Creating an app that could help homeless people find work has earned a team from Henbury School top prize in a Dragons’ Den style competition.
The students pitched their idea to a panel at the contest run by Business in the Community in Bristol and came out ahead of teams from seven other schools. They worked on their Team JobFit project with volunteers from Bristol software company Gresham Technologies and were selected for the final after winning an internal school stage of the competition.
Team JobFit’s idea impressed the judges, who said it was an innovative concept and that the students had shown great belief about its potential impact, as well as demonstrating strong presentation skills. They also liked the fact that it was linked to an initiative by Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees – who recently visited Henbury School – to tackle the rise in homelessness in the city.
Team JobFit comprised Arturs Gudens, Holly Christie, Amelia Dodd, Elinor Hannam, Alexa Norton, Millie Reed and Aimee Cook.
I am so proud of the students. They have demonstrated teamwork, communication and leadership skills and have created a viable concept that is designed to reduce homelessness in Bristol and encourage support from employers – Matt Standing, head of computer technology at Henbury School
Matt Standing, head of computer technology at Henbury School, said: “I am so proud of the students. They have demonstrated teamwork, communication and leadership skills and have created a viable concept that is designed to reduce homelessness in Bristol and encourage support from employers.”
Kim Atkinson, HR recruitment manager at Gresham Technologies, said: “The students have put so much time and energy into this exercise, but what a result! We are delighted to be partners with Henbury School and are very proud of the students.”
The BITC competition is aimed at developing work-related skills including giving the young people an opportunity to understanding the steps involved in designing and marketing a product.