This category celebrates young people who are breaking new ground and problem-solving with innovative ideas. From content creation to product design, this category spotlights all the ways young people think outside the box and use their creativity to inspire others.

Congratulations to Theo, the Digital Creative: Innovator of the Year winner!

theo

Theo, 16, is described by everyone he knows as a curious, enthusiastic problem-solver who isn’t afraid of a challenge. Theo also has a huge passion for computers and all things technology and is a self-professed “computer geek” whose love of coding has helped him overcome some of the challenges he faces in his day-to-day life.   

Theo was born blind from a recessive hereditary condition, so can only see light and dark. Theo has not let his visual impairment stop him from achieving anything he puts his mind to, and his mum Elin has described herself as “running to keep up with Theo” from the moment he started moving.      

From an early age, Theo has been passionate about science. When he faced a barrier with weighing the materials needed for his practicals in his science lessons, he felt disappointed and robbed of his independence. He decided to use his ingenuity to tackle the problem. As part of his DofE Volunteering section, Theo invented “Talking Balance” – scientific scales that read out the precise weight when measuring different materials. 

Theo’s invention, which he will soon be launching to the public completely free, means he is now able to fully participate in his practicals in science lessons. Theo hopes that, through “Talking Balance”, blind and visually impaired young people will feel more empowered to contribute to this field and won’t experience this barrier to accessing STEM. 

"I'm blind, which means that I do some things differently, but equally in other ways I'm just the same as everybody else."

A huge support to Theo was Ben. They met through LOOK UK – a charity that helps blind children and their families thrive by offering them a mentor who also has a visual impairment. Ben is a software engineer at the BBC and was paired up with Theo to support him and offer his guidance as a fellow blind person working in technology. 

When Theo approached Ben with the idea for “Talking Balance” he wasn’t in the slightest bit surprised: “Theo is curious, enthusiastic, ridiculously clever, and far better at coding than I was when I was 16.” Ben was able to help Theo break down what could have been an overwhelming project into smaller, more manageable chunks. Throughout the weeks that followed, Theo and Ben met regularly on Zoom to develop “Talking Balance”; together they created the software, designed the app, and even tested and fixed any bugs associated with the programme. 

Zoë

When 16-year-old Zoë heard her team had to come up with an expedition Aim, she was determined that it wouldn’t be boring. She proposed creating a music video diary as a good way to stand out and have fun along the way. Having spent some time creating films for community projects in church and summer camp, Zoë had the background to bring the team’s vision to life. She story-boarded and planned the project with her Silver group, pulling together a group of reticent teens into music video stars.

"I wanted a fun, alternative way of presenting our expedition Aim."

A natural communicator and leader, Zoë used her enthusiasm for DofE and the expedition to motivate the team. The result? An innovative celebration of their Silver DofE expedition – set to the soundtrack California Gurls.  

We spoke with Zoë herself to get the lowdown on her creation: "I see it as memory-making: videos and photos are a great way to share a life event with others." Zoë now has her sights set on completing her Gold, as well as thinking ahead to university where she hopes to study cyber security or ethical hacking.    

Abigail

After 19-year-old Abigail’s school discontinued their Horticulture GCSE, she visited the school’s polytunnel and wildlife area and saw that it had fallen into a state of disrepair. Not one to shy away from a challenge, she decided to take action and restore the polytunnel whilst also creating a community garden for all students and staff.

"The area serves as a quiet, safe space, away from the sometimes-overwhelming school environment."

Abigail has now gone on to run the Eco Club for two years, engaging young people in conservation and providing volunteering opportunities for other students who are also making their own DofE journeys, as well as providing a much-needed quiet space for pupils struggling with the school environment.

"It’s been a big part of my life and one of the reasons I love working at the school is that it’s part of my job to look after the polytunnel. It has taken perseverance to get the area to its current state, but I’m committed - I work towards its maintenance and functionality every day."