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DofE Magazine Issue 29: SPRING 2018 1

PLUS...OVERCOMING THE BARRIERSDiscover how volunteering can be so valuable in helping young people increase their self-confidence and gain work experience that will help them stand out from the crowd.

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On the roadFind out about HRH The Earl of Wessex’s worldwide Real Tennis fundraising tour for 2018.

MagazineTHE MAGAZINE FOR DofE LEADERS Issue 29: SPRING 2018

Diamonds are foreverSee how the money raised through the DofE Diamond Challenge is starting to be spent.

DofE MagazineIssue 24: SUMMER 20162


The fruits of everyone’s labours during our Diamond Anniversary year are paying off, as the #iwill DofE Diamond fund starts to identify and fund projects in the UK (page 6).

We take a look at how we can help overcome the potential barriers to volunteering (page 8) and we report on our research intowhat young people and teachers think about the DofE (page 33).

You did some amazing things last year for the DofE Challenge (page 20) and hundreds of you enjoyed our first DofE Adventure (page 19) – mud and all – read all about it!

Also this month, we see what big businesses have to say about the DofE (page 21) and how they are helping to support the DofE on the ground (page 22). Businesses also feature in our look at how the skills participants pick up on their DofE journey can make them stand out from the crowd (page 31).

All this, plus lots of operational updates, the latest from the eDofE team (page 24) and news of DofE activities around the UK make this a great way to start 2018.

WelcomeOUR MISSION To inspire, guide and support young people in their self-development and recognise their achievements.

PUBLISHED BY The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Gulliver House, Madeira Walk, WINDSOR, Berkshire SL4 1EU. T: 01753 727400 E: [email protected]

EDITOR/DESIGNER Dave Wood

EDITORIAL OFFICE Gulliver House, Madeira Walk, WINDSOR, Berkshire SL4 1EU [email protected]

DISTRIBUTION [email protected]

ADVERTISING SALES Mark Brown, Fellows Media Ltd, The Gallery, Manor Farm, Southam, Nr Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL52 3PB T: 01242 259249 E: [email protected]

SUBMITTING ARTICLES The Editor welcomes contributions on subjects related to the DofE, especially good quality colour photographs, articles, letters, news stories etc. for possible publication. Please note that we cannot guarantee publication of any submitted items. For any image submitted to the DofE magazine it is the entrant’s responsibility to ensure that all the relevant and necessary permissions for the use of the images they submit are obtained from people featured in a photograph. Therefore any person featured in a picture must give their permission, and written consent must be obtained from the parents/carers/guardians of any child under the age of 16. The DofE would also reserve the right to publicly display and publish any image submitted to this magazine in promotional, PR and operational materials, printed, digital and online. Our photography and privacy policies are available on DofE.org/privacy. Whilst every care will be taken, the DofE magazine cannot and will not be held responsible for any material which is lost, mislaid or damaged. Please send items to the Windsor address.

Participants should check with their Licensed Organisation to ensure that an opportunity they wish to pursue, advertised in these pages, will count for their DofE programme.

EMAIL NEWSLETTER Read the latest news and information from the DofE Head Office through our email newsletter, sent to Leaders registered on eDofE. View it online at: DofE.org/newsletters/dofe_news.html

THE MAGAZINE The DofE magazine is aimed at DofE Leaders at all levels and Licensed Organisations. Items (not photographs) in the magazine may be reproduced free of charge, with acknowledgement to its source. Whereas every reasonable precaution is taken prior to accepting advertisements in the DofE magazine, in respect of the suitability of the advertisers and their abilities to provide the goods and services they advertise, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award cannot and will not accept responsibility for the failure of advertisers to fulfil their obligations to their customers as a result of an advertisement appearing in this magazine.

We have a limit on the amount of adverts we carry in this magazine. We hope you can support our advertisers as this income enables us to print and distribute the magazine to you free of charge.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a Registered Charity No. 1072490, and in Scotland No: SC038254,

and a Royal Charter Corporation No. RC000806.

The magazine for DofE Leaders Issue 29: SPRING 2018

Magazine

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Dave Wood - Editor

CHANGE OF ADDRESS?

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someone who may like to read it. If you are no longer involved in the DofE, please arrange for your account to be archived.

DofE Leaders enjoying an Expedition Supervisors Training Course last autumn.

APPROVEDACTIVITY

PROVIDER

We surveyed over 500 UK business leaders on the importance of hiring young recruits with soft skills like leadership, teamwork

and communication

Highlight extra-curricular activities such as the DofE that demonstrate soft skills

Visit the DofE LifeZone for employability tools such as the CV builder

Maximise your CV Use resources

Invest time in developing the crucial soft skills sought by UK businesses

Volunteer in an area which could help you develop specific soft skills

Research conducted by Censuswide using a sample of 506 UK senior managers between 13-17/07/17 Censuswide abide by and employ members of the Market Research Society which is based on the ESOMAR principles

© The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award 18/08/2017

9/10

Develop soft skills Try new things

Why soft skills matter

Recommendations

Survey results

1 in 3UK employers regard soft

skills as more important than academic achievements

revealed that young people with strong soft skills often progress faster in the workplace

say young people should invest more time enhancing

their soft skills to complement academic achievements

believe that the traditional CV layout does not

showcase soft skills in the best possible way

I encourage young people to get involved in extra-curricular activities and volunteering…a DofE Award is

a brilliant way to gain recognition

98%

75%

look favourably on a candidate who shares evidence

of extra-curricular activities on their social media

86%

believe soft skills are equally as important as academic

achievements alone

95%

Deborah Meaden

UK businesswoman and Dragon’s Den investor


Features6 Diamonds are forever We provide an update on the new

DofE Diamond fund.

8 Overcoming barriers Michelle Riordan sees how we can get past the potential barriers to volunteering.

13 On the right track Advice on road safety for anyone concerned with DofE expedition training.

19 Ready for Adventure! We review last September’s amazing DofE Adventure, and look forward to this year.

20 From dance marathons to Mont Blanc You did some incredible things for last year’s DofE Challenge.

21 Investing in young futures Jonathan McMahon, of St. James’s Place, talks of his love of the DofE.

22 Working together Leaders and Operations Officers work together to start record numbers on their DofE journey.

31 Skills matter We look at the reports that businesses are finding it harder to find candidates with the right skill set.

33 Future-proofed DofE We report on our research into what young people and teachers think about the DofE.

35 One for all Stories of inspirational young people.

Regulars11 Everyone has a part to play The DofE’s Chief

Executive, Peter Westgarth, celebrates mutual support

within the DofE network.

15 DofE Update An update on news from the Charity.

16 The DofE in Action News of DofE activities and

achievements from around the UK.

23 DofE Q&A Our latest collection of answers to frequently

asked questions.

24 eDofE Update All the latest developments within the

world of eDofE.

27 Out There Resources, opportunities and more to help

you in your DofE work.

29 Opportunities Spotlight Highlighting some great

opportunities for your participants.

