Duke of Edinburgh's Award

Another year of success for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award at Burnley FC reached its climax recently when a group of young people received their Gold DofE Awards from HRH The Duke of Edinburgh at St James’s Palace.

Burnley FC opened its doors to The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in 2006 and is one of more than twenty clubs in the country offering young people the chance to develop and grow through the DofE. Burnley is now the largest football club DofE group in Britain with more than 500 young people taking part in the DofE, was the first to see its young people achieve Gold DofE Awards, and once again was the only football club to be present at the event held at the end of last month.

And with more young people due to follow later this year the Award at Burnley FC continues to grow rapidly.  

Burnley FC is also the largest independent provider of the DofE in the North West, supporting more young people through the Award in the last 12 months than the towns of Bury, Rochdale and Stockport combined.

The DofE Award at Burnley FC is contended to be the single largest youth engagement project in East Lancashire.

Burnley FC Director and former Chairman, Barry Kilby, who is a keen supporter of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, said: “We are delighted to see the success of these young people recognised publicly. We are a football club rooted firmly in the community.

"By giving the next generation the chance to do their DofE they can realise their potential and make themselves more attractive to employers at a time when young people need all the help they can get. For us this isn’t just about giving young people something to do, we believe it is our duty to the future success of Burnley.

“I’m calling on the football fraternity across the UK to get behind the DofE and help young people kick start their futures. With youth unemployment at an all-time high, clubs like ours need to give back to the communities that have supported them for so long.”

Life-long Burnley FC supporter and former Prime Minister’s spokesman, Alastair Campbell, who was guest presenter at St James’s Palace, added: "Burnley FC has always taken seriously its role in the wider community. We may not be top of the Championship right now, but we were the first to give young people the chance to do their DofE through a football club, and the Burnley FC DofE group is the largest of any football club in the country.

"These awards represent a tremendous achievement for the club and for the young people who have seized the opportunity to increase their skills and experience. I commend them on their success and wish them well for the future.”

According to official figures, Burnley is one of the most deprived areas in the UK, with high levels of unemployment and economic inactivity among 16-24 year olds. Each year more than 300,000 young people (14-25) from all backgrounds embark on their DofE in the UK. Research shows that employers value the DofE when they are recruiting as the most important achievement after academic qualifications, and that the DofE has a significant impact on young people’s employability. 

Peter Westgarth, The DofE’s Chief Executive, said: “Critically, the DofE is able to offer an alternative route to skills, experience and personal development that could help young people in what is a really tough jobs market right now. Anyone can do their DofE and we want to double the number doing their DofE regardless of circumstance, giving many more the chance to fulfil their potential. Burnley FC’s work is helping us realise that goal.”

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award was founded in 1956 by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh who remains the Patron. HRH The Earl of Wessex is a Trustee. 

More than 280,000 young people are currently taking part in DofE programmes in the UK, supported by 400 partner organisations and over 45,000 adult volunteers from all walks of life. Around 12% of participants come from a background of significant disadvantage. 

• Last year over 208,000 young people started a DofE programme. 81,320 achieved a Bronze, Silver or Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. 

• In total, more than 4.4 million people have participated in DofE programmes and achieved in excess of 2.05 million Awards in the UK since 1956. 

• Through their volunteering activities, young people contribute more than £21.8million a year in kind to their communities. 

• The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a Registered Charity No 1072490 and in Scotland No SC038254 and a Royal Charter Corporation RC000806. 

Our ethos is to enable every young person of every background to take part in our programmes 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. 

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. 

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.