The UK Youth Ambassador Programme is a 12-month commitment. On average you will need to set aside 4-6 hours each month to the role. If you are still completing your Silver or Gold, this can be used for the Volunteering section of your Award. The monthly online skills building workshops and online focus groups always run during the evening (usually on a Thursday from 6.30pm – 8.00pm) to minimise the impact on your studies / work / social life. We expect Youth Ambassadors to keep up to date with the programme updates, which are shared weekly. There are additional time commitments for any creative projects or events, but there is no expectation for you to attend all of these.

We use an online platform called Slack for our day-to-day communications during the programme. Once you have accepted your place and returned your consent forms, you will receive an invite to join Slack. We will also share instructions on how to navigate your way around. We use Slack to share weekly updates and upcoming opportunities. We have designated channels for specific events and focus groups, so you will only receive the information that is relevant. You will also be set up in a channel called ‘random’ where you will be able to get to know the other Youth Ambassadors a bit better and share your DofE achievements!

There are several in-person events which all UK Youth Ambassadors are invited to attend. These include the Gold Award Celebrations, Youth Without Limits Live, Body Talk public speaking training and the team building activity day. Sometimes, events only require a handful of Youth Ambassadors. If these are UK wide or international events, we usually share the opportunity with everyone to determine availability and interest in attending. If the event involves working with a specific team such as External Affairs, we will also consider which Youth Ambassadors have a particular interest / passion in this area. If it is a regional event, we will give first refusal to any local Youth Ambassadors. We keep track of who has attended which events and aim to ensure an equal number of opportunities throughout the 12-months. All Youth Ambassadors will be given the opportunity to attend at least five in-person events during their time on the programme.

Once you have confirmed your availability to attend an in-person event we will share the details in your email calendars. If you are under 18, we will send an email to your parent / carer requesting their permission for you to attend. We will arrange an online briefing call, at a time that suits you, with the team running the event and any other Youth Ambassadors who will be attending. During this call you will find out more about what the event involves, meet your DofE point of contact who will be on hand to support at the event, and have the chance to ask questions so you feel confident with your role.

The DofE Youth Ambassador staff team will book your transport and accommodation (if required) in advance. Often food and refreshments are provided at the events, but if you do need to purchase meals, this will be agreed with you in advance, and you will be supported to complete an expense claim form to refund any additional costs.

There is additional support available for anyone who needs it which includes:

• Writing to your school / college / university to request permission for your absence if the event overlaps with your studies
• DofE staff available to meet you at the train station and chaperone you to the venue
• Providing transport and accommodation for a parent / carer (in exceptional circumstances)

We will work with you on a 1-2-1 basis if additional support is required and we will work to remove any barriers which may prevent you from being able to attend.

We would encourage you to attend as many of the online skills building workshops as possible. The dates for the majority of these are already confirmed and will be shared with you in the Welcome Pack, which is sent out at the start of the programme. We request that everyone attends the Welcome to UK Youth Ambassadors online session on Thursday 13 June and the in-person Body Talk public speaking training on Friday 5 July. We send out availability surveys in advance of each online workshop, so we know who will be attending. We may be able to record the session for you if you are unable to attend.

The online focus groups are opt-in based on your interest and availability to attend. Again, we will share details of these with you in advance.

We will regularly share opportunities to attend in-person events, but if you are unable to attend, just let us know, as this does not impact your completion of the programme.

We completely understand that this is a voluntary role, and you will have other commitments outside of the Youth Ambassador programme. Work and studies will always take priority, and we will work with you to ensure you can make the most out of this opportunity, whilst effectively managing your time.

The UK Youth Engagement Project Manager (Ash) and Project Officer (Ali) will be your designated points of contact throughout the programme and all communication will come directly from them. Both are contactable via Slack, email, or phone Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm. If you require any additional support or reasonable adjustments to ensure the programme is accessible, please speak to Ash and Ali who will be happy to help.

No, you do not need any previous public speaking experience. Sharing your DofE story is one aspect of the role, but there is no expectation for every Youth Ambassador to stand on a stage and present in front of an audience. We are looking for young people who are passionate about the DofE and there are numerous opportunities to make a difference behind the scenes as well. We provide training which will help build your confidence when it comes to public speaking, and whilst there are several opportunities to speak in front of large audiences, there is no expectations for everyone to do this.

The DofE Youth Ambassador staff team will review all the applications once the application window closes on Thursday 2 May. It is important that the Youth Ambassadors represent all young people taking part in the Award across the UK. We will ensure representation from England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, with Youth Ambassadors representing a range of backgrounds, religions, cultures, genders, abilities and perspectives. Successful applicants will be passionate about the DofE, willing to share their experiences and work with others to make positive change. The Youth Ambassadors will be a mix of Bronze, Silver, and Gold Award holders. All successful applicants will be contacted by phone week commencing Monday 20 May. Anyone who has been unsuccessful will receive an email by Friday 24 May.