SCOTLAND: Rosebery House, 9 Haymarket Terrace, EDINBURGH EH12 5EZ T: 0131 343 0920 E: [email protected] DofE.org/scotland

WALES: The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Market House Market Approach, BRECON, Powys LS3 7DA T: 01874 623086 E: [email protected] DofE.org/wales

NORTHERN IRELAND: Unit 4 Lower Ground Floor, Forestgrove Business Park, Newtownbreda Road, BELFAST BT8 6AW T: 0289 069 9100 E: [email protected] DofE.org/nireland

ENGLAND: Central England: First Floor Offices, Arthur House, 21 Mere Green Road, Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield B75 5BS T: 0121 308 9470 E: [email protected] DofE.org/central

London: The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, London Regional Office, 11 Belgrave Road, LONDON SW1V 1RB T: 0207 630 9092 E: [email protected] DofE.org/london

North of England: Knotty Ash Centre, 251 East Prescot Road, LIVERPOOL L14 5NA T: 0151 228 2533 E: [email protected] DofE.org/northofengland

South East: Gulliver House, Madeira Walk WINDSOR, Berkshire SL4 1EU T: 01753 727450 E: [email protected] DofE.org/southeast

South West: Unit 12A, Church Farm Business Park, CORSTON, Somerset BA2 9AP, T: 01225 874 354 E: [email protected] DofE.org/southwest

The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award: Award House, 7-11 St Matthew Street LONDON SW1P 2JT T: 020 7222 4242 E: [email protected] intaward.org

UK DofE OfficesDofE HEAD OFFICE: Gulliver House, Madeira Walk

WINDSOR, Berkshire SL4 1EU T: 01753 727400

E: [email protected] DofE.org

contents

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DofE MagazineIssue 29: SPRING 20186

Ian Newbery gives an update on the exciting DofE Diamond fund, as announced in our previous edition...

diamonds are forever

confidence. Working with partners and their networks we can reach more young people, enabling them to take the lead in creating new social action opportunities that benefit themselves and their local communities.”

What’s involvedThe DofE is making grants to groups, Leaders and to individual young people to enable them to take part in a DofE programme through:

• Recruiting and supporting new DofE groups in defined areas of disadvantage;

• Supporting existing DofE groups in defined areas of disadvantage;

• Supporting existing DofE groups to target disadvantaged young people;

• Providing bursaries to individual young people (or groups of young people) to enable them to take part in the DofE;

• Recruiting and training adult volunteers in defined areas of disadvantage;

• Recruiting and training young ambassadors and volunteers in defined areas of disadvantage.

Whilst we will consider grants to cover the costs of licence fees, participation places, expedition costs, expedition equipment and adult training, we are keen to ensure that the legacy of the Diamond Fund is an increase in opportunities for many more participants in the future.

Last September we were very pleased to be able to announce a new £3 million investment to support more young people accessing and doing their DofE. Currently almost 50,000 disadvantaged young people

start their DofE each year – our ambition is to increase this to 70,000 by 2021.

The £3 million is made up of £1.5 million raised by over 15,000 supporters doing their Diamond Challenge in the DofE’s Diamond Anniversary year (2016); £1 million from the #iwill fund for England and additional DofE donations to double Diamond fundraising in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The #iwill fund is made possible thanks to a £40 million joint investment from The National Lottery and Department of Digital, Culture, Media & Sport. The DofE is acting as match funders and is awarding grants on behalf of the fund – a UK-wide campaign which aims to get six out of ten young people involved in social action by 2020.

Practical supportThe investment from the #iwill fund will provide training for new organisations to run the DofE; equipment and transport for local groups; training for DofE Leaders and gifted participation places. From autumn 2017 the DofE has been working with established DofE centres in schools, clubs and other organisations across the UK to ensure the funding supports more disadvantaged young people in their DofE journey over the next four years and in the longer term.

Gemma Bull, Big Lottery Fund Portfolio Development Director, said: “This new partnership with the DofE, as part of the #iwill fund, provides an exciting opportunity to support young people to develop their skills and


DofE participants will be able to maintain the garden.

One of our Operations team has highlighted an academy in an inner city location that needs help with delivering the Expedition section. They were able to run Bronze last year but not Silver. With help from the fund they may be able to establish a Silver group and give last year’s cohort the chance to build

on their skills whilst starting the next group on their Bronze adventure.

Match fundingYou could make a Diamond grant go further by obtaining match funding from another trust, charity or fund. This would not only increase the money available but also the scope of the project and the number of disadvantaged young people we can support. For example, where a project requires funding to create a new LO, the DofE Diamond fund might cover the initial cost of the facilities over the course of four years, but a match fund

may cover additional years – or perhaps the salary and training of the staff required to run the programme within the LO.

Whatever your idea, it all starts with a conversation with your Operations team member who will discuss your project idea with you and help you to think about applying for funding.

We believe that we can be more aspirational and ambitious in the projects we embark on and in the items we will fund.

Examples of other funding aspirations we would consider are as follows:

• Initial costs to establish a new Licensed Organisation (LO);

• Create or support childcare/nursery facilities where necessary to enable young parents to take part;

• Contribute towards minibuses to enable current and future participants to take part in expeditions;

• Supporting the cost of hosting DofE open days to be attended by both young people and adults throughout your local area, offering a taster of DofE programmes and their benefits;

• Supporting the cost of networking events with organisations in your local area. This may support the development of the programme in organisations where their young people face similar disadvantages;

• The purchasing of musical instruments for current and future participants to borrow, enabling them to complete their Skills section.

Initial projectsWe have already received some great ideas for helping more disadvantaged young people.

An SEN school is looking to open a ‘Diamond Café’ in the school where their students can volunteer to serve customers and help in the running of the day-to-day activities. Potentially it could give young people a volunteering opportunity for years to come and might be used for the Skills section as well.

Another school, whose students have complex physical and emotional needs, would like to repair their allotment and create a sensory garden. The DofE participants would repair and create it as part of their Volunteering and Skills section activities. This is an example of a sustainable project as every year the

Delivery

77

“We are delighted to be joining forces with the

#iwill fund to ensure that over the next four years over

quarter of a million disadvantaged young people are given the

headstart we know the DofE experience

will provide.” Peter Westgarth

Chief ExecutiveThe Duke of Edinburgh’s Award


In today’s highly competitive job market, volunteering has never been more valuable in helping young people increase their self-confidence and gain work experience that will help them stand out from the crowd. Michelle Riordan sees how we can remove the potential barriers to volunteering...

overcoming barriersdevelop, increasing their chances of securing a job, will make the prospect sound more appealing. With ‘skills, career and education’ reported as a main priority when choosing their activity, young people should think carefully about how they would like to spend their time volunteering. What issues, causes or organisations are they passionate about? Which skills do they want to gain that will help to enhance their CV or give them interesting topics to discuss at interviews? They can then see what opportunities are out there in that area and which they’ll care about and enjoy. It’s worth advising young people that volunteering is the perfect opportunity for them to try out something that they may later decide to follow as a career.

“I don’t have time…”

One of the biggest reasons for young people not taking part in volunteering is lack of time. Or, more accurately, the perception of not having enough time. Perhaps they have got to work, look after family or study, or they have other commitments such as sports or hobbies with no hours left in the day to give. Similar explanations may be down to the common misconception that there is limited flexibility within volunteering. They may think that they will be expected to commit to a vast amount of time each week doing something big. Volunteering comes in all shapes and

Whilst it’s important that young people realise they are giving up their time primarily to help others, the environment or their local community, your support in emphasising how it can also help them

as individuals is essential when encouraging them to sign up to and complete their DofE. We believe that participants get just as much, if not more, from their Volunteering section as those they support. However, new independent research has found some key barriers that are potentially putting young people off from volunteering.

“What’s in it for me…?”

