrate International Literacy Day 2014 by holding a team-Scrabble comptetion on Wednesday 10th September from 5:30 - 8:00 pm at Camana Bay. Corporate and private teams of six are invited to take part for CI$300.00 with all proceeds going to the LIFE program. For more information about this event visit LIFE's facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/LifeCayman. To learn more about LIFE programmes on Grand Cayman visit their website at http://www.life.org.ky/index.html.

For information on jobs in the Cayman Islands visit our website www.steppingstonescayman.com

Doggie Bingo Night

Animal lovers can support a great cause and enjoy a fun evening with family and friends by attending  Bingo Night on July 31st at the Rugby Club in South Sound. The event is being held in support of Canine Friends and tickets are $1 per game. To learn more about 'doggie' bingo night click this link http://compasscayman.com/calendar/Default.aspx#event_972 or visit the Canine Friends face book page at https://www.facebook.com/caninefriendscayman  to learn more about their work. 

Visit our website at  SteppingStones Recruitment  for information on jobs available in the Cayman Islands.

It’s CARNIVAL TIME!! Batabano is almost here!

From 30th April-3rd May 2014 Cayman celebrates their culture in style with steel pan bands, floats and two carnival parades, one for adults and one for children.  All in all over two thousand people will take to the streets in colourful, flamboyant and dazzling costumes to dance and sing their way along West Bay road and in and around George Town.  To find our more and to get involved visit www.caymancarnival.com

If you would like to know more about living and working in Cayman, visit SteppingStones website.

SteppingStones proudly donates to the Special Olympics of the Cayman Islands

Money was collected from the monthly donations from the SteppingStones staff that have chosen to participate in the charity donation scheme and the funds were generously matched by SteppingStones.  This money was respectfully donated to the Special Olympics of the Cayman Islands.

Special Olympics Cayman Islands, otherwise known as SOCI, is a non-profit programme of sports training that caters to athletes with intellectual disabilities from 8 years old and up. Strongly based on the premise that with sports training and competition, athletes lead fuller, more self-sufficient lives, and are able to achieve success on and off the field of competition.  We are therefore hopeful that the money donated will help them achieve their success.

The picture below is of Pam Abbott handing over the cheque to the Special Olympics team.

Giving Back and Getting Involved

Giving back and getting involved in the community is always highly rewarding and all the more so when you can benefit more than one organization or charity with one activity.  This is exactly what SteppingStones have done.

Following on from a very successful and rewarding experience in 2013, SteppingStones Recruitment Ltd. again committed to supporting the Extended After School Programme with John Cumber Primary School in West Bay, Grand Cayman.    Two staff members visit the school each Wednesday afternoon to provide additional learning experiences for the children.  Activities to date have included literacy and numeracy worksheets, reading, drawing as well as crafts and games.

Always thinking creatively about ways to maximize their contribution, the team at SteppingStones approached another worthy charity, the Humane Society Book Loft and bought a range of books, toys, pens/crayons and games to use with the children each week.  One of the volunteers at the shelter who is herself involved in adult literacy programmes, proved very helpful in offering information, tips and suggestions.

The staff team are looking forward to using the materials and books with the children, and if successful will be heading back to the Humane Society  Book Loft for more materials in the weeks to come.

Visit the Humane Society Book Loft, on North Sound Road (located above the shelter) to purchase books, CD’s, DVD’s and games or visit caymanhumanesociety.com for more information.

SteppingStones Charitable Donations

SteppingStones invites all of their employees to join a charity donation scheme.  Monthly donations are collected from participating staff and the pooled funds are then matched by SteppingStones, effectively doubling the donation.  Participants also offer suggestions as to which local charities they would like to see receive the funds and this month Cayman Islands Crisis Centre we the fortunate recipients.

Pictured below Janet Taylor receiving the cheque on behalf of the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre from Laura McLaughin, Staffing Coordinator in Immigration, SteppingStones Recruitment Ltd.

Clifton Hunter Year 11 Mock Interview Day

On Friday 17th January 2014, Rosie Dunsford and Chelsea Flynn spent the day at Clifton Hunter school on Frank Sound Road, interviewing Year 11 children who had applied to a variety of role. 
The students had been given a number of job advertisements to choose from and had officially applied by way of cover letter and tailored resumes. 
Rosie and Chelsea interviewed 6 students each and then provided constructive feedback and guidance on future interview techniques and resume writing. 
A great event that allowed the SteppingStones team to interact with some very impressive young adults. 

For more information, please see: Cayman 27 report

To view all of our current opportunities, please visit: www.steppingstonescayman.com 

We love Rugby!

