Find out how your voluntary or community group can run the DofE in Wales.
Funding may be available to support voluntary and community organisations to launch their own programme, so more young people can benefit from the award.
The DofE Award is supported by a dedicated Operations Officer, who offers help to set up, advice on running programmes, and signposting to training for leaders to run the programme. This will help make sure that as a new DofE Award provider you are fully supported as you develop your own team of DofE Leaders.
We will identify what support your group needs to start up and grow DofE provision, but as an example, funding could be provided for staff training costs (both DofE courses and outdoor qualifications), expedition delivery, and financial support for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Requirements
- Organisations/groups must be an incorporated voluntary, community or social enterprise organisation (VCSO), that has been established for at least one year
- VCSO needs a bank account in the organisation’s name, with two or more unrelated signatories and any reserves accrued by organisations are reinvested to support your work (ie not for profit)
- VCSO needs to have five trustees
- Centres will be required to sign a Directly Licensed Centre agreement
- Organisations will need to undergo a due diligence check and will be asked to produce documentation, including safeguarding policies, offsite visits policy and profit and loss accounts
- VCSO needs to hold public liability insurance
Commitments
A team of staff (2-3 people) will be needed who are willing to:
- Undertake some initial DofE specific training, e-learning modules and discussions
- Act as a point of contact for the DofE Operations Officer
- Identify and sign up participants
- Organise eDofE sessions with participants throughout the year, which will be supported by the DofE Operations Officer
- Take on more specific leadership roles over time for which training will be provided including National Governing Body outdoor qualifications if appropriate
- Support and take responsibility for the pastoral care of participants on expeditions
- Report to DofE how any grant money has been spent and providing the relevant receipts
Benefits to your young people
The DofE has a proven track record of helping young people to develop both personally and socially, and each programme is tailored to the needs and interests of the individual. DofE is widely recognised and valued by employers, achieving a DofE Award adds an additional dimention to any young person’s experiences and qualifications.
Next steps
- Initial meeting. Learn more about licensing with the DofE, benefits to your youth members and what funding is available.
- Complete the due diligence process and if successful, sign the DofE licence and nominate a DofE Manager.
- Work with your operations officer to create a detailed DofE development plan for your centre.
- Work with your operations officer to submit your grant application
- Enrol your young people and start running the programme.
Contact details
To discuss further you can contact Laura Evans on Laura.evans@dofe.org or 01847 623068.