A number of young people only see volunteering as an activity that benefits others. But the truth is that the benefits of volunteering on the individual are far reaching. They can have a dramatic impact on young people’s life, career prospects and skill development. As you know, volunteering as part of their DofE provides young people the opportunity to learn something new and gain work-ready ‘soft skills’ that will help them throughout their life. These include keeping calm in challenging situations and organising their time. Not only are these skills that are crucial to success in everyday life, they are also extremely attractive to universities and employers. In a recent survey of over 500 UK business leaders, 95% deemed ‘soft skills’ as just as important on a young person’s CV as academic achievements alone. These included learning customer service skills by working in a charity shop to picking up teamworking skills whilst undertaking marine conservation for a wildlife organisation. Explaining how participants’ commitment to volunteering can help them grow and


“I can’t find a role…”

Another reason for young people’s hesitation, particularly at Bronze level, is that they wonder if they are suitable as volunteers because no charity has ever sought their help. However, just because some third sector organisations aren’t outwardly advertising for volunteering roles doesn’t mean that they wouldn’t welcome the support. Therefore, it is important to remind participants that there are plenty of opportunities out there – with around 200,000 charities in the UK alone – and to proactively get in touch with those whose cause is of interest to them to see if they have a role available. You could also inform your participants that if they stick with their volunteering activity beyond Bronze, it means that they have one section of their Silver or Gold DofE programme already underway. If they have already achieved a Gold Award, you could ask them to consider volunteering for the DofE. We want as many young people as possible to enjoy the benefits of volunteering – not just a select few – to learn about their communities and feel a sense of belonging and purpose. Please continue to make their experience as interesting, achievable and accessible as possible.

sizes, so helping young people look for opportunities that fit around their availability and what they are already doing in their leisure time, whilst sticking to the minimum hours required for them to complete their section, could help remove this issue. For example, if they already attend a swimming club, you could recommend that they become a volunteer lifeguard at the local pool.

“I don’t know anyone…”

Volunteers come from all walks of life, yet many young people say they are less interested in volunteering because their friends aren’t or because they don’t ‘measure up’ to other volunteers. This is particularly prevalent amongst those who come from households who see volunteering as being removed from their communities and their lives. It could be suggested that this relates to the stereotype sometimes given to volunteers as being ‘self-promoters’ and a ‘certain type of person’. In this instance, messages around how volunteering can improve their life and those around them may not work. There is a need to highlight to young people the opportunities they can take part in that are closer to home – that they can make a real difference within their own local neighbourhood. You could use case studies from the LifeZone and any local stories of celebrities and participants who have achieved a DofE Award, and who come from similar backgrounds to them, to show the ways volunteering has influenced and helped them in their lives and career paths. Volunteering can help young people connect with other like-minded individuals and is a great way for them to make friends. This really helps if they’ve moved to a new area and can enable them to build long-term relationships within their community. To highlight these social aspects of volunteering, try organising team activities where they can work together in groups. They could identify a local need, plan how to meet it and then work together. Not only will this make the experience feel less daunting by doing their activity in a team, it will also keep them motivated for longer. It’s important that young people feel valued and receive recognition for the commitment they have made to volunteering. Consider handing out sectional certificates to participants once they have completed their activity so that they can feel a sense of achievement.

Volunteering

Top ten DofE volunteering activities:1. Brownies/Cubs etc.2. Helping younger children3. Sports coaching4. Charity shop5. Helping animals6. Cadets – Air, Police, etc.7. Library/museum8. Helping older people9. Religious activities10. Fundraising for a charity

“Achieving your DofE not only changes your life and offers you amazing opportunities and experiences; it also sets you up for your future. I found that the Volunteering section helped in improving my career prospects, as

well as allowing me to meet people and build up my confidence.”Chantelle, Gold Award holder

9


John is an impressive character, particularly his infectious enthusiasm for everything that he does. I am so pleased that John has agreed to add DofE to his enthusiasms! Catch up with John at amaechiperformance.com. He was a keynote

speaker at our staff conference last September and blew everyone away with his personal story.

John joins us at a great moment of opportunity for DofE. More teachers and others are volunteering to lead activities for the growing number of young people wanting to do their DofE. We have new resources to support those least able to support themselves because of the generosity of those of you who did your Diamond Challenge. Great ideas for the use of those funds are already coming forward in applications to our new #iwill DofE Diamond fund – see page 6. I received a letter today from Angie Burrows, Teacher and DofE Manager at Blessed Robert Sutton Catholic Sports College in Burton upon Trent. Angie wrote to thank us for a couple of free places we were able to supply. She said “I always mention that students should speak to me if they really want to do their DofE but feel that their family circumstances may prevent them from doing so. This is the first time any student (let alone two) have ever come forward. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy the process of applying for free places was. I have been running the DofE for 22 years and this is the first time I’ve ever applied.” We were delighted to be able to assist Angie and I really appreciated her thank you note. I’ve heard many great stories of the DofE achievements of disabled youngsters over the years – from the revelation of volunteering to help others rather than being helped themselves, through to amazing expedition achievements. We are turning our attention to how we do more to make the DofE accessible to disabled young people who wouldn’t see immediately that the DofE is available to them. If you have ideas and experience we’d like you to share it

Peter WestgarthChief Executive of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award

EVERYONE HAS A PART TO PLAY

with us and now would be a good time to drop me a line with your thoughts and/or talk to your Regional/Country team about an application to the DofE Diamond fund for a project.

Royal record-breakerMany of you will have enjoyed taking part in our Royal

Tour last year, meeting HRH The Earl of Wessex as he visited your area. He dedicated his year to the DofE, meeting thousands of you to thank, congratulate and encourage your great work with young people. He has agreed to continue visiting DofE activities this year, coupled with his own record-breaking plans to play every Real Tennis court in the world – in the year!

His Royal Highness has also agreed to ensure we maintain the promise for every Gold Award achiever to have their Award presented at a Royal Palace. An extraordinary commitment in an already over-committed schedule. I want to take this

opportunity to thank him on your behalf. Sir, thank you!

Tell us about itAnd, to the growing number of teachers and volunteers giving their time to lead DofE activity, we are interested to hear your stories of the impact the DofE has had on you. We hear of Leaders building new and effective working relationships with pupils through supporting their extra-curricular activity. Also of the positive impact DofE can have on a teacher’s CV as more headteachers look for that wider commitment from their staff and look to recruit staff with DofE experience. I’m keen to hear from heads and teachers about what they think makes a great DofE Manager? We want to build a DofE Manager development programme that not only adds value to DofE delivery but also adds value to the professional qualifications of the individual DofE Managers. What do you think we should include in the course? To respond to any aspect of this article please write to: [email protected].

A couple of issues ago I used this space to highlight the role of our Trustees and welcome a couple of new Trustees to the team.

This issue I am delighted to welcome John Amaechi (pictured below) to the DofE’s Trustee Board.


It is also advisable to keep in single file and not to let the group stretch out too far along the road. By walking facing the traffic you will be able to see when very large vehicles are approaching, such as lorries or buses. It’s often better to stop and step as far back from the road as possible, to let these pass, than to keep walking.

You should never plan to be walking at night but if you should find that the light is poor, having a torch clearly visible at the front of the line of walkers will help drivers see you and slow down. Don’t shine the torches directly at vehicles though.

When planning your route don’t include long stretches of read and have a Leader present if a route crosses a busy road. At railway level crossings, you MUST NOT cross or pass a stop line when the red lights show, (including a red pedestrian figure). Also, do not cross if an alarm is sounding or the barriers are being lowered. The tone of the alarm may change if another train is approaching.

ON THE RIGHT TRACK

In 2015 a quarter of all injuries on our roads were to pedestrians and over 400 were killed. This is four times the number of cyclists killed.

Around 60% of fatalities occurred on country roads and the reason for this is that roads in non built-up areas have higher average speeds. This frequently results in more serious collisions.

The summer months are when the majority of accidents happen to those on foot and a large proportion occur in the popular tourist areas, such as Cumbria and Cornwall.*

Except for motorways and their slip roads (which should never be walked on), all public roads are open to hikers. Routes should avoid the use of roads as much as is possible and hopefully they will mainly be on paths and bridleways, but many walking routes will include a small amount of road walking. This may be only to link between footpaths or open areas, so it’s important to take care – especially on country roads with no pavements where traffic could be moving very fast.

Pedestrians are the most vulnerable road users. It’s important for participants to be familiar with the rules of the Highway Code and therefore not put themselves at unnecessary risk. Ian Newbery offers some advice for you to pass on to participants.

*Source: racfoundation.org/motoring-faqs/safety

Key points to remember:• Use the pavement (including

any path along the side of the road) where there is one.

• Use safe crossings where possible.

• Walk facing the traffic so that you can see approaching vehicles.

• Help others to see you by wearing or carrying something bright or fluorescent.

• Be alert and aware of your surroundings at all times.

• Be careful when crossing roads and train tracks. Stop, look and listen before you cross and don’t walk in front of approaching vehicles or trains.

• Never walk along train tracks.

By sticking to these basic guidelines and being observant at all times all our participants should have a great experience and, most importantly of all, stay safe.


Welcome PacksPlease note that the price of a Welcome Pack, which includes a DofE Participation Place, will increase from 1 April 2018, bringing the cost to £21 for Bronze, £21 for Silver and £28 for Gold. If your school, club etc. charges more than this, you MUST tell participants of any additional costs and what they cover. This increase reflects the increasing annual costs to the DofE Charity of running The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. We have been able to hold this increase down to just £1 due to generous fundraising supporters; commercial activity; the growing number of fee-paying Licensed Organisations and participants and the continuing efforts of our volunteer network.

Website migrationThe DofE website (DofE.org) now incorporates the Leaders’ resource area, following the migration of the participants’ area and the Regional/Country Office noticeboards. Resources for Leaders are now easier to access via this refreshed area. It has a more intuitive navigation and improved search

Important information from the Charity

Plan My Gap YearThe Shieling project Cheltenham Music School Icarus Simulation LtdProjects Abroad RFCA NI – Pathway Adventure Activities Canoe Trip Medway Open Award Centre Outdoor Genius Ltd Oxfam Live Life Adventure GoAdventure1 Ltd Mapology Lambourne End Ltd Active Outdoor Pursuits GetaFix Ltd Young Enterprise Northern Ireland Wildside Expeditions Wiston LodgeHaven Banks Outdoor Education Centre Adventure Northumberland (Activities) Ltd

updateApproved Activity Providers APPROVED

ACTIVITYPROVIDER

S

S

S

R

RR

R

R

R

Approved Activity Providers (AAPs) are organisations, both commercial and charitable, whose sectional opportunities have been approved by the DofE as meeting our sectional conditions and can count towards the achievement of a DofE Award. AAPs are able to provide Assessors to sign off the section. Our most recently signed-up AAPs include the following:

function that will find any document or page within the site. The resources area (accessed via the top menu) is for those involved in the DofE, whilst the rest of the site is for those with no previous contact. Please do not use or share old links containing the ‘DofE.info’ address – these now all lead to the resources area landing page. If you spot any broken links or have any comments to help us further develop the site, please contact us at [email protected].

John Amaechi OBEThe Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is delighted to welcome its newest Trustee – John Amaechi OBE.

John is a psychologist, high-performance coach and New York Times best-selling author. He has appeared

on television, where topics have included the impact of depression, interpersonal skills, leadership, team cohesion, emotional literacy and diversity, and inclusion on individual and team performance.

DofE.org/trusteesA key to symbols, plus a listing of all AAPs,

is available at DofE.org/aap.

Young people’s outstanding efforts in championing wildlife across Northern Ireland were recognised at the inaugural Grassroots Challenge Awards last November, hosted by TV wildlife presenter and naturalist Simon King. Over the last year, 2,000 young people from Young Farmers’ Clubs, DofE groups and special schools, rolled up their sleeves to carry out 150 projects to help nature thrive in their local area, as part of the Grassroots Challenge project, led by Ulster Wildlife. Bradley McCracken, aged 16, from Belfast, was one of eight inspirational young people presented with a Young Environmental Leader Award. Bradley was instrumental in helping to look after and improve a section of the Comber Greenway, as part of his DofE programme. Along with others, Bradley cleared back overgrown vegetation, tidied path edges and surveyed wildlife, with support from Sustrans. He said: “I’m extremely flattered and encouraged to have won this award, which I feel recognises the work carried out by the entire team.” Find out more: ulsterwildlife.org/grassroots.

Young people celebrated for going wild for nature


DofE participants from Southgate School, Almondbury have been working hard to create a giant ‘Towers of Hanoi’ game in its Forest School area for their Volunteering section. They have made and created this by themselves and it is a great team building game that many their pupils can enjoy and benefit from.

NEWS OF DofE ACTIVITIES AROUND THE UK

The DofE in ACTION

DofE participants at St Vincent’s School, a non-maintained school for sensory impaired and other needs young people in Liverpool, have been learning ceramic skills for their programmes. The culmination of their project was to create dozens of poppies – plus this impressive giant ceramic DofE poppy as a gift for HRH The Duke of Edinburgh.

BIG IDEA COMES TO LIFEA group of young Leaders spent a motivating few days at the 2017 International Gold Event (IGE), which took place in the Czech Republic last October. The tri-annual event provides leadership training to 90 potential emerging Leaders within The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award community. It also offers attendees an opportunity to discuss the issues and challenges facing young people today and how the Award – which currently runs in over 140 countries and territories around the world, with over 1.3 million participants – may be able to help. The UK delegates are pictured above with Lord Kirkham (Chairman of Trustees for the DofE in the UK) and new Trustee, John Amaechi. James McClements, DofE Office Manager in our Northern Ireland Office, said: “The IGE was a fantastic event and I think that throughout the week the UK team members all stepped up to the fore in their teams. Three of the projects from the ten teams, worked on throughout the week, were selected by The DofE Czech Republic for immediate implementation.”

Members of the 1st Tewksbury Boys’ Brigade Seniors enjoyed a tough, challenging Gold Award expedition late last summer. Here they are, full of energy by the River Ardeche in the South of France, ready for their adventure.

MEET THE GOLDEN GANG

LEST WE FORGET


Bronze Award holders, Manchester City Academy and England U17 team players, Joel Latibeaudiere and Phil Foden, returned home from India in October after winning the U17’s World Cup, 5-2 to Spain’s U17’s national side. Both Joel and Phil achieved their Bronze Awards at the Manchester City Academy, which has been running the DofE since 2014. Manchester City Academy players do their DofE programmes as part of a wider multi-skills curriculum for all younger players. This has been designed to help equip the younger players with the values, skills and experience required to succeed in life, on and off the pitch.

The DofE in ACTION

BRONZE HOLDERS ARE THE TOP TEAM

HERBIE RIDES AGAIN

Send your stories and pictures to [email protected]

Bronze participants from Gwernyfed High School, Powys walked through the Golden Valley to King Arthur’s Stone with the aim of recording “Our expedition through pencil.” They came up with an amazing collection of memories captured in pencil.

Embrace Wigan and Leigh supports young people with mixed abilities in achieving their DofE Awards. Their enthusiasm to continue with the DofE is amazing. Many of the young people that have achieved their Awards go on to be volunteers and support new participants, so they have become a very sustainable Directly Licensed Centre.

EMBRACING DofE

17

The Allotment Project at Reepham High School and College was built by staff, students, parents and members of the local community. Fruit, vegetables and eggs that are produced are sold to the school canteen and profits are given to the project. Around 40 DofE participants are playing a major part in the project, with older participants helping and teaching the younger ones.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

St Columba’s in Kilmacolm is the first school in Scotland to receive the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. The award has been conferred upon its DofE expedition volunteers in recognition of the training and supervision which volunteers have provided for over 30 years at all levels. The volunteers come from across the St Columba’s School community, including former pupils, former staff, current staff and parents of former and current pupils.

Bronze Award holder from Mosborough, Herbie Colton, saved his dad’s life following a heart attack, thanks to his DofE skills. Herbie said: “I was asleep and heard my mum shouting ‘your dad is dead!’. I rushed into the room and started CPR.” Herbie kept going until the paramedics arrived and took over. Herbie undertook his DofE first aid training at Eckington School and was modest about what he did: “I got to the hospital and everyone was shaking my hand and saying how well I did.”

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bond with my dad and we got through it together as a team.”

Business boostMany businesses also saw the value of the weekend as a team building event, with staff taking part from companies including Title Sponsors St. James’s Place Wealth Management (SJP), Silver Sponsor RSM, and Amey, Heathrow Airport and UK Power Networks. Jonathan McMahon, Joint Chief Operating Officer

of SJP, enjoyed taking part. “The DofE Adventure brought out determination, teamwork and camaraderie – all things DofE participants experience when doing their DofE,” he said. “We are delighted to have supported this excellent event, which raised much needed funds for a charity that is close to our hearts.” SJP will be Title Sponsors again in 2018. Reflecting after the event, the DofE’s Chief Executive Peter Westgarth said: “The weekend was a huge success.

We’ve always known that an appetite for adventure isn’t confined to young people and the huge variety of ages and backgrounds of the Adventurers taking part was inspiring.”

Take advantage of early bird prices for the DofE Adventure 2018 – sign up now at

DofEAdventure.org. Use code DofEMAG to get £10 off registration.

720Adventurers aged 18-70 signed up, walking 25km a day in the Peak District, either following a sign-posted route or putting their map-reading skills to the test.

Everyone camped overnight at Base Camp, enjoying live music, a bar, hot showers and the provided tents. Despite rain and mud, spirits remained high throughout – with great camaraderie and an overwhelming sense of achievement as participants reached the finish line to receive a well-deserved medal and certificate. Teachers Vicky Hinde-Taylor and Alison Riley run the DofE at Merchants’ Academy in Bristol. Vicky said: “We’ve seen first-hand the difference the DofE makes to our pupils, instilling qualities including confidence, self-belief and determination. Many of them come from disadvantaged backgrounds and find their aspirations rise when they see what they can achieve. “We wanted to take on this challenge to push ourselves, and to provide inspiration to them. We had a blast! 50k is the hardest thing that I have ever done but the support, facilities and fellow walkers were amazing.” Gold Award holder Rory Formstone from Wrexham took on the two-day Adventure with his dad Andrew. Crossing the finish line, Rory said: “That was a fantastic experience, harder than my Gold! It was a chance to

Ready for Adventure!AdventureDofE

The new DofE Adventure – a hiking and camping fundraising weekend – was a great success. Money raised by Adventurers reached more than £140,000, with 98% of participants saying they’d recommend the event to a friend.


HRH The Earl of Wessex embarks on international tour to raise awareness and funds for the DofE

HRH The Earl of Wessex will seek to play on every Real Tennis court in the world in 2018, with the aim of raising significant funds to enable more young people to start their DofE both in the UK and abroad.

As every DofE Leader knows, achieving a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award isn’t the end of a DofE journey – it’s just the beginning. Many Award holders go on to embrace a lifetime of volunteering, pursue a career using their new skills or develop a love for the outdoors.

The Earl is no different to other Award holders. Over 30 years on from achieving his Gold Award, he is continuing to improve on Real Tennis skills learned during his Physical section activity. He will now put himself to the test by playing more than 150 sets of the game in 2018, to help a new generation of DofE participants experience the DofE’s life-changing benefits.

Over the course of the year he will meet hundreds of DofE participants, Leaders and Managers, enjoying the opportunity to hear more personal testimonies about the impact the programme has.

Challengers of all ages pushed themselves out of their comfort zone once again in 2017 to raise money for the DofE Charity.

Here is just a sample of activities from the year, which ranged from a two-hour dance marathon to a 34-day trek through northern Spain.• Rob and Ben hiked the 200km GR20

in 10 days – one of the hardest high level treks in Europe, raising an impressive £1,417.

• Pat (aka Phillip Schofield’s mum) set a record as the oldest person to do a wing walk, at the age of 81.

• Kate took on not one but three challenges: a skydive; cycling the Trafalgar Way and the Camelot Challenge half marathon.

• Dave and his Love Adventures team (right) scaled Mont Blanc, Europe’s highest peak.

Find out more at DofE.org/RealTennis

• More than 1,300 Challengers from RSM took on an ‘Around the World’ challenge over ten days, travelling twice the distance of the globe by non-motorised transport.

• Team Heathrow (left) organised a five-a-side football competition, with 120 colleagues taking part.

From dance marathons to Mont Blanc

Do you want to push yourself to your limits AND help more young

people benefit from the DofE? Sign up for the DofE Challenge 2018 at DofEChallenge.org.


INVESTING IN YOUNG FUTURES

St. James’s Place Wealth Management is a FTSE 100 company that provides wealth management advice through a dedicated network of advisers, offering face to face, relationship-based advice, tailored to meet

specific client circumstances. In 2017, St. James’s Place made a significant financial contribution to the Charity and supported our first ever DofE Adventure by becoming Title Sponsor. Jonathan says: “I think the DofE matters more than ever in the UK today. St. James’s Place’s support for the DofE is our way of endorsing its work, thanking it for its work with young people, and a way of saying that we share its values, its focus on young people, and the desire to see them succeed and do better in the world of work. We’re also really proud that our own apprentices are going through their Silver programmes as part of their training.”

Inspiring young colleaguesJonathan McMahon describes why achieving a DofE Award sets their apprentices apart from others. “They have taken on a challenge and seen it through. An Award holder must have stepped outside of their comfort zone, developing resilience, tenacity, teamwork and leadership. These skills are vital in an increasingly competitive business environment.”

Jonathan McMahon, Joint Chief Operating Officer of St. James’s Place, explains why his business is backing the DofE...

Rory’s story:Rory Marchant, an Investment Management Assistant, did his Silver programme as part of his apprenticeship. “I was nervous before I started my DofE because I didn’t know exactly what to expect – but it’s been great! I work better with my manager and with the apprentices I’ve met from all different parts of the business. We’ve got a great relationship as a group now. Before, I was afraid to ask for help – I’m more open now. The expedition was really hard. We had hail on one day, torrential rain the next. I wouldn’t have done it if it wasn’t for the DofE, and we were only able to get through it as a team. It was a real accomplishment.”

Sarah Bates, Chairman of St. James’s Place, describes the key skills she’s looking for in young recruits. “Intelligence, flexibility, adaptability, ability to get on with people, because this is a people business.” She

adds: “We’re a young company, the second youngest company in the FTSE 100. That

means we are creative and innovative. Young people have an opportunity to bring their own

entrepreneurial vision to this company.”

St. James’s Place Wealth Management apprentices, including Rory, far right.


Leaders and Operations Officers work together to start record numbers on their DofE, thanks to supporters such as the Asda Foundation and Lloyds Banking Group....

Astrong working relationship between DofE Leaders and new Operations Officers in West Yorkshire has led to some remarkable results in just a year.

Following local authority cuts in youth services in West Yorkshire, numbers of DofE participants had dropped significantly, with only a tiny proportion of the eligible population of young people in the area achieving a DofE Award – lagging well behind the UK average. Recognising the problem in the area, at the start of the 2016-17 academic year the Asda Foundation committed to supporting the work of three new DofE Operations Officers, achieving a real step change in the number of young people able to access their DofE:

Great encouragementKelly is the new DofE Leader at The Farnley Academy, where 40% of students are eligible for pupil premium. These students are specifically encouraged to start their DofE because of the huge benefits they can get from achieving their Award.

