For parents
"70 % of young people and 80 % of adults believe that formal education alone is not sufficient to prepare the young generation for challenges in nowadays world."
That is why DofE programme is here.
Has your child started their DofE programme and you want to know more?
We have prepared a summary of the most important information for you. If you can´t find answers to your questions, please contact us.
Do you want to know what the Award Ceremonies look like? You can check out the Gallery.
1. How does the DofE programme work?
The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award (DofE) is a prestigious educational programme for everyone aged 14 to 24 years. It motivates participants to work on their personal development and to spend free time in a meaningful way. DofE also helps them in developing key skills useful for their future studies and careers. The programme can be found in more than 230 schools and organizations around the Czech Republic. More than 5000 young people have been participating in the programme.
This traditional non-formal educational programme was founded by the British Royal Family and is still actively supported by them. The Royal Family members regularly attend the Award Ceremony in the Czech Republic. You can read more about it in the History section.
Find out more about what awaits the participants that are part of the programme in the section About the programme.
2. What does DofE bring to the young people?
Young people choose themselves what they want to do in DofE and they set personal goals which they aim to achieve. In addition to unforgettable experiences, graduates will also receive an internationally recognized certificate. This certificate will help them when applying to universities in the Czech Republic and abroad. It will also be of interest to the future employers as evidence of acquired skills (communication, team work, adaptability).
Programme also provides:
- improvement of emotional well-being
- independence and creativity
- improvement in physical condition
- engagement in volunteering and community life
- increased interest in the environmental issues
- improvement in employability and financial evaluation.
3. Safety
Participants do DofE at their school, in their organization or by joining the Skills For You(th) platform. They get an experienced and a trained leader who regularly meets with them and helps them in the course of the programme. He also supervises them during an Adventurous journey in the nature.
All DofE leaders have completed training which is accredited by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports as part of the additional training of teachers.
All DofE participants are covered by accident insurance (through our membership in ČRDM). The processing and protection of personal data is carried out in accordance with the applicable laws of the Czech Republic.
4. How much does it cost?
The one-off cost of the DofE programme varies from 100 CZK to 500 CZK, depending on the selected level (bronze, silver, gold). This financial contribution covers administration, ceremony and online application costs. The relevant amount is paid when registering into the Online Record Book application. No additional fees are charged, but there will be certain financial expenses for the Adventurous journey (travel, food, equipment) that must be taken into account. Schools and other institutions can apply for financial support from the DofE Social Fund, in order to cover some of the costs of implementing the programme.
5. Support us
If you want to help us with the personal development of young people through DofE and change the shape of the Czech educational system, you can support us. More information can be found in the section For supporters.