Build My Future

A wellbeing programme for 13 year olds

Teams of students create their own fictional adult characters by playing a ‘game of life’ board-game. Teams debate challenging life choices for their character. Each team is facilitated by a trained business volunteer to explore the importance of a balance in health, citizenship, socialising and expertise. The students then build their character as a life size puppet. The day concludes with entertaining and engaging performances by the students, with their character reviewing the action steps and decisions they took and conveying the key message that a balance in life helps achieve happiness and success. Students follow up on personal action steps with the support of their volunteer and the option to meet up again through mentoring sessions.

Students will

  • Understanding why a balance in aspects of life is important

  • know that action steps taken now help achieve happiness and success

  • Have the ability to vision a future and articulate personal goals

  • Gain greater awareness of wellbeing and how they can address mental health issues

  • See how joining in clubs and social activities impacts on life chances

  • Have a fun sociable day working with a role model with options to extend the relationship into a mentoring programme


    What?

    Before the event 

    1. Volunteers are trained by the  facilitator who will lead the event
    2. School has a set up meeting

    On the day of the event at school or at a business site

    1. Introduction and overview of the day
    2. Team building. Meet the volunteers. Six students to one volunteer.
    3. Students will introduce their team's volunteer to the rest of the room
    4. Short film screening, showing the potential for the performance element that ends the day
    5. Students play a board game to grow a character from age 13 to 25 through discussion and team decision making
    6. Profiling and scripting the character / building tand rehearsing the lifesize puppet
    7. Performing the puppet as a 25 year explaining how decisions
    8. Judging, awards and feedback
    9. Student action planning process and options for students to join a mentoring programme
    The event fits to a school day

    See activity from 2016 at Patchway Community School with Rowan Dartington and GE Volunteers


    Build My Future Resources 

    Introductory Film, 'Sharon and Max' for use on the project

    BUILD MY FUTURE - Sharon and Max from Henrik Dahle on Vimeo.


    Build My Future Resources

    Downloadable pdfs for use on the project

    Pre event - Set up meeting

    For event

    9526_BMF_overview_v14.pdf

    9526_BMF_ins_sht_1_card_game_v3.pdf

    9526_BMF_ins_sht_2_puppet_v2.pdf

    9526_BMF_ins_sht_3_pres_challenge_v3.pdf

    9526_BMF_ins_sht_4_about_me_v3.pdf

    9526_BMF_ins_sht_5_scoring_awards_v3.pdf

    9526_BMF_profile_sht_v4.pdf

    9526_GE_BMF_Certificate_V6.pdf 

    To order more puppet parts please contact us directly