The Volunteering section is about helping others.  You can volunteer in a group or on your own.

How to start your Volunteering Section

  • First, find a local volunteer service, activity or placement and ask if they offer students volunteering opportunities for DofE. There are lots of examples on this page.
  • Approach charitable, community interest or not-for-profit organisations. Please avoid placements offered at commercial organisations and businesses. The spirit of DofE volunteering is to assist people, charities and community needs. Ask if not sure.
  • Ask an adult to be your Assessor. This will usually be the person in charge.
  • Talk to your Assessor about your activity by discussing start and finish dates, time commitment and goals.
  • Submit activity details for approval (don’t leave as “Draft”) on eDofE so that they can be checked before you start anything.
  • Keep evidence as a log of dates or diary as you do the activity.  You should also upload a few photos as evidence.

Rules of the Volunteering Section

Your volunteering must …

  • be unpaid
  • last for the full 3 or 6 months, depending on the time frame you selected for your Award.
  • not be a “job” or work placement for a commerical profit-making business. For example, working at a Vet or working for a commercial sports activity provider (e.g. the Surf School or a profit making dance school) are not allowed. Ask if not sure.
  • be doing work for someone who needs help, a community or charity or non-profit enterprise.
  • be for at least 1 hour per week for the required time period. A SHORT intensive period of activity does NOT COUNT, even if it is a great activity e.g. helping at a kids holiday club or sports club for// one week would NOT count for Volunteering. You will need to add regular hours after that to complete the proper timescale.

Ideas for Volunteering

Click the document provided below for lots of ideas on the DofE website resource area.

These are some things that Elizabeth College students have done:

  • Guernsey Music Service - you may be able to help with younger groups.
  • Scouts and Guides - if you are a member of these organisations, you may be able to volunteer with younger groups such as Beavers, Cubs, Rainbows or Brownies.
  • Sports clubs - most of the sports clubs are non-profit making, so you can volunteer with younger groups at your football, rugby, hockey or swimming club.
  • Churches and other community and faith organisations - EC students have volunteered at churches (e.g. working with children, helping on the sound desk or acting as altar servers), food banks and stewarding at community events.
  • Litter picking - the Clean Earth Trust run weekly beach litter cleans (www.cleanearthtrust.org/thebeachcleanproject). You can do a mixture of organised beach cleans and individual/small group litter picks if you wish.
  • School clubs - if you are involved with any school activities you could see if there are any opportunities to work with younger students.  EC students in the past have volunteered at chess clubs and in the library.
  • Charity shops - ask around as some charity shops only take over 16s.  In Guernsey the Citizens Advice shop will take volunteers from age 14.
  • Online opportunities - look at websites like zooniverse (www.zooniverse.org/) or missing maps (www.missingmaps.org/).

Frequently Asked Questions - Volunteering

Check out the link below for frequently asked questions about the volunteering section. If your question isn't answered here, please do see Mr Robinson.

Volunteering Section FAQs - The Duke of Edinburgh's Award - This page has all of the FAQs for the volunteering section.