The Duke of Edinburgh Award (DofE) Scheme is a popular youth development program that aims to provide participants with essential life skills, confidence, resilience, and practical life lessons. Founded in 1956 by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, it has since expanded beyond the UK and is open to anyone aged 14-24.
Participants must complete four sections: Volunteering, Physical, Skills, and Expedition. For Gold, a residential section is involved.
The DofE isn’t just an award; it’s an experience that teaches valuable skills for life some of you may take for granted:
📌 Developing new skills: You can develop new skills and interests in volunteering, physical activity, and skills development. These skills are essential to help you stand out.
📌 Improving physical and mental health: The DofE encourages you to engage in regular physical activity and develop healthy habits. Going outside can improve your mood, reduce your stress, and help reduce loneliness.
📌 Building confidence and self-esteem: Completing challenges and achieving goals helps build confidence and self-esteem. This is amazing, as it helps encourage you to be your best.
📌 Enhancing career prospects: The DofE is a valuable award demonstrating commitment, teamwork, and leadership skills. These skills are valuable in the workplace and will improve your personal development, even in education.
📌 Making new friends: You can meet new people and make friends through your DofE journey, and even discover new hobbies!
TL;DR: It's not the award that truly matters; it's the memories, experience, skills, and lessons learned. At Bronze, this is still a game-changer!
Completing the DofE can have long-term benefits for your future, including:
✔ Enhanced university applications: Many universities recognise the value of the DofE in applicants. This is important if you are competing against others, as you could be one of many people with the same qualifications. What can help you stand out is completing extra-curricular activities, such as the DofE.
✔ Developed leadership skills: You can develop leadership skills through the expedition section. This is great if you consider managing others, as team leadership is crucial.
✔ Increased resilience: Completing challenges helps build resilience and adaptability. This is important as you may work with teams, and the experiences from your DofE can help resolve the situation.
✔ A sense of achievement: Achieving your DofE Award gives you a sense of pride and accomplishment. It truly is; it's time, effort, and money you spend to better yourself.
Tip: The DofE is an investment in yourself; you can unlock new doors by just trying, even when you're young!
You must have heard of different opinions of the DofE, but some of them are not true. It's important to know that anyone (yes, even those with disabilities) can take part, which is incredible. Some common misconceptions about the DofE include:
❌ "The DofE is only for outdoorsy people": Not true! While some sections involve outdoor activities, others focus on volunteering or skill development.
❌ "The DofE is too time-consuming": While it requires commitment, many participants find it fits their existing schedule. You only have to do one hour a week per section, and if you get overrun, you can easily skip a week and continue afterwards.
❌ "The DofE is too expensive": Many organisations offer financial assistance to help cover costs. Use second-hand platforms (i.e. Vinted) to buy your expedition gear. You can get a great discount. Don't forget about your DofE card!
❌ "I'm too old to do the DofE": How old are you? If you're 24 or under, you can participate. It doesn't matter if you get your Bronze at 23; it's an incredible achievement, and you still learn essential life skills. Some people start later than earlier.
❌ "I'm worried about socialising with new people": This is a valid concern, and everyone else will think the same thing. You're not alone in this thought, and that's okay. It's important to note that your contribution is essential, even when small. Challenge yourself and see what happens; you will come out stronger. You can still have a fantastic time whilst being to yourself... for the most part.
I did my DofE Bronze and Silver and am working towards my Gold. I have learnt a lot, and here's what I recommend everyone read when starting their DofE journey. It has helped develop me and help me realise my potential. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to participate, which has opened so many doors.
⚖️ It's a challenging journey: Challenges aren't meant to be easy and shouldn't be too hard. By pushing yourself, you are opening the opportunity to bigger achievements. Whilst you may feel the pressure right now, you won't regret it after you complete the award!
📖 Committing is a challenge: You might put off doing your tasks, and that's okay (we all get busy in life), but it's not okay if you do it all the time. Make sure you prioritise your weeks, as the award will get longer. Scheduling this can help!
🧠 Keep an open, positive mindset: Don't think "I'm doing my DofE for university"; think "I'm doing my DofE to be a better person"; many unexpected things can happen.
It helped me get further involved in my personal development and volunteering. I remember joining Scouts in 2022 and wanting to do my DofE only; however, my reasons quickly changed. Things can change all the time, and that's amazing.
Interested? Speak to your school, Scouts, other youth organisations (CCF, RAF Cadets, etc) or local provider today!