Help us celebrate the best of young people and the adults who support them.
Nominations for This is Youth 2023 have now closed. Thank you so much for all your fantastic nominations. We will be in touch soon with more information on next steps.
This is Youth recognises and celebrates the amazing stories behind The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
It showcases young people doing what they do best: rising above today’s challenges and making their mark on the world, their way.
Whether they’ve just started their journey to Bronze, or have already made it to Gold, we want to find the extraordinary individuals making an impact in their own lives and beyond, using the DofE as a platform to make it happen.
It’s time for their brilliant, untold stories to be heard.
Each DofE journey is unique – but every person will be making a difference. From teamwork and innovation to overcoming personal challenges, we want to shine a light on the amazing things that young people do through their DofE to inspire and encourage others.
And we want to highlight the unrivalled commitment, passion and innovation of the adults who power the DofE – changing the lives of the young people they support.
Categories
There are eight categories – six for young people and two for adults.
We want to celebrate those who have demonstrated the DofE’s core values – showing integrity and being empowering, dynamic and inclusive in all they do.
For further information on This is Youth, please look at our Frequently Asked Questions.
If you have any questions which are not answered in the FAQs, please email [email protected].
We are delighted to have some well-known faces, along with some of our 2023-24 cohort of Youth Ambassadors joining our This is Youth judging panels. Get to know them.
Digital Creative
Innovator of the Year
This category celebrates young people who are breaking new ground and problem solving with innovative ideas. This could be anything from content creation or product design to pioneering a new way of helping others – it recognises innovation.
Maybe they’ve developed a new product that’s helped others, documented their DofE experiences through engaging online content, created an app, launched a hospital radio show, or found an inventive solution to a problem that was holding them or others back. This category will spotlight all the ways young people think outside the box to solve problems and use their creativity to inspire others.
Proudly supported by The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC)
Community Impact
Change Maker of the Year
This category will celebrate local heroes who have made a positive impact in their community.
Whether it’s starting a new project in a care home or organising a clean-up in the local area, launching a club in school, or coordinating collections for a local food bank, we will recognise young people who have made a difference to those around them.
Proudly supported by British Airways.
Teamwork
All-stars of the Year
This category will celebrate a group of young people who have banded together to achieve something extraordinary.
We’ll recognise teams whose collective drive and spirit lifted them to go beyond what any one of them could achieve on their own. Whether working together to overcome a challenge, using first aid skills to offer real-life help in an emergency, launching a new project, or making sure a DofE journey was inclusive, it’s all about the power of a great team.
Inspirational Adult
Life Changer of the Year
Celebrating an adult who has dedicated more than 10 years to DofE participants, making a lasting impact on countless young people and communities.
The DofE is powered by dedicated people, and we will celebrate those who have demonstrated exceptional enthusiasm and commitment, contributing their time, energy, and passion for more than 10 years to make a real impact and help young people fulfil their potential. They have been creative in their approach, inclusive in their outlook, and stand out as role models to others.
Environmental Champion
Planet Protector of the Year
From litter-picking and beach clean-ups to environmental campaigning, this category will celebrate the young people who go above and beyond to care for the environment.
Whether it’s supporting the local community to reuse and recycle, preserving nature, raising awareness of critical issues in schools, or cleaning up waterways, we will celebrate the ways that young people today are protecting the planet for the young people of tomorrow.
Leadership
Trailblazer of the Year
Let’s celebrate the young people who demonstrate incredible leadership skills by using their voices to make a difference, leading the way, or advocating for others.
Leadership comes in many forms – there is no one-size-fits-all. Whether it’s supporting teammates, influencing decision-makers or taking on additional responsibilities, this category celebrate the young people who are blazing a trail and bringing their friends, schools and communities along with them.
Proudly supported by The Gosling Foundation
Resilience
Boundary Breaker of the Year
This category will celebrate young people who have overcome their own challenges to achieve something personally life-changing, rewriting the rules on what they thought was possible.
Whatever the obstacles – personal, physical, social, financial or emotional – we will celebrate the young people who’ve persevered and demonstrated extraordinary resilience to reach their goals.
Kindly supported by Gordon and Hilary Phillips.
Exceptional Service
Torchbearer of the Year
Celebrating an adult who has dedicated more than 10 years to DofE participants, making a lasting impact on countless young people and communities.
The DofE is powered by dedicated people, and we want to celebrate those who have demonstrated exceptional enthusiasm and commitment, contributing their time, energy, and passion for more than 10 years to make a real impact and help young people fulfil their potential. They have been creative in their approach, inclusive in their outlook, and stand out as role models to others.
The nomination period for This is Youth 2023 has now closed. Thank you so much for your nominations. We will be in touch soon with more information on next steps.
Kindly supported by
