A GROUP of Year 10 students from Melksham Oak Community School took part in a visit to the furniture store, IKEA in Bristol on Wednesday 29th January.
The aim of the trip was to source essential furniture to equip a flat up to the value of £1,000 and within a limited time of one hour 30 minutes.
All of the students who took part are currently enrolled on the SkillForce Wider Key Skills and 3 C’s (Community, Character and Contribution) programme. The focus of the programme is to facilitate the students in developing essential life and work skills, such as effective management of finances, and understand the realities of their wider environment and community which they operate within.
The trip made the students contemplate what furniture is essential for living, the cost of furniture and where to prioritise and reduce spending to stick within a budget. During the trip the students developed a keen eye for spotting bargains and problem solving. By the end of the time limit, all the students who took part in the task had successfully furnished a flat for under the £1,000 budget. Items ranged from simple, overlooked products such as knife, forks and spoons to larger items like beds and mattresses. The students who took part in the project included Carrieann Ehlenbach, Charlie Cottee, Josh Robinson, Lewis Filkins, Lewis Smith, Max King and Robyn Price.
SkillForce is a charity that works in partnership with schools, drawing upon the skills of predominantly ex-Forces personnel, to inspire young people to succeed. SkillForce has changed the lives of over 50,000 young people in the UK, engaging the hard-to-reach, developing their skills, and preparing them for the next steps in education, work or training.
