Duke of Edinburgh

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) is a youth development and personal challenge programme open to any young person aged 14 to 24. 

You can start your Bronze Award in the school year you turn 14, which is often Year 9. 

Taking part in DofE is a great way to try new things, take on challenges and have fun. Along the way, you can build useful skills, grow your confidence, meet new people and gain experiences you can talk about when applying for jobs and other opportunities. You can also add your DofE Award to your CV. 

You work towards your Duke of Edinburgh alongside other parts of your life, like school or college, work, hobbies and other leisure activities. 

Take action: Find out more about how the Duke of Edinburgh Award works. 

About the programme

The Award is split into three levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold. Each level increases in challenge and duration, and has a different minimum starting age. 

What you choose to do as part of your DofE is entirely up to you. The main sections are: 

1. Volunteering
2. Physical
3. Skills
4. Expedition

If you complete your Gold Award, you will also need to complete a Residential section. 

Take Action: Visit Oxfordshire Duke of Edinburgh Open Awards to find out more about local programmes.

How can I take part?

Many Oxfordshire schools and youth or community groups offer Duke of Edinburgh. If you are not attending school, or your school does not offer DofE, you may still be able to take part through an Open Award Groups in Oxfordshire. 

Take Action: Ask at your place of learning about Duke of Edinburgh, or similar programmes where you can go on trips, go on adventures and get to know your friends better.