Volunteering

Why is this part of the D of E award?

This section is based on the belief that members of a community have a responsibility to each other. One way of showing this is to make a personal contribution of some of your free time to help others through voluntary work.

What do I have to do?

The first stage is to identify the type of service you might be able to do and check with your group leader to make sure that it meets the requirements of the D of  E. The volunteering must not be paid and it must not be for a commercial organisation. If you prefer you can join with friends to do your volunteering as part of a team.

Before you start, gain some knowledge of the needs of the people you are helping. You should receive a briefing and possibly training in the necessary skills for the activity. Time spent on training can count towards your volunteering, but it must not be more that 25% of the total time. You will then be ready to volunteer under supervision. At the end of the activity, you should review your experience with your assessor.

What do I get out of it?

The value of taking part in this section comes from the training you will receive, the practical service you are giving, and appreciating the needs of the community.

You will learn to trust and be trusted, and to take responsibility. You will meet new people and learn about their lives - and by reviewing your volunteering you will also learn about yourself.

There are lots of areas of volunteering to get involved in

• Helping a Charity or Community Group
• Community Action and Awareness Raising
• Coaching, Teaching and Training
• Working with the Environment or Animals
• Helping People

For more information on this section see the Volunteering section of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award website.