Supporting DofE Locally

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) is one of the most well known youth development programmes in the UK, with thousands of young people completing a volunteering section each year as part of their Award.

This bite-size online session is designed for local community groups, charities and volunteer involving organisations who want to better understand what DofE is, how volunteering fits into the programme, and how they can support young people, even if they have never worked with DofE participants before.

During the session, we will cover:

• What the DofE is and how the volunteering section works

• What young people are expected to do as part of their Award

• The types of volunteering opportunities that work well for DofE

• Common concerns around age, supervision and commitment

• Simple ways organisations can support young volunteers without increasing pressure on existing teams

We will also explain how Bury VCFA can support organisations by:

• Helping promote DofE-suitable volunteering opportunities

• Offering guidance on role design and expectations

• Supporting safe and inclusive volunteering practice

• Acting as a point of advice for both groups and young people

This session is suitable for organisations of all sizes, including those with limited capacity, and is intended to provide clarity, reassurance and practical next steps rather than additional workload.

No prior knowledge of DofE is required.