The following Residential opportunities have been sent to the DofE Northern Ireland Office for advertisement. 

These are not approved Residential opportunities although they may be suitable. It is the responsibility of the parents/carers and DofE Leaders to ensure the Residential opportunity meets the DofE programme requirements and has suitable safeguarding measures and appropriate insurance in place. 

The final decision regarding the suitability of any sectional activity remains at the discretion of the Licensed Organisation and so any activity must first be confirmed with your DofE Leader before sectional activities are undertaken. 

Belfast Activity Centre (Approved Residential AAP)

BAC is an Approved Activity Provider for Duke of Edinburgh Award Gold Residentials. Join other young people for a fully supervised Gold Residential experience at Ardaluin House, Newcastle, Co. Down.

Cost: £395 (payment in installments available)

2026 Dates:

Full time residential (5 days/4 nights)   

Monday 26 October 2026 – Friday 30 October 2026

Split residential 5 days/4 nights – split over 2 dates

Part 1: Wednesday 8 April to Friday 10 April 2026 (2 nights)

Part 2: Monday 29 June to Wednesday 1 July 2026 (2 nights)

For more information visit: DofE GOLD Residential Stays – Belfast Activity Centre.

SHARE Discovery Village (Approved Activity Provider)

SHARE is an Approved Activity Provider for Duke of Edinburgh Award Gold Residentials, located on Upper Lough Erne.

This role offers a unique opportunity to make a positive impact and develop new skills while meeting like-minded people and forming lasting friendships in a fun atmosphere! Activities include; environmental conservation, creative pursuits, community renovations, organizing, delivering and taking part in adventure activities for children, families, and individuals with special needs.

Cost: £250 (including accommodation and food)

2026 Dates:

Tuesday 7 – Saturday 11 April

Monday 13 – Friday 17 July

Monday 20 – Friday 24 July

Monday 3 – Friday 7 August

Monday 17 – Friday 21 August

Tuesday 27 – Saturday 31 October

For more information or to book, please contact Michelle on 028 67722122 or email [email protected].

Ganaway Activity Centre

Ganaway Activity Centre is holding a Residential activity week throughout the year. This opportunity may count towards your DofE Gold Award for the residential section, but please check with your leader before booking.

Participants will have the opportunity to participate in outdoor pursuits including caving, climbing, canoeing, orienteering, archery, mountain biking, high ropes and zipline. You will also work alongside our outdoor instructors delivering programmes to visiting groups of young people and adults.

The cost for the 5 day residential is around £325 per participant, and a deposit of £100 is required on booking.

For further details please contact Gareth Shields at Ganaway Activity Centre by telephone on 028 9186 1297 or contact Ganaway.  For more info including the dates available visit: DofE – Ganaway Activity Centre.

New Horizons

Each summer, we welcome young people to serve as part of our Site Setup or Site Stewarding teams — helping prepare and maintain the New Horizon venue while experiencing teamwork, service, and spiritual growth.

The residential combines hard work, friendship, and faith, and takes place on the Ulster University campus in Coleraine. Whether you’re fitting out the Main Tent or helping the event run smoothly, your time will make a lasting impact — and count towards your award.

There are two options for gold residentials:

Site Setup: Monday 27 July – Saturday 1 August 2026

Site Maintenance and Stewarding: Sunday 2 August – Saturday 8 August 2026

For further information and to apply, please visit Duke of Edinburgh – New Horizon.

Scripture Union Northern Ireland

Scripture Union Northern Ireland provides opportunities for volunteers aged 16+ to get involved in children’s and youth programmes across NI and beyond. From 2-14 nights away across 40 opportunities in June, July & August there really is something for everyone! If joining us for the first time as a 16-year-old, you must attend Base Camp and can then join the team at P7 Camp or SU@NH. More details on each of Scripture Union Northern Ireland’s opportunities are online.

The window for volunteers to register is open until 31st March 2026. For any help and support with this process please email Niall at [email protected].

Summer Madness

Summer Madness is a festival that brings together young people and groups from across the island of Ireland for a chance to celebrate, connect and explore the meaning of faith in their culture and community. This is held in Portglenone.

There will be two Residential options available for 2026, which may be suitable for the Residential section of your Gold Award.

Pre-Festival ‘Build Up’ (Set up): Monday 22 June to Friday 26 June 2026

Please note there are only a few places left for this phase. Please contact John directly for details, [email protected].

Event Stewarding/Take Down: Friday 26 June to Wednesday 1 July 2026

To avail of this – simply sign up as a new ‘Volunteer Staffer’ at Summer Madness and join one of several teams to assist during the festival.

The cost for this is the normal ‘staff’ cost of £55.

Details about the staffing recruitment and training process, can be found on the SM staffers App – you can also complete your application here too, or by using the following links,  ‘New Staff’ application link.

For further information, please contact [email protected].

Ulster Wildlife

The 2026 Binevenagh Youth Residential will take place once again at Magilligan Field Centre.

