In seven decades of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) we’ve learnt one thing: never doubt what young people can do. We’ve seen that when you give young people the chance to prove to themselves what they’re capable of, there’s no limit to what they can achieve.
The DofE is run across the UK in schools, colleges, hospitals, prisons, young offender institutions, youth and sports clubs, and more. In 2024/25, more than 342,000 young people started their DofE – the highest in our history.
Whatever a young person’s ability, interest or background, a DofE can be adapted for them. It’s a prestigious and trusted way to turn the things they love into lifelong skills. The DofE can help them get a job, make a difference in their community and take on anything life throws their way.
Thank you for supporting your young person on their DofE adventure.
Benefits to young people
When your young person does their DofE programme, they’ll develop the skills and attitudes they need to become more rounded, confident adults. Qualities that colleges, universities and employers look for. When you support your young person’s pursuit of their Award, you’re investing in their future.
As they work through their DofE programme, you can expect to see your young person develop in these areas:
- Self-belief and self-confidence
- A sense of identity
- Initiative and a sense of responsibility
- A real awareness of their strengths
- New talents and abilities
- The ability to plan and use time effectively
- Learning from and giving to others in the community
- Forming new friendships
- Problem solving, presentation and communication skills
- Leadership and teamworking skills
How you can help
Like you support and guide your young person in other areas of their life, they’ll appreciate the same for their DofE. You can encourage them to keep their eDofE up to date, give them lifts to activities and provide financial support for kit. DofE programmes can be challenging, so your encouragement can help them stay motivated.
Top tips
- Help make sure the activities they pick are exciting, but realistic for your budget, transport and local facilities.
- Remind them to keep gathering their evidence, like photos and certificates, and upload it to eDofE.
- Help them find an Assessor. The Assessor signs off each DofE section and can be anyone who knows about or organises the activity. It can be the gym or sports instructor, art teacher, club or volunteering event organiser, and so on. It cannot be a family member.
- Make sure you use the DofE Card. Your young person will receive a personalised DofE Card when they start their DofE. Saving them at least 10% off at our recommended retailers, helping you to save on kit and other essential items.
- Remind them to make sure their Assessors write their reports as their programme comes to an end. Without it, they cannot complete the section and their DofE.
- Make sure they include their DofE achievements on their CV or personal statement.
Volunteer yourself
You might even want to get involved by volunteering with your local DofE group or raising money for the DofE. You don’t need special qualifications to be a DofE helper. There’s a role for everyone, like giving guidance, training, driving a minibus or helping with administration.
If you volunteer, we’ll make sure you complete safeguarding checks and get support with your training.
Safeguarding
Keeping young people safe is our first priority. Find out more about how we safeguard and supervise DofE participants:
