The PIONEER
Highlighting the achievements, new initiatives and impact of the DofE made possible with your support
Welcome!
Welcome to the Autumn edition of The Pioneer. I hope you've had a lovely summer.
In July, DofE celebrated reaching the milestone of one million young people starting a DofE programme since the launch of our Youth Without Limits strategy in 2021. What’s more, this goal was reached almost two years ahead of schedule.
As you would expect, we have no intention of slowing down now and, with your continued support, we aim to reach a further 600,000 young people by 2026, with a continued focus on making the Award, and all the benefits it provides, accessible to every young person who wishes to participate.
As schools and youth organisations return from their summer holidays, thousands more young people will begin their unique DofE journey, many of whom would not be able to participate were it not for our supporters and volunteers’ invaluable contribution to this important work.
I hope you enjoy reading this latest edition of The Pioneer, which includes other exciting news including the launch of some important new research, new project and funding announcements and highlights from a wide range of events.
I also welcome this opportunity to thank you for all you do to help young people develop the skills, confidence and resilience they need to take on today's toughest challenges.
Alex McDowell
Fundraising Director
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
Alex.McDowell@DofE.org
going for gold
We've had the privilege of celebrating young people who have achieved their Gold Award at events at Buckingham Palace Gardens and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. In 2023/24 the number of young people starting their Gold DofE jumped by nearly 17%. We're delighted more young people are getting the chance to unlock their potential through DofE – we can't wait to see them at a celebration event in the future!
We were joined by inspirational young people at each event who shared their incredible stories. One young person, Hafwen Clarke, a 19-year-old Gold Award holder became the first person ever to give a speech in British Sign Language at Buckingham Palace alongside HRH The Duke of Edinburgh and astronaut Tim Peake.
“I want to be a voice for young people with disabilities within the DofE. I want to give other young people courage, hope and happiness – leading by example and getting involved. I’m studying a hairdressing course – moving away from home was hard because I missed my family. But DofE taught me that if the skies get rough, I won’t give up or let my deafness stop me.”
- A quote from Hafwen's speech to guests -
DofE has worked hard to become even more accessible for young people like Hafwen with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Thanks to generous support, 329 centres for young people with additional needs have started running the DofE since 2021. A DofE programme is tailored to each individual, and with dedicated support and specialised equipment, all young people can get the chance to build skills, confidence and unlock their potential.
Young people like Aleea-Mae, a pupil at Thomasson Memorial School for Deaf Children which received funding to enable pupils to achieve their DofE.
Aleea-Mae and other participants from her school helped to film a British Sign Language version of the DofE welcome film for their Volunteering section. The video shows why DofE is a skills-building, confidence-boosting, life-changing opportunity – and makes clear that it is open to everyone. Check it out below:
Specialised support also enabled Kayleigh, who has cerebral palsy and autism, to achieve her DofE – she used an off-road wheelchair to complete her Expedition. Kayleigh is currently studying in a Further Education (FE) College and has since become an impactful member of the DofE's FE Advisory Forum.
She said about her DofE:
"Due to my disabilities, I never thought the DofE was something I could do. It pushed me out of my comfort zone and gave me new social skills and confidence. Since finding DofE, I’ve learned that if I put my mind to anything and work hard enough, I can achieve amazing things. It’s made me more independent as a person. The experience and skills I’ve gained through the DofE are so important. DofE has certainly been life-changing for me."
Kayleigh - Gold DofE Award holder
As we continue the work to ensure every young person can take part in a DofE programme, we are grateful for our committed donors, including Susan and Graham Tobbell, the Masonic Charitable Foundation, RSM, as well as DCMS, who enable young people like Hafwen, Kayleigh, and Aleea-Mae to achieve their DofE and unlock their potential.
new SECURE ESTATE pilot projects
We are delighted to announce two new pilot projects to expand our crucial work with young people in the secure estate.
We are grateful to The Julia Rausing Trust for a generous grant of £1m. Committed support from The Julia and Hans Rausing Trust has already enabled hundreds more young people to start a DofE programme and transform their futures. This latest gift, given in Julia’s memory, reflects her passion for supporting marginalised young people and will enable us to expand the positive impact we see through our work in prisons by extending our reach to young people leaving prison, those serving their sentence in the community, and those at risk of offending.
We are also delighted to partner with leading infrastructure services provider and long-time supporter Amey on the development of an innovative project that will help give young people in prison real opportunities to transform their prospects post-release. Working alongside prison teams, we are co-creating a tailored programme that aligns qualifications with vocational work experience and the vital skills, resilience and self-belief young people gain through the Bronze DofE programme. The project will take place over three years and will empower up to 168 young people with the tools and experience necessary to open up opportunities for employment post-release.
