Celebrating success: Homefield students shine at DofE’s Award in Action event
Last week, we were delighted to be invited to attend The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in Action event in Leicester, celebrating the transformative impact the DofE programme has on young people across the region.
The event provided a wonderful platform to highlight how our students develop real-world skills, independence and workplace confidence through their DofE journeys.
Key Discussion on SEND Employability
Our Principal, Tracey Forman, joined His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh and colleagues from across Leicestershire for a roundtable discussion focusing on the positive impact the DofE Award has on employability for SEND young people.
Speaking about the experience, Tracey shared:
“We were incredibly proud of how our students represented the college. I enjoyed meeting with colleagues from across Leicestershire to hear how they run their programmes. We look forward to another successful year and we are currently looking at how we could deliver Gold!”– Tracey Forman
Hands-On Skills in Action
Following lunch, The Duke met with our students to see their practical work firsthand. Representatives from our student-run public hair and beauty salon, Spectrum Style, alongside tutor Bridget and DofE Lead Zoe, delivered a live demonstration of their cutting and styling skills on mannequin heads and wigs.
Students Sadie and Jasmine shared how developing hair and beauty competencies through their DofE activities directly supports their future employment prospects. Meanwhile, Bronze Award achievers Deanna and Jacob spoke about their progress over the past year and their excitement to start working towards their Silver Award.
During their conversations with His Royal Highness, the students spoke passionately about how the award has helped them build confidence, teamwork and key skills for independent living and work.
Reflecting on her Bronze Award journey, 19-year-old student Deanna said:
“My journey on the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award allowed me to unlock my own potential in different areas, including volunteering at a sewing craft fair and exploring my local community. Working with others built up my confidence and communication. Improving on my digital skills led to a paid summer job. Overall, I enjoyed my journey very much, I can’t wait to do my Silver Award.”– Deanna
Celebrating Individual Student Achievements
Following the event, the team received wonderful feedback highlighting the individual strengths and contributions of our students throughout the day:
- Jacob displayed great courage and confidence when introducing Homefield to The Duke of Edinburgh, opening the session in an articulate, enthusiastic and engaging manner.
- Sadie brought warmth, humour and a welcoming spirit to the demonstration, putting everyone at ease with her open and chatty personality – a brilliant quality for her future in the hair and beauty industry.
- Deanna spoke passionately about her creative talents, bringing her story to life through the stunning custom jacket she created for our student enterprise, Sew Unique.
- Jasmine demonstrated a highly professional approach and standout skill in hairdressing, with her styling achievements and WorldSkills recognition showcasing her dedication to a successful career in the sector.
We are immensely proud of all the students who took part and represented Homefield so brilliantly. We look forward to supporting our next cohort as they embark on their Silver and Gold Award journeys!
