Volunteer roles
Our volunteers help run DofE centres and groups, enabling young people to achieve their full potential.
DofE centres are the physical locations where DofE programmes are run. These range from schools, colleges and youth clubs along with other places such as voluntary organisation meeting places, businesses, prisons and young offender institutions.
Open DofE centres are centres that offer DofE programmes to any young person, rather than places who restrict participation to young people already part of the group/school etc.
Within each DofE centre there can be a number of groups. A DofE group is a group of young people who are working together on their DofE programme, with one DofE Leader.
All DofE centres and groups need Leaders and volunteers in order to help young people complete their DofE programmes and achieve a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
If you would like to volunteer for the DofE then please contact your nearest Licensed Organisation directly. Ask at your child’s school, college, university or youth club – if they don’t already deliver DofE, they might consider setting it up.
Click here for information on the learning that DofE volunteers may need to undertake.
These people setup and manage the DofE in a centre. If you become a Co-ordinator, you’ll support your Leaders and oversee all groups.
Leaders are responsible for a DofE group. They lead, guide, inspire and encourage young people, agree their programme choices and approve their progress in eDofE.
Assessors check on a young person’s progress and agree the completion of a section of their programme. You’ll need knowledge of the activity they’re doing and approve their progress and pictures in eDofE.
In the Expedition section, qualifying expeditions must be assessed by a competent adult who is approved by the Licensed Organisation and accredited by the DofE through the Expedition Assessor Accreditation Scheme.
Supervisors are people with a good understanding of a participant’s chosen activity. You’ll help them set their goals and regularly meet with the young person to check on their progress, address any potential issues and adjust goals.
A Supervisor is essential for the Expedition section as they are responsible for supervising and supporting a team of participants to ensure their safety and well-being whilst they are doing their expedition.
Adults who can spare some time to help our DofE Leaders run a group can be a volunteer. You may give general support, i.e. admin, help run one section or give specific training.