These exciting projects will give more young people the chance to complete a life-changing DofE programme, supporting them to build a brighter future for themselves.
Look out for updates in future editions of The Pioneer!
Taster days
We recently held successful Taster Days with our corporate partners UK Power Networks in Norwich and Killik & Co in London. Taster Days give DofE participants the opportunity to explore the world of work and learn about different careers and industries – equipping them to use the skills and experience gained through DofE as they take the first steps in their career.
The schools taking part were all from areas of high deprivation, where young people don't always get access to opportunities like this. Young people visited a local office and heard from people in the industry and DofE staff, took part in interactive activities and met other young people.
We were delighted with the feedback we received from young people following the Taster Days, with 94% rating the day as 'excellent' or 'very good' and 72% saying that the day made them more interested in a career in the industry of the company they met.
If you would like to host a Taster Day in your organisation, please get in touch with Owain.Rees@DofE.org
"I found it really insightful to hear people's personal experiences on figuring out what the right roles for them were when they didn't have a clue what they wanted to do in the future. This was really reassuring for many of us in the same position."
– Taster Day attendee –
This is Youth 2024
We're delighted that This is Youth is back for 2024.
This is Youth recognises those who have gone above and beyond in their DofE journey – celebrating the extraordinary achievements of DofE participants and the adult volunteers who deliver the Award.
Nominations have now closed and judging is currently taking place. We have an exciting group of celebrity judges including singer Harry Judd and his mum Emma, comedian and disability advocate Fats Timbo, and broadcasters Jason Fox and Karthi Gnanasegaram.
Look out for the winners' announcement coming soon!
There's also still time to become a This is Youth 2024 sponsor.
This is Youth 2023 made a splash with 47,000 views of the winners' stories on DofE.org as well as 163,000 impressions, and 8,000 engagements on social media. Support one of our This is Youth 2024 categories and unlock incredible benefits for your business:
• Demonstrate your investment in young people
• Showcase your organisation as a supporter of diverse young talent
• Gain exposure and build brand warmth amongst our network of almost 500,000 young people, parents, and volunteers
To discuss sponsoring This is Youth 2024 in more detail, please contact: Sophie.Bartlett@DofE.org.
events Round-up
We have hosted and attended several amazing events recently. A huge thanks to all our guests and hosts – your support enables more young people to access a life-changing DofE programme.
Long-time supporter Bestway Foundation hosted their annual Race Day at Ascot, this year raising money for the DofE. Youth Ambassador Zainab shared her inspiring story with guests and DofE CEO Ruth Marvel gave an update on our strategy. Bestway Foundation has been supporting the DofE for over 30 years giving over £500,000 in that time.
We held a Cricket Day at the Royal Household Cricket Club (RHCC) on the grounds of Windsor Castle in July. The event was hosted by broadcaster Eleanor Oldroyd and UK Youth Ambassador Lauren. DofE fielded a team that included TV presenters Nick Knowles and Jason Fox, broadcasters Mike Bushell and Chris Hollins, actor Gordon Kennedy as well as Youth Ambassadors Cara, Petra, and Sam.
Over 300 staff members from corporate partner UK Power Networks took part in the Royal Ramble – a 20-mile sponsored walk to raise money for the DofE. The walk began in Richmond Park and followed the Thames, passing by some of London’s famous landmarks and finishing at Tower Bridge. It raised nearly £42,000 for the DofE. We were delighted to create this bespoke event with UK Power Networks and are keen to explore similar fundraising events with other partners.
Finally, we hosted our annual Clay Shoot at Well Barn Estate in Oxfordshire. Nearly 100 guests enjoyed a competitive day with some delicious refreshments. UK Youth Ambassador Olivia shared her inspiring DofE journey with guests and the day raised an incredible £74,000. We'll be announcing next year's date and venue very soon!
Brand new youth voices Report
DofE recently released a report based on a research study of more than 3,000 14-24 year olds.
The report, Youth Voices 2024, gives young people a platform to share their hopes, worries and priorities for the future. It shows that young people are driven by global issues like climate change and human rights, but worry more about local issues such as housing costs, the economy, and the NHS.
Read more about the report here.
