If you want to do your DofE, ask around to see if your school/youth group etc already run it. If they don’t run it, chances are you can get involved somewhere near you. Get in touch with the DofE Manager at your nearest Operating Authority they’ll be able to help you.

 

We always need volunteers to help young people achieve an Award. If you want to help run the DofE you can talk to the person at your centre who’s responsible for the DofE. If you’re not involved with somewhere that runs it, please contact your nearest Operating Authority.

 

If you’re not sure what you can do to help, click here for more details on what our volunteers help us do.

When you start doing your DofE, you pay a small fee for your participation place, which includes your eDofE account, Welcome Pack and certificate and badge when you achieve your Award.

What is eDofE?
eDofE is an interactive online system that helps young people manage their DofE programme and Leaders monitor their progress. Accompanying the system is a Welcome Pack for participants, which contains a 'Keeping Track' booklet for participants to record their progress offline if required. Find out more about eDofE and download a range of resources.

 

What is an eDofE account?
An online record where you set up your DofE programme and record evidence. You must receive your eDofE account to do your DofE programme, unless your Operating Authority advises you otherwise.

 

What is a Welcome Pack and what’s in it?
The Welcome Pack is what you receive when you start your DofE programme. There are different packs for each level (Bronze, Silver and Gold). Each pack contains an outer card box to store the elements of the pack. You can also add your own notes into it. It also contains:

• The Little Book of DofE – a booklet introducing the DofE programme.
• Keeping Track – a booklet explaining eDofE with space for you and Assessors to record DofE activity.
• Assessor Cards – four (five at Gold) – simple cards to hand to your Assessors which outlines the section.
• Cotswold Discount Card – to get 15% off Cotswold outdoor equipment stores.

Where do I get my Welcome Pack and eDofE account?
When you ask your DofE Leader how to do your DofE programme you will normally be handed an application form and asked to pay the requested fee. You will send the details and payment to the stated address on the form OR hand it back to your DofE Leader. Once they have processed your application form, you will be either be handed or posted the appropriate Welcome Pack and handed/posted/emailed your username and password to access your eDofE account.

 

How much does it cost to take part?
To do a DofE programme, you will pay a nominal fee to the DofE Charity. This cost includes your Welcome Pack and eDofE account. See current fees here.

Please note that many OAs and centres add on administration costs to this basic fee (to cover postage, organising expeditions, admin etc) which should be made clear at the enrolment stage. If you have a query about any additional costs then ask them directly what the stated fee covers.

What should I do if I have paid but I have not received my Welcome Pack or eDofE account?
If you have paid and not yet received your Welcome Pack and eDofE account then ask whoever you gave the money to about what has happened to your order. You should be given the details to access your eDofE account before you begin your DofE programme.

 

What if I want to start my DofE programme but I have not got a Welcome Pack yet and have no access to eDofE?
If you’ve paid and have to wait for a Welcome Pack to arrive and your eDofE account to be created, then you can still begin – follow these pointers:

• Ensure you understand the rules before starting! Ask your DofE Leader, or have a look around this website.
• Keep a personal diary on what you have done so you can transfer the details when you are handed the Welcome Pack and access to your eDofE account.

If you have no DofE Leader or are no longer in contact with them, please contact your Operating Authority.

DofE Regional Offices cannot issue Welcome Packs or eDofE accounts.  

Once you receive your Welcome Pack and eDofE account you need to log on to eDofE and fill in your personal details. Your DofE Leader will answer any queries (usually a teacher, youth leader etc, this is the person who is in charge of running your DofE group).

If you are not part of a group and are doing your DofE programme on your own, you should make contact with your Operating Authority to identify a DofE Leader who you can contact for advice and answer your questions. 
 

You will need to decide how long you want to do each section for to meet the DofE’s basic time requirements. You can then decide on your choice of activity for each section and develop a programme.  You must then find an Assessor and possibly a Supervisor for each section. Find out more about choosing activities here

 

Once you’ve decided what you want to do, use our programme planners on the DofE website or on eDofE to work with your Leader to plan your activity. Sometimes you may need additional input from an experienced/ skilled person who understands your activity.

Remember, with any activity you will need to:

• make sure you have had health and safety training necessary
• set yourselves goals which are challenging and achievable
• find someone to support and assess you and let your Assessor know what your goals are
• improve existing skills/ gain new talents
• collect evidence to show your progress. 

What do I do if I can't find the activity I am looking for?

Are you looking under the correct section? Use our activity finder for each section to check – they’re listed by types of activity.

 

If you can’t find an activity under eDofE or on our website then:

What if I want to do an activity which is not listed?
If the activity is not listed anywhere on the DofE website, then speak to your DofE Leader to discuss it. You must have permission from them before you start doing your activity.

