DofE Advice and Guidance

Posted 11th March

5 Ways to Wellbeing for young people: What if mental health was built into adventure?

Category: DofE Advice and Guidance

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) is often celebrated for building resilience, teamwork and independence. But look a little closer, and something deeper emerges. Its structure aligns remarkably well with the 5 Ways to Wellbeing: Connect, Take Notice, Learn, Move and Give. In short, what if we stopped seeing DofE as just an award and started recognising it as a powerful framework for preventative mental health? We caught up with Grace Knill to hear why adventure and mental health go hand in hand.

Posted 11th March

"No Phone? No Way!" The Double Edge Sword of phones on DofE expeditions

Category: DofE Advice and Guidance

According to Ofcom, 99% of children will own a mobile phone by age 11 and 98% of 16-24 year olds will own a smartphone. Teenagers average 3-6 hours of screen time each day with 12-15 year olds having a focus on social sites, primarily TikTok and Snapchat. As a DofE expedition provider, it is easy to see the difficulties when we ask young people to take themselves away from their phones and go offline for a few days. Can DofE expeditions balance the double edged sword that is phone technology to help more young people experience the outdoors?

Posted 26th February

Could The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award help tackle the mental health crisis in young people?

Category: DofE Advice and Guidance

Hear from Alex, our DofE manager, on how the DofE journey could help support young people with their mental health. We see the firsthand positive impact of providing young people with outdoor experiences in the framework of DofE expeditions. With the rise of major depression in teens, the search for the source and solution are hot debate. And rightly so.

Posted 12th October

Choosing the Right Compass for Your Duke of Edinburgh Award Expedition

Category: DofE Advice and Guidance

When you’re preparing for your Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) expedition, one of the most important pieces of kit you’ll carry is your compass. Whether you’re navigating the rolling hills of the Yorkshire Dales, the wilds of Snowdonia, or the moors of the Peak District, a reliable compass can make the difference between confidently finding your next checkpoint and wandering in circles! With so many types available, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming... but it doesn’t have to be. Here’s a simple guide to help you pick the perfect compass for your DofE journey.

Posted 17th June

Surviving the Scorch: Preparing for a Heat Wave on Your DofE Expedition

Category: DofE Advice and Guidance

In the UK we don't often need to consider heat related issues on a DofE expedition, but failure to be prepared could result in illness and very uncomfortable experience.