TGS student Matthew ‘Siddy’ Sidebottom needs to raise a minimum of £30 for four Cancer Charities as part of his VLS Course.
Speaking to Matthew he told me “For my VLS course I have to do a Problem Solving Key Skill and mine is to raise a minimum of £30. I came up with many ideas including a bake sale, charity walk and a non uniform day. I thought the best way to raise this money would be to do a non uniform day. This would be the best option as I believe that it is the best way to raise the money needed. There are 1295 pupils from years 7 to 11 so even if not everyone brings in £1 I should get at least 40 times the money I need to get.”
Matthew had then to check with school that he was able to have a non uniform day and once he got the all clear it was all systems go. Matthew has made posters to advertise the day and he has also made a PowerPoint that will be shown to all Tutor groups during their VT lessons.
Matthew went on to say “The date I have chosen is the 2nd February which will be a Friday. It will be based on World Cancer Day which supports all kinds of cancer. I will be splitting the money into quarters and will hopefully end up with a total of around £323.75. The four charities I am going to donate to are Macmillan, Cancer Research, Prostate Cancer UK and Marie Curie Cancer Care”.
Matthew had personal reasons for choosing the cancer charites having had an uncle who had testicular cancer and family and friends who have suffered from the disease .
So what is VLS?
Vocational Life Skills is an alternative course for students in Years 10 and 11 who are not going on to do A Levels and are more practical than academic.
Qualifications gained are the ASDAN Cope Certificate and BTEC Work skills Level 1 or 2.
Throughout the course the students will also gain qualifications in First Aid, Food Hygiene and Health and Safety. Students learn about life in the workplace. They are taught to be independent, how to work safely and prepare for working life. They also look at what jobs are out there, talk about being self employed and the advantages and disadvantages of each. Also about volunteering and what it could lead to.