Residential (Gold only) – If you have an idea for a residential and you are checking to see if it would be permitted, then you should get approval from your DofE Leader/Co-ordinator and Operating Authority.
 

Look in your eDofE account for the timescales or view timescales by each level here to see how long you need to do each section for and you can then decide which one you wish to work on for a shorter or longer period.

The DofE’s not about a quick burst of enthusiasm – you can’t just do your activities over just a few days/weeks. You’ll need to do each activity regularly over the required number of months. 
 

Useful note: You cannot total up the hours so it adds up to the months required. To successfully complete your DofE programme we check your hours spread over the period of months.

 

As a DofE Leader, how do I check that the programme activity meets DofE criteria?
Use the handy one page Leader’s checklist on this website to do this, along with The Handbook for DofE Leaders (sixth edition).
 

You need to enlist the help of an Assessor for every activity for each section. This role is to train, check and assess what you are doing for an activity. They are normally skilled, qualified or experienced people for a specific activity. You may possibly need a Supervisor as well. Click here for more information on each of these roles.

For these sections you’ll choose your Assessors and Supervisors, for example, asking your art teacher at school to be your Assessor so you can do art and design for your Skills section.

The DofE Charity does not manage or have responsibility for these people. They are not accredited or nationally recognised by the DofE Charity. The only exception is the Expedition section (see below).

 

How do I choose Supervisors and Assessors for the Expedition section?
Expedition Assessors and Supervisors are normally selected by your DofE Leader/Co-ordinator at your centre or sometimes by your OA. There is formal training and accreditation for the Assessors and Supervisors through the DofE’s Modular Training Framework. The DofE and Operating Authorities also provide training for Expedition Supervisors.

Click here to search our Volunteering pages
Click here to search our Physical pages
Click here to search our Skills pages
Click here to search our Expedition pages
Click here to search our Residential pages

 

Useful note: Can’t find what you’re looking for?  Check a different section. What you believe to be a Skills activity could actually be a Volunteering or Physical activity. For example, playing football is a physical activity, learning to be a football coach is a Skill while coaching others for free is volunteering.

 

The Expedition section raises the most queries. Look at the requirements here for clarification.

 

The expedition is usually organised by your DofE Leader or centre’s Co-ordinator. They will be able to help you find out what will be happening on the training, practice and qualifying parts of the expedition.

 

Expeditions for those who are not part of a group ('Independents')
You will need to contact your Operating Authority ( address in your eDofE account or on our website). You have two options to complete this section:

1. Become part of another DofE centre/group who’s arranging their expedition. Your OA will provide you with details if this option is available in your area.
    
2. Join an open expedition which are organised by the DofE Assessor Networks (these are normally events aimed at other independent DofE participants who wish to complete this section). Available opportunities are advertised here.

When you have decided on an activity, decided how long you want to do it for, identified your DofE Assessor/Supervisor for each activity and planned your expedition:

• Fill in the sections – the activity title, start date of the activity and objectives.
• Collect evidence – On every session for that activity, get evidence. Use the pages in the Keeping Track booklet and scan it in/photograph it or take audio files, photos or footage with your phone or camera. You can also upload documents or just type a report into eDofE. 
• Completing the Volunteering, Physical, Skills and Residential (Gold) sections – when you have done your chosen activity for the required timescale and met your agreed aims with your Assessor then they should get the activity and evidence approved by your DofE Leader on eDofE. 
• Completing the Expedition section – After completing your training, practice(s) and qualifying expeditions, your DofE Assessor will approve this and your Leader will confirm it on eDofE.

If you do not have access to eDofE (example: no access to the internet) then you can still complete your programme by using the Welcome Pack:

• Discuss and agree this with your DofE Leader
• Get your Assessor’s comments in the Keeping Track Booklet
• Get your Leader to approve your sections by signing and dating it.

 

Your DofE Leader will approve your DofE work or if you do not have access to eDofE they can check your Welcome Pack. Then your Operating Authority will check it:

What can I do if I cannot finish all the sections to achieve a full Award?
If for whatever reason you cannot complete all the sections of your DofE programme you can still be recognised for the section(s) you have completed. Your DofE Leader may arrange to use sectional certificates. Remember, you can still finish your whole programme if you complete all your activities in each section before your 25th birthday (even if you started them when you were 14!)

 

7) Certificates & Badges

What Award badges are there?
When you achieve your Bronze or Silver Award you will be given a DofE badge by your OA/centre. At Gold you can choose between a badge or a brooch, which comes in a velvet pouch – you can view them here. Many uniformed organisations have their own cloth badges which you will also be presented with locally.

