Growing Minds with DofE

08/10/2026

GIVE 💗

There’s another side to my cake story that deserves its own post.

One of the other Five Ways to Wellbeing is Give, and I can’t think of a better example than my lovely business partner Liz.

She didn’t just give up nearly 10 hours to help me make a cake. She shared her knowledge and expertise, helped me work out the recipes, sourced the best ingredients and somehow kept me focused through the whole thing. She was even lying awake at night thinking about how we were going to make it all work!

It also reminded me how lucky I am to have her as my business partner at Growing Minds. The same things that made her such a brilliant teacher in the kitchen are the things she brings to our business. She is incredibly organised, has an amazing eye for detail and thinks about all the things I probably wouldn’t!

Giving doesn’t always mean giving something you can wrap up. Sometimes it’s giving someone your time, sharing something you’re good at, encouraging them or helping them achieve something they couldn’t have done on their own.

Thank you Liz. This cake definitely wouldn’t have happened without you. 💗

Who has given their time or shared their skills with you recently? Maybe give them a little shout out in the comments.

Grow your mind. Grow your confidence. Make it count for DofE.

Growing Minds with Kirstin for DofE is an Approved Activity Provider for the DofE Skills Section.
All courses include the DofE Skills assessor report as standard.

https://wix.to/Jhm7ClV

07/10/2026

GIVE 💗
There’s another side to my cake story.

One of the Five Ways to Wellbeing is Give, and my lovely business partner Liz is a brilliant example of it.

She gave me nearly 10 hours of her time, shared her knowledge and expertise, helped me work out the recipes, sourced ingredients and kept me going when I was definitely outside my comfort zone!

Giving isn’t always about something you can wrap up.
Sometimes it’s your time, your skills, your encouragement or simply helping someone do something they couldn’t have done alone.

Thank you Liz. This cake definitely wouldn’t have happened without you. 💗

Who has shared their time or skills with you recently?

Grow your mind. Grow your confidence. Make it count for DofE.

Growing Minds with Kirstin for DofE is an Approved Activity Provider for the DofE Skills Section.
All courses include the DofE Skills assessor report as standard.
Resilience
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award DofE Wales | Cymru DofE Scotland DofE Northern Ireland

07/10/2026

This week, I was the learner!

My lovely business partner Liz is an amazing baker. It’s one of her real strengths and, after spending ten hours making a cake with her, I’m even more in awe of what she can do.

I’ve never thought of myself as much of a baker, but Liz patiently taught me so many different techniques. There was lots to remember, plenty of concentration needed and, by the end, a real sense of achievement. I was ridiculously pleased with the result!

It was also a lovely reminder of why Keep Learning is one of the Five Ways to Wellbeing.

Learning doesn’t have to mean sitting in a classroom or studying for a qualification. It can be trying something you’ve never done before, learning from someone else, developing a new skill, or simply discovering that you can do something you didn’t think you were very good at.

That idea sits at the heart of one of our Growing Minds DofE Skills units, where young people explore Keep Learning as one of the Five Ways to Wellbeing, not just what it means, but how they can actually use it in their own lives.

And this week, Liz reminded me of something we encourage our young people to discover:
Keep learning. You might surprise yourself with what you can do.

Grow your mind. Grow your confidence. Make it count for DofE.

Growing Minds with Kirstin for DofE is an Approved Activity Provider for the DofE Skills Section.
All courses include the DofE Skills assessor report as standard.

https://wix.to/Dafl4Pp

06/10/2026

“Keep learning. You might surprise yourself with what you can do.”

Learning does not have to mean sitting in a classroom or studying for a qualification. It can mean trying something completely new, learning new techniques, making mistakes, asking for help and discovering that you can actually do something you weren’t sure you could do.

Today we’re highlighting Keep Learning, one of the Five Ways to Wellbeing.

It’s something I’ve been thinking about while working on a little project of my own.

