The time for recognition has arrived – especially welcome in these difficult times – for our Silver DofE candidates. They are in the process of collecting assessor reports for their contribution to volunteering, skill and physical sections. It is not until we receive these reports that some of the great work they do becomes apparent.
Our candidates have all been able to continue their volunteering in many imaginative ways during the past few months, and the following are just a few examples of their assessor reports:
Charla volunteered in a nursing home and over time became very comfortable in these surroundings. At first conversation was not easy and adjusting to the environment took time, but over the weeks, she improved her conversational skills and became confident. She also made progress in her support of residents, learning how to reassure them when they faced frustrations – such as a lack of mobility due to arthritis. With her weekly attendance she has learnt much about the challenges of caring for the elderly but also gained many skills to help her overcome these challenges and bring some joy to their weekly routine.
Rufus, with weekly attendance at a local childcare centre, has learnt much about what it takes for children to smile and enjoy their time. At first the nursery was not what Rufus was expecting but over the weeks he became more comfortable in the setting and really became involved with the programme. Looking back, he has grown not only in his awareness of what it takes to run a nursery but also in the joys and challenges of childcare. Rufus managed to achieve his goal of bringing a smile to the children’s faces and helping them to enjoy their day.
Alice was a valued member of the choir who learned a lot during her time with this group. She attended all rehearsals punctually and with a sense of purpose and determination to succeed. She works very well as part of a team and is a very helpful and energising presence. Alice learned what it takes to sing as part of a group, spending time with those around her. She learned to pick up new repertoires very quickly and was able to take part in performances with a variety of different anthems, motets and other service music with confidence and aplomb.
Ben helped to organise and assess how the school recycles different materials – including paper, cardboard, and plastic. He also assisted in a composting initiative to make use of food waste in boarding houses at the college. This was taken to the college farm where it was added to a composting pile to aid the production. Ben developed skills in team management, communication and teamwork as part of a small group of students responsible for different areas of recycling and composting each week. He also developed a sense of responsibility and ensured his areas were always clean and well maintained. He suggested some interesting initiatives for future years which we are now looking into, such as uses for eco-bricks and having more recycling bins around the campus, so was effective at taking the initiative and showing his passion for the task at hand.
“ We are very proud of the way our students have conducted themselves and shown resilience in the face of some challenging circumstances. They have engaged enthusiastically with their volunteering duties and learnt many new skills along the way ” Fred Simkins, Director of Outdoor Education