‘The Funky Flamingo’s’ set out with a clear goal on their KEY+ Challenge journey, to create an activity where young people could develop essential teamwork skills – skills that would benefit them far into the future! As young volunteers, they wanted to make the most of their KEY+ experience.
After coming together to think of project ideas, the group soon settled on the idea of a group trip to an escape room alongside other volunteers from The Box. Not only was this a good opportunity to build problem-solving, communication, and time management skills, but it also served as a well-deserved reward for the hard work that the young volunteers put in.
Throughout the planning process, the group had to manage their budget, liaise with people in authority, and refine their time management skills – all while ensuring the event was both fun and beneficial.
- Budgeting and decision-making: The group had to work out how to use their funding wisely, comparing prices, prioritising spending, and ensuring that everyone had an enjoyable experience within the budget
- Communication skills: They liaised with staff at the escape room, volunteers, and panel members, learning how to express their ideas clearly, negotiate effectively, and work together to reach decisions.
- Time management and organisation: Planning an event meant thinking ahead – booking the activity, working out logistics, and ensuring that they had a schedule to stick to.
- Confidence and resilience: Some members were nervous about aspects of the project, such as presenting their pitch or tackling the escape room, but they overcame their fears and built confidence in their abilities.
When The Key spoke to the group about their experience and what inspired them to take on the KEY+ Challenge, Martha shared: “watching everyone enjoy our stage 1 project was amazing and that made us want to do another one! Last time everyone was saying thank you and it made us feel really good.”
Reflecting on their achievement, Sophia said “I felt a sense of accomplishment, especially planning an activity for so many.” And Martha added: “I feel like we are more organised now and we shared out the jobs to make it fair.”
When asked about how the experience made them feel, Sophia and Molly both expressed a sense of pride and determination, saying that they were eager to take on a stage 3 project in the future. Ava also shared: “It makes me feel confident in organising things in the future without having to rely on adults to do it for us.” And Martha summed up the group’s emotions perfectly: “I feel really proud of what we have achieved, and all the hard work has paid off.”
For those considering KEY+, the group had some encouraging advice. Martha said, “go for it, you won’t regret it.” And for anyone nervous about pitching their idea, Sophia reassured: “I was really nervous about doing my pitch but actually it wasn’t that bad and the panel was really friendly.”
Through teamwork, planning, and overcoming challenges together, the group not only gained valuable life skills but also grew in confidence and ambition – proving that stepping outside their comfort zone was worth it.
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