The residential is open to any young person who would like to learn more about local wildlife and the environment. Each participant will gain a Silver Wild Youth Award. If a young person wishes to attend as part of their Gold Award, they must first confirm the name of their Award Group back to me (i.e. who you are doing it through, e.g. school, youth organisations etc). The reason I need to ask this is we can only give a maximum of two places to young people from the same Award Group. Places are allocated on a first come first served basis and tend to go quickly.

Dates: Monday 29 June – Friday 3 July 2026

Cost: £445 (or £225 if you reside in the  Causeway Coast and Glens District area).

Find more information about Binevenagh Youth Residential online.

NB. Applications close at 5 p.m. on Tuesday 31 March 2026. Places are allocated on a first come first served basis and tend to go quickly.

The following volunteering opportunities have been sent to the DofE Northern Ireland Office for advertisement. 

These are not approved volunteering opportunities although they may be suitable. It is the responsibility of the parents/carers and DofE Leaders to ensure the volunteering opportunity meets the DofE programme requirements and has suitable safeguarding measures and appropriate insurance in place. 

The final decision regarding the suitability of any sectional activity remains at the discretion of the Licensed Organisation and so any activity must first be confirmed with your DofE Leader before sectional activities are undertaken. 

Children in Crossfire

Volunteering with Children in Crossfire is a meaningful way to support vulnerable young children while gaining valuable experience. Volunteers are at the heart of our work, helping us create lasting change in communities across Ireland and the UK.

Whether you’re looking to give back, meet new people, or build new skills, there are plenty of ways to get involved:

• Support fundraising events like supermarket collections, flag days, and church collections.
• Raise awareness by speaking at schools and churches in your area.
• Join our office team in Derry City for admin support or take part in a longer internship for deeper insight into the charity sector.

We welcome volunteers of all ages and backgrounds. It’s rewarding, educational—and fun!

Contact Ursula to learn more:
02871 269898 or email [email protected]

Foyle Sailability

Foyle Sailability is a cross border voluntary organisation which aims to deliver opportunities for sailing and other water-based activities to people with disabilities from across the North West region of Ireland.
In the short-term, they are giving people with disabilities the chance to take to the water themselves, with expert help. In the longer-term, they want to offer the kind of support which enables those of us with disabilities to aspire towards the highest levels of sailing or water sport skills.
Contact: Further information can be found from Foyle Sailability and if you would be interested in volunteering please contact Ken Curry on 0777 900 8459 or [email protected].

Ganaway Activity Centre

Ganaway Activity Centre is offering a volunteering package for DofE participants from the age of 14. This package offers the opportunity to undertake an activity for the Volunteering section helping with outdoor pursuits with the aim of getting an outdoor qualification too.

For further details please contact either Norman Rodgers or Gareth Shields at Ganaway Activity Centre on 02891861297.

RSPB Northern Ireland

RSPB can offer opportunities at reserves in Belfast, Aghalee and Fermanagh. In addition, they will facilitate projects carried out from home, schools, colleges and with the community.

To find out how you can volunteer for nature in Northern Ireland contact the volunteering team as below:

Siobhan Bentley (Volunteering Development Officer)
Tel: 028 90 491547
Email: [email protected]

Special Olympics Ireland

Special Olympics Ireland provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with an intellectual disability giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendships with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.

Special Olympics Ireland has 7,000 athletes supported by over 7,000 registered volunteers supporting 240 clubs.

Special Olympics Ireland provide a wide range of volunteer opportunities to suit everybody.

For more information visit their website, email [email protected] or call 028 9023 9023.

Ulster Barbarians Wheelchair Rugby Club

Wheelchair rugby is an exciting and dynamic game played by disabled athletes. There is one Club in Northern Ireland, which meets at Wallace High School in Lisburn. They play in an all Ireland league involving four clubs, and travel to tournaments in the UK and Europe.

Dates: They need volunteers to assist at the regular training at Wallace High School, on Thursday nights 7-9pm.

Volunteers assist in a number of ways:

• The rugby wheelchairs have to be taken from a trailer into the games hall at the start of the session, and put back after it.
• Players have to be assisted from their day chairs into the rugby chairs, and back again. They also may require assistance getting gloves on and off and helping with preparation to play.
• Chairs have to be kept serviceable, which means changing wheels and fixing punctures.
• Volunteers also get to assist with training sessions and often play to even out numbers. It is a fun game which anyone of any sporting inclination will enjoy and find challenging.

Ideally volunteers will be physically strong and have good communication and interpersonal skills. Some training on lifting and dealing with wheelchairs will be given. Young people aged 16 years and above would be most suited to the role.

Contact: Further information is available from Ulster Barbarians Wheelchair Rugby Club or please contact either:

• Hugo Frew, Secretary on 0782 522 0947 or by email at [email protected]
• Sean Smyth, Chairman on 0773 191 11034