Skill
For your skills activity you need to choose an activity that will allow you to prove you have broadened your understanding and increased your expertise in your chosen skill. It should not be a physical activity, for example horse riding, as this counts towards your Physical section, however, you could choose to learn about caring for horses.
Go to the DofE website for ideas
Or have a look at the following ideas list: Skill
Here are some of the great things students have been doing over the past year:
Online course which are free - This website is the gateway to a Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC's) and give a wide variety of topics, from mental health to money matters, to arts, law, medicine you name it there is probably a course to match your interests.
Open University - free courses - This website contains some suitable courses in particular one on Money Management a great life skill
Online Learning to drive courses - small cost involved but self paced online learning for any age.
Cooking - free to do at home or your can chose to join an online course - if you are doing it at home maybe you can chose a theme e.g. 13 dishes from around the world, 13 different types of bread, 13 meals for one, a good one for any student heading off to university! The food tech teachers are happy to be your assessors. You MUST however keep a log of what you cooked, take photos of you cooking and the end result. They do ask for you to upload the keeping track sheets found here, feel free to print your own copy or make up your own version or even create your own scrapbook of recipes and photos.
Music - Learning a new piece on the piano, working towards your next grade. Maybe you'd like to self teach a new instrument via YouTube. All of this is possible if you speak to the music department first, or even you form tutor. Make sure they know what standard you are at the start, set some realistic goals and start teaching yourself. Keep a log of when you practice, have lesson, use a YouTube clip aiming for 1 hour per week. Maybe half way through share what you have learnt and then at the end so that your assessor can write a report. Please remember if you do have lessons that you will need to show evidence of practicing at home as many lessons are for only 30 mins and you need a further 30mins of practice each week.
Clay pigeon shooting - sounds unusual but it can be done - make sure you go to a registered club.
Snooker, darts and pool - many student learn how to play at a local club
Acting, drama, Lambda - all count as a skill. Maybe you are taking part in the school play and are learning lines or how to work as whole cast. If its Lambda lessons make sure you are doing 30mins practice at home after a 30 min lesson. If it's a drama club outside of school that will also count, just ask your teacher to be your assessor when you start.
Animal care - This one must be about learning how to care for, look after or train animals. It isn't just about mucking out the horses at the weekend or taking a dog for a walk each week. There must be evidence of learning how to care for the animals, what treatments they might need. Using online video tutorials or the online free courses might be a away to do this. We have had one student who researched how to look after reptiles and what environment, food and care they needed before then buying and caring for the animal.
Police cadets - learn new skills by joining
First Aid - Join St John Ambulance youth programme or they do a free online work at home booklet you can do. Make sure you find an assessor before downloading and starting the course.
Touch Typing is a great skill to learn and we have had students go through online courses with Type IT! Speak to our SEN department who have run lunchtime sessions on touch typing too.
In terms of an assessor start with your form tutor or any teacher in school who maybe has an area of interest. Speak to them first about what you plan to do, keep a log of the 1 hour per week you do, if possible make an account and get a certificate at the end of your completion to show how many hours you have studied for.
Remember 3 months = 13 hours, 6 months = 26 hours, 12 months = 52 hours and 18 months = 78 hours