SteppingStones was proud to be the title sponsor of the 2013 NACRA (North America Caribbean Rugby Association) Sevens Tournament that took place in Grand Cayman November 9 & 10, 2013.  We love sports on both the corporate and individual level, as many of our team members are athletes themselves.  Visit our Facebook page for photos of the weekend’s event.

Along with having a great time, we also raised funds for our programme SteppingUp for the Community, with this month’s charity recipient being the Special Olympics of the Cayman Islands.

For more information about the SteppingStones NACRA Sevens, visit our website.

Give a little…to give a lot…it all adds up

Giving back to the community is easy to do, especially when you do it as a team.  At SteppingStones Recruitment, we thrive on doing our part in the local Cayman community. 

Commitment is key! 
If you encourage the whole team to contribute a little, it goes a long way.  Implement a programme to make it easy for the team to take part.  Our programme is called, Stepping Up for the Community, where each staff member voluntarily contributes a percentage of their pay and the company matches it.  It is completely effortless since the donation is taken automatically, yet the end result is so rewarding.

Who is your favourite?
Make it a team effort. Ask each employee what their favourite local charity is and add it to the list of the deserving donation recipients.  This shows both the employee and the charity they are valued.  This is an excellent way to spread the joy around to a variety of charities.

Corporate responsibility in the community is a priority to us…and it all adds up!

Rosie new Secretary for Rotaract Club of Grand Cayman

SteppingStones staff are always involved in the community.

Starting 1st July 2013, Rosie Dunsford will be the Secretary for the Rotaract Club of Grand Cayman (RCGC). The Changeover Ceremony for RCGC took place on Saturday 22nd June at the George Town Yacht Club where both Rotaractors and Rotarians showed their support for the new 2013/14 Board.

A busy year lies ahead with a number of exciting projects in the pipeline. Hard work, great attitudes and many shared goals mean that the 2013/14 year is bound to be a good one! 

Cayman....a tasty option!

The month of January is all about celebrating exquisite and local cuisine in Cayman.  The world's finest chefs will again join forces at this year's Cayman Cookout.  The event runs from Thursday 17th January to Sunday 20th January and offers demonstrations, wine tastings, talks and dinners as well the opportunity to meet the likes of Anthony Bourdain, Jose Andres, Daniel Humm and Eric Ripert to name but a few.  Click here to find out more about each day's activities.

If you love good food and are on a more modest budget then Taste of Cayman is the event for you.  On Saturday 26th January Camana Bay will host the 25th annual event.  With over 30 restaurants showcasing their signature dishes and drinks, this one of the largest food festivals in the Caribbean, attracting more than 5,000 residents and visitors annually.  To avoid missing out, visit Taste of Cayman website.

Interested in living and working in Cayman?  Explore current job opportunities at steppingstonescayman.com

Michelle Successfully Passes GPHR Exam!

SteppingStones is delighted and proud to announce that Michelle Gibbon, Staffing Coordinator, has successfully passed her certification exam and is now officially qualified as a Global Professional in Human Resources!  The GPHR is a prestigious qualification received through the HR Certification Institute, and demonstrates that Michelle has "met with distinction the high standards of education, experience and demonstrated knowledge established by the Institute."

Prior to writing the exam on 1st December 2012, Michelle completed a three-month GPHR preparation course through UCCI, along with several fellow HR Professionals working in the Cayman Islands. 

When asked how it felt to complete the course and receive her qualification, Michelle proudly said "It was hard work - we spent countless hours learning and studying in and out of the classroom, and we all gave it 120%. The fact that our group had a near 80% success rate also shows the hard work and dedication given to us by our instructor, Bonalyn Nelson. I am thrilled to have achieved this qualification, and given how much of our work here is done on a global scale, I am confident that this will allow me to continue to contribute to the field of HR and Recruitment in Cayman and at SteppingStones." 

Congratulations Michelle! 

New Year New You

Every year around this time, the same question is whispered amongst friends and in social circles: ‘what will your new year’s resolutions be this year?’ For me this question tends to have the same answer every year: get fit, be more healthy, lose some weight, blah blah blah.

So for 2013 I’ve decided to take a different approach to how I look at my New Years’s Resolutions. This year I am going to take something up, not give anything up. I’m going to strive to be better, take up a new hobby, travel more, try something new every day.

Whatever your New Year’s Resolutions, SteppingStones wishes you a prosperous, healthy and very Happy New Year!!

To start your new adventure next year please visit www.steppingstonescayman.com and find out all about what we have going on.

Cayman Lights Up at Christmas

If this is your first Christmas in Cayman, as a holiday maker or new resident to the Island, then you may not be aware of a wonderful tradition at this time of year.  Hop in a car and explore the bright lights and dazzling decorations that adorn local businesses and homes around Cayman.