Kelly praised the support given to her by her Operations Officer: “We wouldn’t be able to do this role without them. They help with funding and with expedition training, such as map reading. They also join our school assemblies, parents’ evenings, help with eDofE and meet regularly to go through things. The DofE has provided training for five teachers here, which is a huge help to me to spread the work.” Mark Shipley, Operations Manager for West Yorkshire, said: “I am really proud of how closely the DofE Leaders have worked with our team to either start the DofE or offer DofE programmes to many more young people across all levels. We can only start more young people on their DofE journey through the passion and dedication of our Leaders and we are really thankful to all those who are giving their time.” The funding was part of Asda’s commitment to helping us work directly with schools, youth clubs and charities to bring the DofE to even more young people.

Helping Britain prosper with the DofELloyds Banking Group supports The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and the difference it can make to young people’s lives is illustrated by Lloyd’s employee Charlotte Struges, who achieved her Gold Award while working for the Group. She shares her story: “My DofE Gold is the best thing I’ve ever done. It gave me a self-belief and determination I didn’t have before. It gave me the confidence to apply for new jobs and skills that I could talk about in interviews about leadership, teamwork and supporting others that really made me stand out. “It was also really important for making friends. I dropped out of college to work for Lloyds and that had a real social impact. I met my DofE team and my life changed – I still talk to them, including my Leaders. “Now I go in to my old school to talk about my experience, and I still actively volunteer supporting secondary schools, sixth forms and colleges on careers education and career pathways.” We are grateful for Lloyds Banking Group’s continued support, and their belief in young people and what they can achieve.

young people started their DofE across West Yorkshire, including 1,837 from disadvantaged backgrounds.

1,610 (+25%) more young people started their DofE in West Yorkshire compared to the year before.

13 new Leaders joined the DofE network.

7,824

309 training courses attended by DofE

Leaders, to ensure their young people get the best possible DofE journey.

new schools started to run the DofE.

130

WORKINGTOGETHER


What advice should I give my teams about sources of water to avoid?

Teams need to be aware that drinking poor quality water can lead to sickness and diarrhoea. Canals, ponds and water from streams and rivers are not safe sources of drinking water as they could be contaminated from matter further upstream. Teams should also avoid using water from non-drinking water taps that are often found on camp sites and farms.

Is wakeboarding a Physical or a Skills section activity?

This is classed as a Physical section activity as its roots are in both windsurfing/surfing and ski sports – all of which are Physical section activities.

Is Airsoft a Physical or a Skills section activity?

War games like Airsoft, paintballing and so on are all Physical section activities.

DofEQ&ADofE participants are always thinking up new ways to do their programmes, creating challenging questions for DofE Leaders to answer. Here are some of our most frequently asked questions from the past few months; you can find more Q&As on DofE.org/faq.

Skills

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DofE Magazine Issue 29: SPRING 2018

Is pony driving a Physical section activity?

No, it is a skill. To be able to drive a carriage the driver needs to have a basic understanding of how to start, stop and steer the carriage. In addition, they would need to understand how to use some driving aids, such as the reins, whip and voice.

Is motocross included in the Skills section of Bronze programmes?

Most motorised activity falls under the Skills section. However, due to the substantial physical element of motocross and supercross, both of these activities can count as a Physical section activity. Learning to ride a motorbike and motorbike maintenance is a skill.

What does the term ‘shared activity’ mean?

A shared activity is one undertaken by all of the participants together, each achieving the same aims and having the same experience. It would not include working alongside those doing their paid job, nor teaching a group of younger people, as they will be on a different residential experience. Participants can be of any age but all must be sharing the same activity.

Example 1: The participant is going to stay for a week at a bird sanctuary where they will be working alongside paid staff and seasonal volunteers counting and ringing birds. They will be sleeping in the bunk house with the other volunteers for the week.

This residential would not count as they are the only volunteer undertaking a residential experience – the other volunteers are there for the season and already know each other and working together as a team.

Example 2: The participant is going to an outdoor activity centre to work alongside paid staff and regular volunteers to provide support to disabled children for an activity week. There are five additional volunteers attending for the week as well as you. They will all be sleeping in the same cottage and the group of six will work together as a team to support the young people.

This residential would count as there are at least five people sharing the activity and working together. The staff and regular volunteers, and the young people attending the activity week, are not counted in these numbers.

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2017 was yet another busy year in the world of eDofE, with plenty of new projects to keep us busy. Chris Armstrong gives a run-down of the latest developments...

eDofE UPDATEIf you think you should be able to see these screens but can’t when we go live, please contact your DofE Operations Officer/local DofE Office. This should make it easier for Licensed Organisations (LOs) to keep abreast of what DofE training has been completed by the adults that assist within your hierarchy.

It doesn’t stop here, however. We are introducing new functionality that allows users to book onto and pay for DofE-run training courses through eDofE.

From within eDofE, you will be able to access our suite of e-learning courses now. As long as you are logged into eDofE when completing the course, the completion of the e-learning module will be automatically recorded.

A new ‘training delegate’ account on eDofE allows those that have completed training to access eDofE for the first time. From a ‘training delegate’ eDofE account you can view a record of all the DofE training courses that you have attended.

If a ‘training delegate’ eDofE account holder then goes on to take a more active role with a DofE group as a Leader, Co-ordinator, Administrator or Manager in the future, our Regional and Country Offices will be able to marry this data up so that you don’t have to do the training again.

Single Sign On will, of course, help and supplement the new developments that have been introducedwithin the eDofE Training section and will make sure that your training records are reflected across your different accounts.

The next significant development to eDofE will be the second phase of development of the eDofE training section screens. As I’m sure you are well aware, the first project of the year was focused on migrating all of our

training data into eDofE.

eDofE Training – Phase twoMany more noticeable changes, however, will come with phase two of this development where DofE Managers and Administrator account holders can be given the permission to view the training section of eDofE by Regional/County offices..

eDofE Training landing page.


eDofE Training – Phase threeAfter phase two, comes phase three, and we’re in the process of getting this project underway. This section of development work will focus on the Expedition Assessor Accreditation process.

This will allow users to see details about their Assessor accreditation (such as the Assessor accreditation number, the accreditation dates and LOs/AAP/Assessor Network that you have registered with to assess for). It will bring the current Assessor LO registration process (currently done via the EAAS/12 form) into eDofE, making this quicker and easier for all Assessors and LOs.

eDofE MappingMarch this year brings the second anniversary of the launch of the updated version of eDofE Mapping, built in collaboration with Ordnance Survey. We have been working on making some improvements to the eDofE Mapping tool and to also make sure that the route card printing facility is working consistently across all browsers.

More information will be shared about the developments in due course. These developments should be ready and in place in preparation of the start of the new expedition season at the end of March.

eDofE

eDofE supportOver the last 12 months we have updated the way that we manage and record the queries that are received by the eDofE Support Desk via the helpline and/or [email protected].

Over a typical month, the team will respond to around 900 queries and we aim to respond to all queries within 24 hours where possible.

To help all users we have also been developing the number of resources available over the last 12 months. We continue to produce useful articles, which can be found online using the purple support icon in the bottom right-hand corner of eDofE or by navigating directly to help.eDofE.org.

We have also been uploading more help videos which can be found both on help.edofe.org as well as the DofE YouTube Channel (youtube.com/theDofEUK).

Please email [email protected] if there are any other topics that you would like to include within our support resources.

https://help.eDofE.org

Support?


