The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DoE) scheme has enjoyed a surge of interest, seeing the most sign-ups in the charity’s 66-year history following the death of Prince Philip.
More than 321,000 young people started the Award scheme between April 2021 and March 2022, the charity says.
The scheme, run in schools, colleges, youth and sports clubs, prisons and young offender institutions across the UK, sees young people head out on expeditions, learn skills and volunteer in their local community.
The record-breaking numbers follow a surge of interest in extracurricular activities after the pandemic, as well as the death of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh in April last year.
Almost half a million young people across the UK are currently doing their DofE.
Kayleigh Ptak, a 20-year-old from Perth, Scotland, has been doing her Gold DofE throughout the pandemic. For the scheme Kayleigh, who has autism and cerebral palsy, travelled 526 miles – the equivalent distance from John O’Groats to Sheffield – using her wheelchair, walking sticks and an exercise bike.
Miss Ptak described the DofE as “life-changing” and said, “due to my disabilities, I never thought this was something I was able to do. But I discovered that, even though I’ve come through challenges in life due to my conditions, the DofE has shown me that my disabilities aren’t limiting and I can do amazing things.”
Young people have completed more than two million hours of volunteering, such as cleaning beauty spots, protecting wildlife and setting up charities through the scheme.
“Young people’s education, mental health and social lives have been massively affected by the pandemic, with those experiencing marginalisation hardest hit. Non-formal educational opportunities like the DofE, which are open to all young people, are needed now more than ever,” the charity has said.
The charity said it is working to widen access to young people facing marginalisation – such as those experiencing poverty, those who have additional needs and young people from minority ethnic backgrounds.
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Ruth Marvel, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award CEO, said: “The pandemic has had an immeasurable impact on young people, and there are more challenges to come. But these record-breaking figures show an amazing, motivated generation, refusing to be defined by those challenges, looking for opportunities to develop skills, broaden their horizons and make a positive difference to the world around them. We owe it to all young people to give them access to those opportunities.
“Thanks to our incredible volunteers, we’re already reaching many more young people – but there’s more to do. Over the next year, we’ll be building on this work to make sure more young people in the UK’s most deprived areas, and more young people with additional needs, have the chance to do their DofE.”