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HomeWe are the DofE charity

DofE’s life-changing programmes help young people feel like nothing can hold them back.

We believe every young person deserves to feel like this – whoever they are, wherever they live and whatever barriers they face.

As a charity, we can’t achieve this alone. But thanks to our generous supporters, we’re now helping more young people than ever follow their passions and discover talents they never knew they had. Here’s how you can support us:

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Hafs' story

“Being deaf means you need to be brave and resilient, but NEVER give up.”

Doing DofE has helped Hafs continually step out of her comfort zone – challenging what she thought was possible.

Read Hafs' story
Hafwen, a young woman in a green St John Ambulance uniform, stands at a microphone signing in British Sign Language. She wears glasses, has braided hair, and an Apple Watch on her wrist. A man in a suit stands in the background watching attentively.

We’re the empowering charity…

We empower young people to develop the skills, abilities and self-belief they need to successfully navigate their futures.
Our research has found that taking part in DofE has a significant positive impact on their happiness, life satisfaction and feeling of doing things in life that are worthwhile.

£4,400 a year is the social value of wellbeing improvements experienced by young people doing DofE

 

Taking part in DofE helps young people feel more strongly that they’re making a difference to the world around them

Anxiety levels in young people after achieving their DofE are lower than the average 18-year-old

 

Young people doing their DofE feel more connected to their local communities

Every year, DofE gives hundreds of thousands of young people the chance to explore who they are, develop essential life skills and build their confidence.

But we couldn’t do it without you.

Our incredible supporters help us to be the self-belief charity. Every donation allows us to be the charity of finding inner strength. And every gift means we can be the charity that enables young people to find their crowd and confidence.
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Hear more from inspirational young people

Lewis smiling at the camera.
Lewis

“Joining DofE, well, it’s changed me. It’s given me challenges to overcome, and so far I’ve passed every one of them.”

Teddy wearing a blue t-shirt looking directly at the camera. He has a lock of blonde hair over his face and a nose piercing.
Teddy

“I learnt that I loved helping others. Together we achieved as a group what I didn’t think was possible as an individual.”
Hannah

“I really enjoy helping other people, it makes me feel useful, like I’ve got a purpose. Through the DofE, I’ve found somewhere I belong.”
Naeema

“I used to be really timid and shy and not speak to anybody, but now I feel quite confident.” 

Alyas with short, dark, wavy hair and a trimmed beard stands outdoors, leaning against a textured grey wall. He is wearing a black t-shirt with an orange graphic design and looking directly at the camera with a calm expression. The background includes a pathway, green fencing, grass, and trees.
Alyas

When I first came here, I was so quiet because I couldn’t understand. It was the first time meeting new people and learning the language, it can be very difficult.

Lila stands in a lush green forest, looking upward with a thoughtful expression. She is wearing a dark hoodie and jacket, surrounded by tall trees with sunlight filtering through the leaves.
Lila

“I was really keen to get involved in DofE. I’ve been really motivated to get involved and give back to the community and I’ve loved being outdoors.”

Stay in touch

Join our DofE community to hear more inspiring stories, keep updated with the charity’s latest news and get involved, so together, we can empower more young people to change their lives.

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    The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a registered charity in England and Wales (1072490) and Scotland (SC038254).
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