Camana Bay has a spectacular display of large decorations, lights and a stunning Christmas tree centered  at the Crescent but visible from road.  It’s well worth stopping off to meander through this sparkling wonderland with family and friends.  See if you can find the only polar bear in the Caribbean!  

Many of the hotels and restaurants along Seven Mile also have impressive displays on show.  Head out of town along South Church Street and you will find many homes festooned with festive decorations, twinkling lights spiraling up palm trees and along walls and hedges.  Of particular note is one residence, located opposite Sunset House.  Don’t worry – you can’t miss it, the house and garden is truly and marvelously ablaze with colour!   You should also make a point of driving out to The Crightons’ residence opposite Ocean Club where again a stunning display awaits and where you are invited to walk around and enjoy.

Our thanks go out to all those generous homeowners who take part in this festive tradition and share their Christmas spirit with the community.

 

If you are interested in living and working in Cayman, visit our website for job opportunities and more information on making Cayman your home.

 

Running for fun and funds.

Congratulations to all of those who participated in Sunday’s Intertrust Cayman Islands Marathon.  There was a huge turnout for this very popular event which encourages participants of all ages and abilities by offering options for completing a half or full marathon, 4 person relay and a fun run for children.

Running a marathon is a huge achievement in anyone’s book but we would like to extend a special congratulation and a heartfelt thank you to those who went the extra mile and ran the marathon for a cause.  Louane Martins Silva is just such a person raising funds for the second year in a row for a charity close to her heart, the Cayman Islands Humane Society. 

Residents of Cayman may well have seen Louane recently as she has been a regular volunteer at the shelter walking (and running) dogs on a Saturday morning.  She ran her first marathon last year to raise funds for the Humane Society and decided it was worth doing again. “Running for a charity gives me a purpose when I’m training,” says Louane. “Knowing that I’ve made the commitment to the Humane Society motivates me to keep on running when it gets challenging.”

Our congratulations to Louane and all the other inspirational runners who raised awareness and much needed funds for their designated charities.

 

For more on local events and activities in Cayman and what you can be involved in living and working in Cayman, visit our website.

Thank you!!!

As readers of our blog and followers of our Facebook page will know, SteppingStones was a recent sponsor of the Legends Tennis event. In addition to being able to enjoy such a wonderful event we also enlisted the help of our amazing temporary staff and a few friends and family members to provide the volunteer support throughout the event. As a way of us saying a huge thank you for the hard work and dedication our team of volunteers put in, we hosted a thank you party here at SteppingStones HQ last night. For video footage of the night and to hear first hand what our volunteers thought of their tennis experience please visit our facebook page. It was a great night and brilliant to see so many of you. Thanks for coming!

To keep up with all the lastest SteppingStones news and jobs please visit www.steppingstonescayman.com  

Pirates Week Festivals

Pirates Week 2012 started on Thursday 8th November and will end on Sunday 18th November 2012. The week will encompass eleven fun filled days with music, street dances, competitions, games, wonderful local food and drink, kids day, glittering parade, sports events for everyone, Heritage Days, pirate invasion and fireworks galore! There is just too much going on for you to miss out on.

The festival started with a fantastic steel pan competition and kick-off party, with spectacular fireworks on Friday night. With the crowning of the Festival Queen and the opening Street Dance and Food Festival on that night there is no better place to be in the Caribbean.

On Saturday there was a mock ‘pirate invasion’ from the sea! Two old-time sailing vessels, loaded with pirates made a Saturday surprise landing at the bowl-shaped George Town harbour with the pirates capturing the 'Governor'. Thousands of people lined the streets to watch the spectacle and its all good-natured fun with a new twist every year. Families just love it. It's the only event of its kind in the Caribbean region.

Please click here, for a list of all of the events for the rest of the week.

For information on living and working in the Cayman Islands, please visit our website www.steppingstonescayman.com

Cayman Islands Triathlon

The annual Cayman Islands Triathlon was held on Sunday 4th November 2012.  A huge congratulations goes out to all those who participated and a thank you for all those hardworking volunteers.  Please click on this link to the Cayman Active website for more detailed information about the event as well as a full list of the results.

Interested in living and working in the Cayman Islands?  Please visit our webiste on www.steppingstonescayman.com and send us your resume today.  Perhaps you will particpate in the Triathon in 2013.

Game, Set and Match!

Last week we enjoyed the magnificent Legends Tennis event hosted by The Ritz Carlton. With the stars of the show including Martina Hingis, Thomas Blake, Stefan Edberg and Sir Richard Branson, SteppingStones were there every step of the way to offer our assistance. To get the full Cayman 27 report live from the action on Friday night, and to see one of the SteppingStones volunteers being interviewed, please click here

For all of our up to date job listings please visit our website: www.steppingstonescayman.com