The report also showed that young people are politically engaged and comfortable sharing their views, but feel unheard by and disconnected from politicians. In response to the report, we’re calling for MPs to back a Youth Pledge, committing to introduce a clear process putting youth voice representation at all levels of policy and decision-making, especially on issues that impact young people.
Three UK Youth Ambassadors visited Downing Street to deliver a letter to Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, calling on his government and parliamentarians to back the Youth Pledge – read the letter here.
We'll also be attending Labour, Conservative and Lib Dem party conferences this year to connect young people with key decision-makers.
The DofE Podcast is back
Our podcast, designed to help young people find answers to the big questions about life, politics, and global issues, is back with two bonus episodes!
The Navigating Now podcast launched in 2023 and broadcast eight episodes discussing a range of topics including mental health, identity, passions, careers and the environment.
Co-created with young people, these new bonus episodes address key issues that matter to them most. Based on the Youth Voices 2024 research, the hosts will discuss topics including the cost of living, reliable news sources, and wellbeing.
The two new bonus episodes of Navigating Now are available to listen to wherever you get your podcasts – you can also subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. All previous episodes are still available to listen to. Read more here.
Navigating Now is kindly supported by The Gosling Foundation.
Daredevil fundraisers reach for the sky
Eight brave supporters took part in our Wing Walk Challenge raising over £12,000 to support more young people to access the DofE. Standing on top of a vintage 1940s bi-plane, they flew over the Gloucestershire countryside at speeds of up to 140mph! There was a brilliant atmosphere on the day with all the participants cheering each other along and, despite the rain and nerves, everyone successfully completed the challenge.
Thank you to our long-standing supporters Anthony and Vanessa Watts who kindly sponsored the event for the second year running.
If you fancy taking on your own challenge for the DofE you can check out all the great events we have coming up on our website.
After taking part in last year's Wing Walk, supporter Kate Blissett from Lee Blissett Wealth Management was looking for a new challenge to support the DofE:
"As a bit of an adrenaline junkie and having reached a time of my life where I want to challenge myself, when I saw skydives on the DofE website I knew I wanted to do this for DofE. It was the most incredible experience – jumping out of the aeroplane at 13,000 feet, strapped to my instructor. I highly recommend this to anyone looking to raise money for the charity while enjoying the experience of a lifetime. My friends and family were in awe of what I was doing so I raised over £1,000. I am really proud of taking on and achieving this amazing adventure!"
Thanks, Kate for your incredible fundraising effort! Find out more about taking part in a skydive for the DofE here.
Events for your diary
Below is a selection of our upcoming events, to find out more visit: DofE.org/events/
Youth VoiceS event
Are you a leader in CSR, ESG or HR? Join us for our first ever employability-focused livestream on Wed 18 September, giving you the opportunity to hear directly from Gen Z as they share their experiences and views on making the daunting transition from education into work.
Gain valuable insights from our diverse group of Youth Ambassadors on what they seek in their future careers, their aspirations and anxieties, and the practical actions businesses can take to attract and support their development.
Discover how businesses are developing their young workforce, attracting young, diverse talent, and meeting their CSR and ESG objectives by partnering with the DofE.
The event will be hosted online from 12:30pm-13:30pm.
Challenge Events
From a 10k to a skydive, a marathon to a wing walk, a hike to a triathlon, we would love you to take on a challenge for the DofE!
Why not get a team together, achieve something amazing, and have fun – all while supporting more young people to access the DofE!
If you want more information about taking on a challenge for the DofE, get in touch at Events@DofE.org.
Golf Day
We're delighted to invite you to our Golf Day on Wednesday 23 October at the exclusive Berkshire Golf Club, Ascot. Designed by Herbert Fowler in 1928, you'll play the 18-hole Red Course with dramatic elevation changes between tees and greens. Its six short holes have been described as the best collection in the country!
With breakfast, a drinks reception and three-course meal included, you don't want to miss this day!
If you're interested in taking a team, please email or call Rebecca Lumsden: Rebecca.Lumsden@DofE.org / 02077982881.
Support our Fundraising Auctions and Raffles
At our events, we often hold auctions or raffles to raise much-needed funds to support the charity's work. Could you support the DofE by donating a prize?
Items we have raffled before include a round of golf, use of a company hospitality box, tickets to an event, gift vouchers, use of a holiday home, food and drink hampers, designer fashion items, unique experiences like dinner with a celebrity or a cooking masterclass...and much more!
Even if you aren't able to make one of our events, you can still support the charity by donating a prize. No item is too small, we appreciate anything you can offer.
If you would like to support us please get in touch at Events@DofE.org - thank you!
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