 

What do I do if I have a lost or damaged badge and/or certificate?
You must apply to your OA for any replacement of Bronze & Silver badges and certificates. Your DofE Leader may do this for you.

Your DofE Regional/Country Office will deal with any Gold badge or certificate replacements, for which there is a small charge. You will have to provide evidence you hold a Gold Award.

 

Who organises my Bronze or Silver Award presentation?
These are organised locally. In many cases your DofE Leader (or OA) will arrange a presentation for your badge & certificate – ask them if this is happening.

Who organises my Gold Award presentation?
In some cases your DofE Leader (or OA) will arrange a presentation for your Gold badge. You will be invited to a national presentation at one of the Royal palaces to receive your certificate.

How do I get invited to a Gold Award presentation?
On finishing your Gold programme, you need to complete a Gold notification form and send it to your OA with your Record Book. Download the form here. Go here for more info on national Gold Award presentations

DofE programmes are delivered under licence by over 400 Operating Authorities throughout the UK (e.g. local authorities, uniformed organisations, charities, YOIs, businesses). They are responsible for the administration of the DofE in their area and for authorisation of Awards. Each Operating Authority has a number of DofE centres, managed by a Centre Co-ordinator. In each DofE centre there can be one or more DofE groups, each run by a DofE Leader.

 

All DofE centres have to be authorised by a licensed Operating Authority to ensure they meet specific standards of safety, child protection, training etc. If you want to set up a centre or run a group, please contact your local Operating Authority

 

What kind of qualifications/training is needed?
Your Operating Authority will state what qualifications and training are required to run a DofE centre/group as they differ. However, it's a good idea to make sure that you've done our induction course.

 

As a DofE Leader - how do I order Welcome Packs and eDofE accounts?
You can only order Welcome Packs and eDofE accounts (these are called ‘participation places’) from your Operating Authority. The Operating Authority will send you your Welcome Packs and either allocate ‘places’ to you for you to create new eDofE participant accounts or they will create them for you.

 

How can I become a volunteer/helper?
You can read about various roles that our volunteers have here.

To get involved please contact your local Operating Authority.

You can order the materials and merchandise from our trading arm ASL. Click here to visit our shop pages. Many OAs also keep a small stock. You can contact ASL on Tel: 0131 553 5280 or email: asl@DofE.org 

Note: participation places can only be ordered by a licensed Operating Authority.

The Duke of Edinburgh's Award provides limited personal accident insurance cover – you can read the details here.

 

What Insurance do Operating Authorities have in place?
As a condition of their Operating Licence, each Operating Authority must arrange Public Liability Insurance, which will provide an indemnity in respect of their legal liability (and that of participants and adult helpers) for bodily injury or damage to property arising in connection with a DofE activity.

Am I insured whilst doing Volunteering, Physical, Skills and Residential sections?
You will need to ask the deliverer/provider of each activity what insurance cover is in place or required to be taken out for each activity you do.

What insurance is in place whilst I am doing the Expedition section?
The provider (e.g. your school, Operating Authority, youth group etc) of the training, practices and qualifying expedition should have in place the insurance to deliver this section. Ask them if you have any questions.

How do I make a complaint to The Duke of Edinburgh's Award?
The DofE recognises that there will be occasions when things go wrong, when you want to voice your concerns about our programme or services, or the services of one of our delivery partners. Your complaint is the first step in helping us put matters right.

 

If you have a general enquiry or wish to provide feedback please do so via our enquiries, feedback and complaints service

 

How do I complain?
If you want to make a complaint, your first point of contact should be your DofE Leader/Co-ordinator, your Operating Authority or your DofE Regional/Country Office.

 

What if I am still not satisfied?
To make a formal complaint to Head Office complete the form here and submit it.

 

We prefer to receive this via our website for monitoring purposes. However, if you would rather, you can send it to: The Support Officer, The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Gulliver House, Madeira Walk, Windsor, Berkshire SL4 1EU.

 

• The DofE will designate a named member of staff to co-ordinate the response and ensure resolution.
• If the complaint involves one of the DofE's delivery partners it will be passed on to them for resolution.
• We aim to acknowledge the complaint in writing within 3 working days, with an outline of how and when the issue will be resolved.
• We will deal with it quickly and fairly, normally within 15 working days, and will keep you informed on progress.
• Where relevant, information will be treated in confidence.
• Any outcome or decision should be shared with you in writing.
• The complaint will be used to review and improve our services.

Is there an appeal?
If the complaint is against The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Charity then any final decision rests with the relevant DofE Director in consultation with the Chief Executive and Trustees.