Stories

Tereza is a DofE Online participant and she made it to the very top and won a gold award 🥇

And what did the DofE bring to Tereza? 💖
"Fulfilling the DofE has been a beautiful, if sometimes winding, journey. I took away a lot - experiences from the expedition, new friends that I'd give my arm for. It was one big challenge, but one that showed me how important it is to have someone in your life who will stand by you on the journey to your dreams...
I learned that if you want something, you have to go for it and all success is hidden in hard work and the ability to persevere. No one becomes successful overnight."❤️

And what brought Tereza to the DofE? 😇
"I liked the values that the DofE promotes and highlights. For a long time, I was looking for a programme that would lead young people to be independent, build discipline or perhaps step out of their comfort zone. One of the biggest draws in my case was an adventure expedition."🥾

Introducing Veronika Klimešová.

"DofE was a new challenge for me to step out of my comfort zone and discover things, people and experiences that I would not have known without DofE. The residential project at the Global Youth Gathering in Lisbon gave me confidence, including the fact that I have no problem talking to a Brazilian, a Portuguese or a Malagasy (Madagascar resident) while travelling on the metro. And a DofE expedition in half a metre of snow? An unforgettable experience"

Sol Strelbytská not only passed the gold level of DofE, but also actively participated in the Buddy Programme Stand By Me. 💚💛💙

And what did DofE Solomiy bring?

"DofE has improved my skills in 5 languages, which I use to promote intercultural understanding, and I have discovered a great interest in psychology. I have achieved C2 levels in AJ and NJ. I am currently tutoring and working as a freelance translator. I also co-founded the first Ukrainian scout center in our region, worked with Ukrainian refugee children in the "Stand By Me" project as an ambassador. I am currently leading an anti-bullying campaign for refugee children at our high school." 💖🫂

Another graduate is Jiří Kozma. ✨

"I have been working on myself during my DofE, in different ways. This has opened up unique opportunities for me: assisting with communication to foreign patients hospitalized in Czech hospitals, attending an international youth conference of the European Union as one of the students of the Czech delegation or experiencing an international expedition between Czech and Slovak expeditions in the White Carpathians in 2023."

Jirka also evaluated his experience in his application to a foreign university!

"By liking to push myself and go the extra mile, I didn't give up and set up the DofE. It was a new challenge. I picked the gold level straight away and after talking to my supervisor, we surprisingly linked a lot of my activities very well with the DofE, gave them direction and also added targets that I would have rather just thought about before.

Overall, what I take away from DofE is more organization, perseverance in what I do, the fact that you can connect things that I first thought were impossible and a lot of experiences from the expedition. I would like to tell new participants not to be afraid to join the DofE, they have nothing to lose only to gain and there are many new unforgettable experiences to come."

Martin's skills include cooking, volunteering to help with the barista club and walking movement.

"I've been swimming since I was a kid and I wanted to push myself a little further, so the idea of swimming across Gibraltar came up. I did it and as a result I was invited to dinner with Britain's Prince Edward, who runs the global DofE. I've also learned a lot in the volunteering field, coaching a children's swimming team."

Lucie is still actively promoting swimming as a sport for all, for example as a patron of the SenSen and Konta Bariéry project.