Skills

Cooking Mentorship - The Little Cooks CLUB

Are you looking for inspiration for the skills element of your Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme? How about cooking up a storm to really impress your family as well as your leader?

From January there will be a 12-week online cooking programme to help you develop your kitchen skills and build a repertoire of delicious recipes… and of course, meet all the requirements for your DofE award.

The sessions will last between 20 and 45 minutes (the time will depend on what we are making). All sessions will be recorded, so if you can’t make it one week, you’ll be able to catch up at another time because I’ll send you the link to rewatch.

You will be guided through 12 different recipes, from lasagne to star pizzas, spiced apple buns to burritos. You’ll receive an email with details of the ingredients and equipment you’ll need for each bake, so you’ll have plenty of time to get yourself prepared. At the end of the course, you’ll receive a cookbook with all recipes, plus many hints, tips and facts to help consolidate your learning.

The cost for this 12-week programme is just £40 per student. To book your place or to discuss this offering further, please contact me, Lisa James, on [email protected] or 07811 346219.

Try something Musical

Seaforth Highlanders is a charitable pipe band based in Leicester, who are currently practising in Birstall. They offer free tuition and equipment for Students looking to learn this particular musical instrument. All instructors are all subject to DBS checks etc so if you are interested please email Lottie Bozon - [email protected]  for further information or you can book a taster session so why give it a go!

Low-cost Skills

During Covid cooking became one of the most popular Skills activities, which helps teach a vital life skill. There is a 13-week programme to help young people complete this as a skill at home, downloadable from the DofE website.

There are lots of virtual learning opportunities available such as learning British sign language, online money management or completing a free creative writing course. 

Fighting Plastic Pollution with the Turner Twins is a relatively new activity programme in support of their plastic survey and beach cleans.

For sport loving young people Sport Appreciation or Sports Nutrition may be of interest – 13-week programmes of both activities are available from the DofE website.

Choosing Reading as a skill, borrowing books from the school / local library.

Computer Coding and Touch Typing Courses

Did you know that DofE participants can, at any time, start a  3-month, 6-month or 12-month course in computer coding or touch-typing for their DofE Skills section?

Spark4Kids (www.spark4kids.com/dofe) is an Approved DofE Activity Provider offering courses for participants looking to complete their Skills section. Learn the life skills of computer coding (Python programming, Unity 3D/C# games design) and touch-typing (keyboard skills), in LIVE!, tutor-led online classrooms. The courses are aimed at participants of all abilities including absolute beginners.

IBM SkillsBuild

The DofE is working in partnership with IBM SkillsBuild to enable DofE participants to access 100s of courses and certifications to complete the Skills section of their Bronze, Silver or Gold Award. They can create their own bespoke SkillsBuild programme by combining different courses to achieve the skills section.  DofE leaders and volunteers can set up a group licence, where they can register their participants onto SkillsBuild. For more details, please visit our webpage for IBM SkillsBuild. 

Ignite Hubs' DofE Programme - Activities for Skills, Volunteering, & Physical Sections

A DofE Approved Activities Provider and offer exciting remote activities for the Skills, Physical and Volunteering Sections. Students can gain coding knowledge through our Skills Section, volunteer and make an impact at our charity for the Volunteering Section, or engage in self-directed physical activities for the Physical Section. Throughout the programme, students will be supported by trained mentors who have industry experience to provide specialised support for a successful DofE journey. More information is available on our DofE webpage.

The main DofE Website has many more ideas - click here.