EDI roadmap

Our EDI roadmap overviews the work that we are taking forward to enable us to achieve our vision in this area. The focus of our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) roadmap is on supporting and enabling us to achieve this by:

1. Understanding how we are perceived externally

Inclusivity is a thread that runs through our communications and marketing work, underpinned by our brand identity. To ensure the DofE’s identity reflects and speaks to diverse audiences, we embarked on a process to develop our brand.

Objective 1: Better understand how key audiences, including non-participating audiences, perceive the DofE.
Progress: Brand perception research completed March 2023.

Objective 2: Use the research insights to inform the development of our Youth Without Limits brand identity, leveraging opportunities to increase inclusivity.
Progress: A refreshed brand toolkit in use across the charity, influencing our creative work.

Objective 3: To support the toolkit, enhance our image portfolio with photos that showcase the inclusive, collective and fun experience of DofE and reflect our participants, Leaders and Managers.
Progress: New imagery available for communications and marketing work, a rolling programme of photography shoots in development.

Objective 4: Equip our Operations teams and broader network with DofE content and promotional materials that speak to diverse audiences.
Progress: Community mapping with internal stakeholders, to identify audiences for content creation is underway.

2. Raising internal knowledge and awareness

This will play a vital role in ensuring we are a workplace where all our people can bring their whole selves to work and achieve their full potential.

Objective 1: Empower and educate staff to begin having conversations regarding diversity and belonging and bringing these considerations into day-to-day work, decisions and processes.
Progress: Suite of training, development and lived experience sessions ran throughout 2023 and 2024 and is ongoing in 2025.

Objective 2: Creation of spaces, events and opportunities for sharing, celebration, discussion, reflection and advocacy.
Progress: Staff networks established across the charity, communication and engagement plans in place and operating, raising awareness of different lived experiences and talks being delivered via specific charities and through a third-party provider.

Objective 3: Using internal learning and external best practice, inclusive recruitment guidance to be created.
Progress: Revised Recruitment and Selection policy, including content relating to inclusive recruitment launched in 2024, and inclusive recruitment training and good practice guidance is currently being rolled out across the charity.

Objective 4: Baseline data available regarding diversity (demographics), wellbeing, belonging, and lived experience, biannual monitoring of data to occur during project period (2023/24).
Progress: Data relating to recruitment, demographics and staff experience has been seen and considered by relevant committees. Further work to create an EDI dashboard and agree success metrics is being delivered via our Equity, Inclusion and Wellbeing Board.

3. Understanding barriers to participation and engagement

This work is currently under review.