England’s first secure school to deliver DofE to help young people in custody secure brighter futures

Oasis Restore, England’s first secure school, will start delivering DofE to help young people in custody gain vital skills and secure brighter futures on release.

Oasis Restore, run by the Oasis Charitable Trust, is the first school of its kind in England caring for young people aged 12-18 who are on remand or sentenced to custody by the courts.

The DofE will be embedded into the school curriculum, allowing young people to develop crucial skills and gain confidence and self-belief for life on the outside. Participants will complete all aspects of their Bronze programmes within the school’s secure setting, taking part in activities such as cooking, sports and volunteering. On completion, they will achieve a widely recognised and respected DofE Award.

The DofE charity is expanding its work in the youth justice sector – part of its ambition to give as many young people as possible the chance to do their DofE, with a particular focus on reaching marginalised young people and those who face barriers to participation.

The charity hopes to be delivering in all young offender institutions and English and Welsh prisons supporting young people by the end of 2026, as well as working with young people on probation, or at risk of entering the prison system.

Ruth Marvel OBE, CEO of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, said: “Young people in custody are among the most marginalised in society and often have limited access to qualifications and opportunities, as well as lower aspirations.

“We have been supporting prisons and young offender institutions to deliver the DofE for many years and we are delighted that England’s first secure school, Oasis Restore, is embedding the DofE into their curriculum. This will give young people the chance to discover new talents, grow in self-belief, give something back through volunteering, and gain vital skills that can increase their employment prospects, so they’re ready to flourish on release.”

Oasis Restore’s ethos is to enable young people to live their best lives through education, wellbeing and hope.?They support young people to come to terms with the consequences of their behaviour, to start making amends in whatever ways they can, and to build the skills they need for a positive future.

Emma Omo-Bare, Head of Department at Oasis Restore, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. At Oasis, we believe in the power of wrap-around support for our young people, making sure that they not only receive a good therapeutic education but also a range of experiences that enable them to flourish and become the best versions of themselves. Offering The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a key part of this.”

Doing their DofE in custody gives young people the opportunity to develop essential skills and discover new talents – providing focus and motivation to achieve goals and enabling them to take responsibility for themselves and others.

To do their DofE, young people aged 14-24 choose activities in four sections: improving a Physical and Skills activity, Volunteering for a cause of their choice, and completing a demanding Expedition. Along the way they have fun, grow in resilience and self-belief, discover new talents and passions, and learn practical skills to help them in future – while working towards a highly respected Award.