I’ve spent nearly 10 hours learning new techniques, working things out, making mistakes, asking for help and trying something completely new, and it has been a brilliant reminder that learning can take so many different forms.

It can be academic, of course.

But it can also be practical, creative, physical or simply something you decide to learn because you are interested in it.

Sometimes it is about developing a skill.

Sometimes it is about solving a problem.

And sometimes it is about discovering that you can actually do something you weren’t sure you could do.

That is why Keep Learning is one of the Five Ways to Wellbeing.

So, what have you been learning recently?

It might be something completely unrelated to school or work. I’d love to hear about it.
Grow your mind. Grow your confidence. Make it count for DofE.

Growing Minds with Kirstin for DofE is an Approved Activity Provider for the DofE Skills Section. All courses include the DofE Skills assessor report as standard.



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05/10/2026

05/10/2026

Check us out on the Opportunity Finder, we are proud to be an Approved Activity Provider (AAP)

https://www.dofe.org/opportunity-finder/article/bronze-3-month-mindful-foundations-online-wellbeing-and-mindfulness/

The Duke of Edinburgh's Award

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We love to hear from you too – so make sure to tag us in your posts!

02/10/2026

Here is a simple activity from Unit 24 that can take just a few minutes.

Hold something and pay attention to how it feels.

Is it warm or cool?

Smooth or rough?

Heavy or light?

Notice what you can feel without needing to do anything else.

It is a simple way of bringing your attention back to the present moment.

Grow your mind. Grow your confidence. Make it count for DofE.

Growing Minds with Kirstin for DofE is an Approved Activity Provider for the DofE Skills Section.
All courses include the DofE Skills assessor report as standard.


https://wix.to/twuIH8m

01/10/2026

Not every feeling needs fixing.

Sometimes it can be helpful simply to notice what is happening, without judging it or immediately trying to change it.

A tight chest. A busy mind. A feeling of calm. A fluttery stomach.

Unit 24 explores simple mindful exercises that encourage young people to notice sensations without judgement.

Sometimes awareness is the first small step.
Grow your mind. Grow your confidence. Make it count for DofE.
Growing Minds with Kirstin for DofE is an Approved Activity Provider for the DofE Skills Section.
All courses include the DofE Skills assessor report as standard.


https://wix.to/Hlv8gzD
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award DofE Scotland DofE Wales DofE Northern Ireland

30/09/2026

We often notice what is happening around us.

But how often do we stop and notice what is happening inside us?

Our bodies are constantly giving us signals.

Hunger. Thirst. Tiredness. Tension. A racing heart. Changes in our breathing.

Interoception is the ability to sense these internal signals.

Within Growing Minds, participants explore how these sensations can connect with emotions and how becoming more aware of them can support their wellbeing.

Sometimes the first step is simply noticing.

Grow your mind. Grow your confidence. Make it count for DofE.

Growing Minds with Kirstin for DofE is an Approved Activity Provider for the DofE Skills Section.
All courses include the DofE Skills assessor report as standard.

DofE Northern IrelandThe Duke of Edinburgh's AwardDofE South WestDofE North of EnglandDofE ScotlandDofE WalesAction for HappinessGrowing Minds with DofE@

29/09/2026

“I really enjoyed being able to work through the course in my own time. It fitted around everything else I had going on.”

For parents and carers, finding a DofE Skills activity that fits around school, homework, sport and everything else can be a real consideration.

With Growing Minds, the course can be signed up for and then started when the timing is right.

It means the opportunity is there without creating another immediate pressure.

Grow your mind. Grow your confidence. Make it count for DofE.

Growing Minds with Kirstin for DofE is an Approved Activity Provider for the DofE Skills Section. All courses include the DofE Skills assessor report as standard.

The Duke of Edinburgh's Award DofE South West DofE Scotland DofE North of England DofE Wales DofE Northern Ireland YoungMinds Action for Happiness
https://wix.to/I9bz3kC