RESOURCES • GADGETS • BOOKS • REVIEWS • OPPORTUNITIES • COMPETITIONS

O U T T H E R E

Are you looking for an interesting way to thank a Leader, Assessor or Supervisor for their help with your group? If so, then why not present them with a bespoke slate trophy? Many online trophy companies will make them for you – we found this impressive one that comes out at around £13 plus a one-off engraving cost. 100mm x 150mm x 7mm. valleymill.co.uk/product/PL100X150P

1 SET IT IN STONE

Want to light up your tent so you can find it in the dark when you are stumbling back from the loo? Glow Tape could help. This very sticky tape adheres to just about any surface and emits a super bright glow once the lights are off. It’s made from rugged, water-resistant vinyl so you can use it outside too. They cost around £8 a roll from stockists such as firebox.com.

Here’s the perfect pocket tool for everyone. This Wallet Ninja contains 16 handy tools in one credit-card gadget that can be kept in your wallet. It can help you open boxes, letters, screw things in place, open cans and bottles, measure and hold up your phone... It’s heat treated steel and will never chip, rust or bend. Available for around £7 from places such as iwantoneofthose.com.

2 GLOW CAMPING

3

The WHSmith Trust supports good causes in the local communities where WHSmith operates. Up to £500 is available to voluntary organisations and schools from the proceeds of the compulsory carrier bag levies across the UK. Grants are awarded every six months. The two annual application rounds run from 1 October to 31 March, and 1 April to 30 September. Details: blog.whsmith.co.uk/community-grants-application.

Here’s a useful page full of advice on how to stop bikes from being stolen. Ideal to chat with your participants about as part of everyday life skills... or perhaps the advice can be used as the basis for a Volunteering section community project? Visit the DirectLine website: https://is.gd/jd2osv.

4 TRUST GRANT

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5 STOP THIEF

WALLET NINJA

Have you seen the all-new DofE clothing range? The Official DofE clothing is the only branded leisure, sports and outdoor clothing range that has been approved by the DofE and it generates a donation to the Charity with every purchase. You can customise items with your group’s logo or name. For order enquiries, contact [email protected].

ALL NEW DofE CLOTHING RANGE

See the full range of DofE clothing at

DofEShopping.org/dofe-clothing


Approved Activity Providers (AAPs) are organisations, both commercial and charitable, whose sectional opportunities have been approved by the DofE as meeting our conditions and can count towards the achievement of a DofE Award. AAPs are able to provide Assessors to sign off the section. Here’s a selection of some great opportunities currently on offer at DofE.org/aap:

Oyster Worldwide Gold residential – shadow a vet and other wildlife specialists, getting a first-hand insight into the life of a vet on a Big Five game reserve near Port Elizabeth. Participants will be helping check on the health and well-being of the animals and participating in conservation and management of the park and wildlife in the game reserve. Available year-round for two-four weeks. Every day they’ll be using direct veterinary intervention to assist with minor operations or the application of antibiotics and vitamin supplements. Two weeks cost £1,060 and each additional week costs £335.

W: oysterworldwide.comE: [email protected]: 01892 770 771

Arts Award is a DofE Approved Activity Provider, meaning that your young people can link their Arts Award and DofE activity, and that Arts Award is a recognised activity as part of the DofE Skills section.The links don’t end there, and can be made across most sections of a DofE programme. You can link any level of DofE with any level of Arts Award, it doesn’t have to be Bronze to Bronze for example – you just need to work out the level that’s right for your young people and the programme they are following.

W: artsaward.org.uk/site/?id=2662E: artsaward.org.uk/contactT: 020 7820 6178

Veterinary experience in South Africa

The Arts Award

OPPORTUNITIES SPOTLIGHTAPPROVEDACTIVITY

PROVIDER

BioGrad’s state of the art clinical training facility boasts five clinical units, each with their own bed, PC, spirometer, ECG machine and sphygmomanometer. It also houses a laboratory where students perform tests for the detection of HIV and blood typing. The course offers a unique opportunity for intensive clinical and laboratory experience taught by qualified clinicians and research scientists. Participants will leave with professional photos and endorsements from the staff, plus a UCAS reference to help support university applications.

W: biograd.co.ukE: [email protected]: 0151 268 0313

BioGrad pre-med residentials


There are regular reports that businesses in the UK are finding it more and more difficult to find candidates with the right skill set required for the job in hand. Georgia Woolford examines the fit for the DofE.

The lack of so-called ‘soft skills’ in young people is often the missing ingredient for employers. Whilst academic achievements will always be a key measure of a young person’s ability, research commissioned by the DofE in 2017 shows that extra-curricular activities, such as the DofE, can

help ensure young people are equipped with the skills they need to get a job and thrive in the workplace. The poll of over 500 UK business leaders sought their opinions on the usefulness and credibility of soft skills, such as resilience, confidence and determination, that a young person develops from pushing themselves out of their comfort zone and facing new and exciting challenges. The research revealed that nine in ten business leaders said that those with strong soft skills often advance quicker in the workplace than those without. The polling also revealed that 95% of UK senior managers regard soft skills as equally or more important than exam results. Some 98% recommend that young people invest more time in enhancing skills such as communication, teamwork and leadership to get ahead of the game in the competitive job market. The results came as no surprise to UK businesswoman and Dragon’s Den investor, Deborah Meaden, who said: “I would actively encourage young people to get involved in extra-curricular activities and volunteering. Achieving a DofE Award is a brilliant way to gain recognition for all the effort put in and shows potential employers a candidate has great communication, confidence and teamwork skills, which are indispensable in the workplace.” According to the poll, respondents felt that the term ‘soft skills’ did not adequately reflect their importance. British entrepreneur and ex-Dragon’s Den investor, Sarah Willingham, was amongst the 82% that believe ‘real life skills’ or ‘core skills’ give the term more gravitas and better highlight the key message: when it comes to employability, the value of those skills cannot be underestimated. Three quarters of senior managers said that the traditional format of CVs does not showcase soft skills in the best light. The DofE has launched a CV template, available on the LifeZone (accessed via eDofE), which enables participants to highlight their DofE skills and experiences. Achieving a DofE Award shows that a young person is willing to commit, is driven and determined. An important benefit to achieving an Award is that it enables young people to demonstrate that they have these skills at interviews. The CV template has been created to help participants recognise and identify the soft skills and attributes they have developed through their DofE. This helps them develop a good work ethic and attitude that many employers are looking for in applicants.

Help your young people to make the most of the skills they gain by encouraging them to visit the LifeZone within eDofE.

SKILLS MATTER We surveyed over 500 UK business leaders on the importance of hiring young recruits with soft skills like leadership, teamwork

and communication

Highlight extra-curricular activities such as the DofE that demonstrate soft skills

Visit the DofE LifeZone for employability tools such as the CV builder

Maximise your CV Use resources

Invest time in developing the crucial soft skills sought by UK businesses

Volunteer in an area which could help you develop specific soft skills

Research conducted by Censuswide using a sample of 506 UK senior managers between 13-17/07/17 Censuswide abide by and employ members of the Market Research Society which is based on the ESOMAR principles

© The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award 18/08/2017

9/10

Develop soft skills Try new things

Why soft skills matter

Recommendations

Survey results

1 in 3UK employers regard soft

skills as more important than academic achievements

revealed that young people with strong soft skills often progress faster in the workplace

say young people should invest more time enhancing

their soft skills to complement academic achievements

believe that the traditional CV layout does not

showcase soft skills in the best possible way

I encourage young people to get involved in extra-curricular activities and volunteering…a DofE Award is

a brilliant way to gain recognition

98%

75%

look favourably on a candidate who shares evidence

of extra-curricular activities on their social media

86%

believe soft skills are equally as important as academic

achievements alone

95%

Deborah Meaden

UK businesswoman and Dragon’s Den investor


FUTURE-PROOFED DofELast year, we conducted research with YouGov, the world-renowned research agency, into what young people and teachers think about the DofE. Laura McIntosh examines the outcomes...

