Your go-to-guide for all things DofE Direct.
Whether you’re just getting started on your DofE Direct journey or need a refresh of what’s next to come, find step-by-step guidance on completing your DofE through DofE Direct.
Remember to check your welcome email for your username and eDofE ID to log in. If you forget your password, select ‘Forgot password?’ and it will send a link to the email you signed up with.
See our how to videos on YouTube.
Completing your personal details in eDofE will prompt your Welcome Pack to be posted out. Please make sure your address in eDofE is correct as this is where we’ll post the Welcome Pack to.
You can access a digital copy in eDofE while waiting for your physical copy to arrive.
You’ll do five sections for your Gold Award – Volunteering, Physical, Skill, Expedition and Residential. You can complete one section at a time, or complete multiple sections at once. It’s your DofE, so decide what works best for you! Remember, you have until your 25th birthday to complete your activities.
Learn more about the sections.
Expedition
You need to book onto an open expedition ran by one of our Approved Activity Providers (AAP) for your Expedition section. You’ll need to complete the required training and practice Expedition, then your qualifying Expedition. Your Expedition team will be made up of other participants who have booked onto the same expedition as you. Your AAP will support you to complete the presentation and provide you with an Assessor’s Report.
Read our guide on how to add details of your Expedition to eDofE.
Find open expeditions on our Opportunity Finder.
Residential
You can complete your Residential with an AAP or any suitable organisation, as long as it meets the section requirements. Make sure to check the Residential requirements and get your programme planner approved before booking or paying.
If you’re not using an AAP, fill out the Residential Approval Form in your Welcome email and get approval from your DofE Leader before attending.
Learn more about the Residential section.
You need to choose an activity for each of your sections. Your DofE programme is personalised to you, so think about what you can realistically commit to. If you’ve completed a previous Award level, consider whether you want to build on your previous activities to show development or challenge yourself to something completely new.
To make sure your activities will count, remember to submit the details on your eDofE programme planner for your Leader’s approval first.
Learn about timescales for the Gold Award.
See our how to videos on YouTube.
On the Opportunity Finder you can see activities delivered by Approved Activity Providers (AAPs) for your sections. You’ll also use the Opportunity Finder when you’re ready to look for an open expedition.
You can do certain activities remotely, like Volunteering, if this is a better fit for you.
When you get started on each activity, you’ll need to decide on an Assessor. They’ll write one Assessor’s Report once you’ve finished the section, but you’ll need to keep them updated throughout the activity.
DofE Direct Leaders can’t be your Assessor, so learn more in our guide on how to choose an Assessor.
For the Expedition section, you must be assessed by an accredited Assessor. Your Expedition provider will supply an accredited Assessor, and they’ll write your Assessor’s Report.
You should aim to submit evidence of your activities at least once a month.
Find out more about how to log your section activities.
Each section must be approved by your DofE Leader. They’ll need an Assessor’s Report and evidence to be uploaded before they can sign off the section.
Remember to check your eDofE messages for any queries once you’ve submitted your section.
Read more about how to submit a section on eDofE.
Once you’ve completed all sections, you need to fill out the Gold Award Celebration form to let us know how you’d like to get your Award.
Your Award will then go through the final verification process, please check your eDofE account for any queries raised. Then we’ll notify you once your Award has been approved, this can take several weeks.
Read more about our Gold Award celebration events.
Read our tips on completing your Gold Award celebration application form.
If you have read through the information above and still need support with your DofE programme, please get in touch with us.
Your DofE Direct Leader can support you via [email protected], or through eDofE messaging.
It can take up to 10 working days for a response, including evidence approvals. Please note we cannot recommend specific activities or providers.
The DofE puts young people’s safety and care above all. If you have any concerns or queries relating to safeguarding, you can report it to your DofE Direct Leader between Monday to Thursday 9am-4pm on [email protected].
Outside of these hours you should email [email protected].
Read more about Safeguarding at the DofE:
Evaluating the impact of DofE is the starting point for improving what we do and ensuring that the Award has a positive benefit for the widest possible number of young people.
When you log in to eDofE after starting an Award you will be asked a series of questions to reflect on the impact of the Award at different points in your DofE journey. All questions are optional. You select from a scale of possible responses, and if you don’t want to answer you can select ‘Prefer not to say’.
Find out more about impact measurement in eDofE.
Whatever your career goals are, doing your DofE will have equipped you with a range of skills that will have made you more employable and are extremely attractive to colleges, universities and employers.
Your DofE digital badge is a verified, shareable way to showcase your Award on LinkedIn, CVs and in further education or job applications.
View our careers hub to help you take the next step.
If you have any questions, please reach out to your DofE Direct Leader through eDofE or contact [email protected].
Use the Opportunity Finder to find an Open Expedition run by one of our Approved Activity Providers (AAPs).
DofE Direct gave Charlotte the opportunity to jump straight into her Gold Award and carve out some time for herself in between juggling being a part-time carer for her dad, who has early onset dementia.
