Young DofE volunteers give 42,000 hours to Liverpool community,16% upon previous year

More young people than ever are volunteering in Liverpool as part of their DofE, giving back to their communities whilst developing key employability skills

In the lead up to Volunteers’ Week (1 - 7 June 2015), new figures from The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) reveal record numbers of young people are having a huge social impact in Liverpool through the Volunteering section of their DofE programmes. Last year[1], young people aged 14 – 24 dedicated almost 42,000 volunteering hours to their communities in Liverpoolas part of their DofE programmes, a massive 16% increase on the previous year.

DofE participantstook part in a breadth of activities, from supportingpeople in need, such as the elderly, homeless and disabled, to campaigning on local issues, martial arts training, computer coaching and web design.

As well as giving back to their communities, DofE participants develop valuable skillsand attributes through volunteering, such as communication, commitment, team working and self-management, all of which supports them on their future paths, particularly when entering the workplace after education. A recent CIPD survey[2]that found over a quarter of UK companies look for a DofE Award in applications when they recruit, above other volunteering recognition programmes, and that 67% believe entry-level candidates with volunteering have more employability skills.

Jenna Mulholland is from Liverpool and was one of seven ao.com employees that recently achieved their Gold DofE Awards. ao.com recognises the personal and professional benefits that DofE offers young people and has made Gold DofE programmes available to its employees for the last two years. Speaking about her DofE volunteering, Jenna said, “The girl I mentored through my DofE volunteering had very little confidence when I first started seeing her but by the end of the mentoring programme, she was a totally different person. It was a humbling experience and really rewarding knowing I was making a difference to someone. Doing my DofE has definitely made me want to continue volunteering as I have gained so much from my experience – friends, workplace skills and the enjoyment and reward of giving something back to my community.”

Speaking about the impact of volunteering, Robbie Johnston, DofE Director for the North of England, said, “As more and more young people in Liverpool volunteer through their DofE programmes each year, the city is seeingboth the huge social impact withinitslocal communities and increased employability of its young people. As well as a great sense of personal fulfilment,volunteering enables young people to gain the skills and experience needed to succeed in the world of work. It’s this double benefit that is so fantastic about the Volunteering section of the DofE and why many choose to continue their volunteering after achieving their Awards.”

To achieve a DofE Award, participants must complete four sections at Bronze and Silver level and five at Gold. These include the Volunteering section, a Physical section, Skills section and the Expedition section. Gold participants also have to complete a fifth Residential section.

The DofE Charity’s latest research coincides with Step Up To Serve’s Share Your Pledge Day on 3 June 2015. Step Up To Serve, a UK cross-party campaign, aims to increase the number of 10 to 20 years olds volunteering in their communities to over 50% by 2020 with the support of charities and voluntary organisations. The DofE has pledged to support the campaign through its growth of the DofE so that even more young people can take part in volunteering and give back to their communities.

To find out more about the DofE and how you can get involved, visit

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For further information contact:

Fiona Bean, External Communications Officer

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Notes to editors:

About the DofE (2013 / 14 stats)

  • The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award was founded in 1956 by its Patron HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. HRH The Earl of Wessex is a Trustee.
  • Over 300,000 young people are currently taking part in DofE programmes in the UK, at 12,735 DofE centres, supported by 902 partner organisations and around 50,000 adult volunteers from all walks of life.
  • Last year, 240,796 young people started a DofE programme.
  • 108,288 achieved a Bronze, Silver or Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
  • In total, over 5.3 million people have participated in DofE programmes in the UK and achieved over 2.3 million Awards since 1956.
  • A separate survey of major employers, commissioned by the United Learning Trust, found that a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is the most highly valued experience when selecting employees.
  • There are over one million young people currently participating globally in over 140 countries and territories.
  • Since 1956, millions of people have taken part across the world, highlighting how the DofE can truly transcend boundaries of race, language, ethnicity and culture.
  • The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a Registered Charity No 1072490 and in Scotland

No SC038254 and a Royal Charter Corporation RC000806.

  • Further information can be found at

More about the DofE

The DofE Charity

Youth charity The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award supports over 300,000 people aged 14-24 every year. Our ethos is to enable every young person of every background to take part in our programme and succeed, regardless of any barriers. We help instil a sense of adventure and have a lasting impact on young people’s behaviour, skills and life chances.

Our mission

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

DofE programmes

Anyone aged between 14 and 24 can do a programme at one of the three progressive levels which, when successfully completed, lead to a Bronze, Silver or Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. There are four sections at Bronze and Silver level and five at Gold.

-Volunteering: undertaking service to individuals or the community.

-Physical: improving in an area of sport, dance or fitness activities.

-Skills: developing practical and social skills and personal interests.

-Expedition: planning, training for and completion of an adventurous journey in the UK
or abroad.

-At Gold level, participants must do an additional fifth Residential section, which involves staying and working away from home doing shared activity.

Achieving a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award

Young people will achieve a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award if they show persistence, commitment and personal development over a period of time. Every activity must be successfully completed and assessed. The result is the world’s leading achievement award for young people, recognised by employers and universities alike. Completing a DofE programme develops young people for life and work. It develops resilience, confidence and a ‘can do’ attitude as well as the social and communication skills that businesses are calling out for.

Where it is run

DofE programmes are delivered under licence by over 900 partners (Licensed Organisations) who offer it in over 12,700 DofE centres such as youth clubs, voluntary organisations, schools, academies, colleges, universities, young offender institutions and businesses, which are run and supported by around 50,000 adult volunteers.

[1]DofE annual statistics 2014/15

[2] CIPD Learning to Work survey 2015