We sought the opinions of young people and teachers. Some were involved in the DofE, and some were not. If you’re a Leader in a school it’s likely you contributed to this research, either by filling in the survey or

speaking to a researcher on the phone.

Our Diamond Anniversary last year was a great opportunity to reflect on our wonderful past but we recognise that now’s the time to look to the future.

Young people and Leaders are at the heart of everything we do and we wanted to listen to what they/you have to say. Together we build the DofE brand and we’re all invested in making sure it’s future-proofed for generations to come.

You will be pleased to know that the results of the research were overwhelmingly positive. You can be confident that the DofE is in a great place to grow and build on the success of the last 61 years. You are a key part of this success – so thank you.

Main research findings summaryBoth young people and schools believe the DofE is a credible, enduring and unique organisation that has stood the test of time. • Compared with other youth organisations, the DofE

has the highest level of familiarity amongst young people; it scores more highly on being ‘challenging’, and DofE participants are more likely to see it as ‘fun’ and ‘exciting’ than other programmes.

• Young people are generally motivated to take part in the DofE to boost their CV/application form and to learn new skills.

• Participating schools report that demand is stable (48%) or increasing (42%), with 33% of reporting that they are over-subscribed; demonstrating considerable opportunity for growth.

• Engaging a new generation of volunteers is essential to supporting this growth.

• Ensuring that young people understand the holistic nature of a DofE programme and that it’s not just for those that love the outdoors is important in attracting a diverse range of young people.

• Helping participants to make the right activity choices at the start of their DofE journeys and raising awareness that an existing activity could count may support completions.

We have already started using these research findings in our strategic planning. Whilst we’ve always talked about the employability aspects of achieving an Award, now we know it’s the most popular reason for starting a DofE programme we’ll be looking at ways to get this message across to participants to motivate them to complete.

We’ve updated the LifeZone content to focus more on supporting young people to articulate their DofE skills and attributes when applying for university or work, including creating a CV template they can use.

We are investing in training for adults running the DofE and looking at ways to ensure the Expedition section isn’t off-putting – especially for new Bronze participants. We have all this and more in plan. Exciting times lie ahead and we’re grateful for your continued support.


who have a similar disability to me. I enjoyed meeting children like myself and I also learnt maths skills. I learnt adding and subtracting large numbers. I would definitely want to do this again.”

‘Jonas’ has Attention Deficit Disorder and Dyspraxia. For the Skills section of his Bronze programme he chose to do cooking. “For my Skills section I cooked pizza. I chose this because I didn’t know how to make a pizza and it seemed like fun. I loved my activity because it made me more energetic and confident. By doing this I learnt how to cook and learnt things about food hygiene. It boosted my confidence and it is something I would definitely do again.”

‘Pete’ was going through a particularly tough time. He had just been taken into care for the third time and was separated from his family, including his younger siblings. He had a diagnosis of autism and learning difficulties. He had become withdrawn and, although he attended school daily, he refused to speak, move or eat. He would sit in the same seat every day for the whole day and he would not join in with the class. The one session he would attend was his weekly DofE training, where he would complete the activities (sometimes needing a lot of support). He understood that he needed to visit the gym weekly for his Physical section, and although he would not change into a PE kit, he would actively participate in a fitness programme. He happily undertook his expedition, much to his teachers’ surprise, and joined in with games and jokes and enjoyed being part of a group with his peers. He was actively involved in decisions relating to which route to take and even led the group on a few occasions.

DofE programmes have a long tradition of being open to everyone of all abilities, backgrounds and interests. Here are a few inspiring stories of participants who are completing their programmes...

Additional needs

‘Frankie’ is a young man who overcame a number of challenges to achieve his Bronze, Silver and eventually his Gold Award. He doesn’t communicate verbally but is expressive and can use his arms and expressions to communicate. When he started his DofE he enjoyed going to a youth club but day trips made him feel anxious, which led to stomach problems and infections, meaning he then had to stay at home. Frankie volunteered to run activities at the youth club and developed his independent living skills for his Skills section. When it came to his expedition he needed to find an accessible lodge which could accommodate his medical needs and a hoist. He felt anxious but he loved being away with his peers. He liked being involved in the activities, including cooking – even though he couldn’t eat it – but he enjoyed cooking for others. After Bronze he stopped feeling anxious and didn’t have any associated health problems whilst he was away on his Silver expeditions. He wanted to go to France for his Gold expedition and it was a big success. For his residential he raised money to pay for carers and the accommodation he needed. His residential used tents, had accessible showering facilities and a zip wire which attached to his wheelchair. It was difficult for him to go away without his friends and he struggled at first but soon began to feel better and enjoyed himself.

‘Kieran’ is a young man with Asperger’s Syndrome who ran a tuck shop and had this to say: “I volunteered at a tuck shop at the sports college, working with disadvantaged children. I chose this because it gave me a chance to work with children

ONE FOR ALL

See our range of resources available onDofE.org/additional needs.


NEW YEAR – NEW CALENDAR

Launched in 2015, the Schools’ Calendar has been given a fresh new design and is packed with interactive features to

make it even easier for you find and share tips and ideas on how to make the DofE as successful in your school as possible. Now accessed directly through DofE.org/schoolscalendar, the improved calendar contains a host of advice shared by other Leaders. It covers all areas of DofE delivery, to help you better structure your DofE activities to the academic year and maximise the resources you have available. From suggestions on how to keep participants engaged to ways of involving other members of staff and parents with your DofE activities – the calendar not only helps you spread the workload, but also build support for the DofE within your school and raise awareness of its positive impact on your pupils. Tips posted on the calendar are primarily mapped against school term dates and key events, but there may be advice that is relevant to all Licensed Organisations. So please customise the resource as you see fit for your DofE group.

What’s new?We’ve made the Schools’ Calendar easier to navigate by enabling you to filter your search by month, subject category or keyword (such as ‘expedition’) – narrowing down the results so that you can find specific tips.

We understand that each school delivers the DofE differently and that you are busy people with busy lives. That’s why we’ve introduced some quick and simple ways for you to adapt the calendar to suit your schedule and workload, as well as set reminders, so that you never forget to complete a task again. For example, when you’ve found a tip you like, you can now add it to your personal online calendar – prompting you at just the right time in the year. You can also send a list of your favourite tips to your email address, which can then be printed and used at your convenience – helping you keep your school and support team up to date. We know there’s amazing work happening every day to support young people through their DofE programmes. Why not share these valuable experiences to help other Leaders across the network strengthen their DofE by submitting your tips directly to the calendar?

New Year checklistThe New Year is the perfect time to look at what can be changed or improved to help participants complete their DofE programmes. Here’s a taster of some of the top tips featured on the calendar, which can help get you started:

1. Ask form tutors to help encourage completions; highlight those students who still need to submit evidence.

2. The start of a new term is a great time to recruit volunteers. Use your regular staff communication channels (such as noticeboards in the staffroom, pigeon holes, email requests and so on) to promote opportunities.

3. Send a letter to parents whose children need to submit evidence and give guidance on how this can be done.

4. Use sectional certificates to help keep participants motivated, so that they can feel a sense of achievement for each step of their journey.

5. Advertise a list of all participants on your noticeboard to help your students to form their expedition groups. Or send them a letter to let them know what to do.

To find more tips and ideas on making the most of the DofE in your school, and to share your best advice, visit the Schools’ Calendar now. Please remember to let us know what you think: [email protected].

The first DofE Silver Award Presentation Evening for Bolsover School students.

magazine issue 29: spring 2018 the magazine for …€¦ · the magazine mailing list is taken...

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