DofE participants in Hackney share their experiences with supporters

Young people from Skinners Academy School in Hackney recently shared their DofE experiences and achievements with supporters from Shanly Foundation and Octopus Energy.

The young people, whose DofE participation has been supported by the charity’s Resilience Fund, showcased the positive impact the DofE has had on them. They proudly discussed learning the importance of teamwork during some of the challenges they encountered during their DofE journey. They also shared stories from their expedition, reflecting on the positive effect the DofE has had on their personal development.

The young people used their DofE Physical section to learn trampolining, showcasing their skills at the visit. They also demonstrated first aid skills they had gained as part of their DofE Skills section by taking part in a scenario showing how they could put their learning into practice.

DofE participant Chris, a pupil at the school, performed a spoken word piece, ‘The Compass in Your Heart’. He wrote about his DofE experience as part of his Skills section. In the poem, Chris says the DofE is: “about saying yes to a challenge, [it] taught me that courage is like a muscle, the more you use it, the stronger it gets”. His poem reminds young people across his school community how much personal growth the DofE empowers them to achieve.

Pete Legge, DofE Manager at Skinners Academy, said: “The young people have gained a love and appreciation for the great outdoors through the DofE. They have been learning and exploring in environments that push them to think differently. Even more importantly, the DofE has empowered each young person to overcome challenges and achieve far beyond their expectations. Their growth has been remarkable, and this has been reflected in their academic work, confidence and aspirations.”

Lucy Gregory, Talent Acquisition Partner at Octopus Energy, said: “Attending the DofE insight day was an incredibly rewarding experience, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone who gets the opportunity. It was truly inspiring to see how the students spoke about their DofE and to witness the real life impact it has. We left the day in high spirits feeling motivated to do everything we can to support DofE!”

Clare Junak, Award Officer at Shanly Foundation, said: “It was an incredibly uplifting day filled with memorable moments and most importantly, I had the opportunity to hear directly from the pupils about what they value most from being part of the programme. Their enthusiasm and confidence were truly inspiring. The Shanly Foundation is proud to have supported the Resilience Fund because we believe every pupil should have the chance to develop these vital life skills and build confidence for the future.”

A huge thank you to Shanly Foundation and Octopus Energy for their continued support of the DofE charity. Through generous funding we can reach even more young people with a life-changing DofE experience.