Skills

DofE Official LIST of SKILLS IDEAS

The Skills section is all about developing practical and social skills and personal interests.  By choosing to develop a particular skill you are not only developing a new talent, but you will also boost your self-esteem, develop practical and social skills and learn how to set and rise to a challenge.  If this isn’t enough, it should also be good fun too!

From podcasting to playing a musical instrument, fine art to website design, there’s an endless list of the types of skills you can do, so have a chat with your Leader and other people in your community to find out what’s on offer!

Be careful if you are considering taking up something in the “Games and Recreation” category of the DofE Skills section. Sports specifically listed in the official DofE physical list CANNOT be followed as a skill unless you are developing your leadership, officiating or appreciation skills from “the side”.

School activities which may count if they are outside of mandatory curriculum time are:

Sports or Club Leadership

Art, Drama and Music clubs

Eco Club

Christian Union

Debating

Homework Club

Committee. Council and Assistant roles

EPQs and HPQs

Check out the Extra Curricular web pages at school, or if you are in the sixth form the Enrichment curriculum.

Home activities will need to be recorded using the LOGSHEET  which is uploaded to eDofE for a leader to be the assessor. They can be supported or taught by a family member.

  • Cooking or baking
  • Knit, sew or crochet
  • Make birthday / greeting cards
  • Decoupage or print screen
  • DIY skills – help with repairs and building jobs
  • Gardening – set up a vegetable or herb plot
  • Put up a birdfeeder or nest box, or build an insect hotel and learn about the birds and insects coming to your garden
  • Learn to conjure / do magic tricks
  • Research your family: set up a family tree online and use resources to find out more about them – call your family to chat about their memories and family stories – ask them to send copies of birth and death certificates to help you in your research – how far can you go back?
  • Reading: write and share a book review of each one you read
  • Painting, drawing, or model making
  • Tabletop board or card games
  • Looking after family pets and understanding their dietary, exercise and care needs

Use free YouTube videos to learn all sorts of things such as:

  • Create an app to help with online learning for primary students
  • Playing an instrument
  • Coding and programming skills
  • Drawing
  • Calligraphy
  • Photography
  • Building a website
  • Esports
  • Film making or vlogging
  • Survival skills

Online Courses which may cost….

Handy Resources

LOGSHEET  which is uploaded to eDofE for a leader to be the assessor if you’re doing this at home.

FAQs to help guide you

LIST of SKILLS IDEAS