It hasn’t been the easiest few years for young people. From the ongoing aftermath of the pandemic to the anxieties of the cost-of-living crisis, the future doesn’t always feel certain.

But, in nearly seven decades of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE), we’ve learnt one thing: never doubt what young people can do. Time and time again, we’ve seen that when young people are given the chance to prove to themselves what they’re capable of, there’s no limit to what they can achieve.

We’re here to celebrate and champion every young person. To provide a safe environment of support and challenge that grows as they do.

Whatever their ability, interest or background, DofE offers young people the chance to strive for achievement, overcome obstacles, and set their minds to a personal challenge. Because when you prove to yourself that you’re ready for anything, nothing can hold you back. Our Founder HRH Prince Philip once said: “There is more in you than you might think.” And, here at the DofE, we help you realise that.

What we do

Every year, DofE inspires hundreds of thousands of young people, from all walks of life, to explore who they are, grow in confidence and develop the skills they need to successfully navigate life. We help them build lifelong belief in themselves, supporting them to take on their own challenges, follow their passions, and discover talents they never knew they had. The DofE is delivered in schools, colleges, community organisations, hospitals, prisons and more, all over the UK and internationally.

DofE is open to any young person aged 14-24. Participants build their own programme, choosing activities and a cause to volunteer for. The DofE is structured into three levels of Award which increase in challenge and duration: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. The main differences between the Award levels are the minimum length of time it takes to complete the programme, how challenging it is, and the minimum age you can start. There are four main sections of a DofE programme: Volunteering, Physical, Skills, and Expedition. At Gold, participants will also complete a Residential section.

In 2023-24, 330,984 young people started their DofE, giving 4.7 million hours of volunteering to their communities. The DofE charity has increased our target to give 1.6 million young people the chance to participate in a life-changing DofE programme by 2026.