Why DofE is the perfect fit for Ellesha

As someone who naturally enjoys being outdoors and doing physical activities, DofE has been the perfect opportunity for Ellesha to develop her own confidence and soft skills, while finding something she enjoys. With her sights set on a career in painting and decorating, Ellesha is confident that the skills she’s developing through her Awards will put her in a good position for the future.

The Studio is an important place for Ellesha, somewhere she can “relax” and be herself. Signing up for her DofE was a big step, as someone who didn’t like trying new things, she knew it would push her outside her comfort zone. However, DofE has taught her the importance of working with other people, staying motivated and not being afraid of failing. Having already progressed from Bronze to Silver, Ellesha has her sights set on Gold as she believes the feeling of achieving all three levels will be well worth it.

“The Studio’s an important place for me because it’s somewhere that I can come and be myself. The people are all really nice too, and it means you’re not getting in trouble. You can come here and just relax.

“DofE has changed my attitude to things. I can be quite straightforward and if I don’t want to do something, I won’t do it. But DofE has helped me to try new things and push myself to do things I wouldn’t normally do.

“DofE is really inclusive and doing it at The Studio means everyone gets the opportunity. Even if you can’t really afford it, here you only need to pay for food and stuff for the Expeditions, and as it’s a smaller group, it also means that everyone’s needs can be met.”

Barry, Ellesha’s DofE Leader says: “Ellesha shows us how wholeheartedly DofE is perfect for her, she thrives in this environment. She’s found something she really enjoys and she’s been brilliant with the rest of the group, she’s really supportive of everyone else. She’s gone from strength to strength through her DofE.”

The Studio is a registered charity / community organisation in Widnes, Halton. Halton is one of the most deprived boroughs in the country and a high percentage of the young people fall within the categories of multiple deprivation. In January 2023 The Studio started an open award centre to provide young people in Halton with the opportunity to do their DofE Awards, via funding from our Access without Limits community grant – made possible through generous support from The Julia and Hans Rausing Trust.