Local housebuilder partners with Team GB to produce community challenge for schools

Team GB and Persimmon Homes have launched Get Set to Build a Community - a cross-curricular challenge to support the development of employability, teamwork, and decision making skills, in students.

This community challenge is aimed at students aged 11 - 14 across the South West, in the run up to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. 

Originally created as the official education programme for London 2012, Team GB and ParalympicsGB’s youth engagement programme, Get Set, now offers a broad programme of free, cross-curricular resources and activities for schools and community groups.

Get Set to Build a Community tasks students with planning, designing, building and marketing a community-focussed housing development with Team GB athletes at its heart.

They will use knowledge of previous Olympic parks, and plans for future parks, as the basis for a development that upholds the Olympic Values of excellence, respect, and friendship.

Tim Ellerton, Commercial Director at Team GB, said: “The support we receive from our partners is essential in enabling us to take the nation’s best athletes to an Olympic Games, and in turn inspiring households and communities across the UK with their stories.

“The Get Set program in particular supports young people to fulfil their potential, and this new challenge developed in partnership with Persimmon will give the next generation even more opportunities to engage with Team GB in the build up to Paris 2024.”

Selected schools participating in the challenge will receive a visit from a Team GB athlete in the build up to Paris 2024. Schools can also request a visit from a Persimmon Homes Ambassador to support the delivery of the programme and talk about the benefits of a career in the home building industry.

With a network of Ambassadors across the South West, Persimmon says it is trying to encourage the next generation of construction workers by giving students the opportunity to learn about the range of career pathways available to them.

Liam Scott, Regional Chairman for Persimmon Homes in the South West, said: “I am delighted to be launching the Get Set to Build a Community challenge with Team GB.

“At Persimmon we are always looking to see how we can encourage local youngsters to consider a rewarding career in construction, so using our relationship with Team GB in this way is a great initiative.

“I encourage all local schools to take up the challenge.”