Develop your skills and become part of a community of ambassadors.
What is the Ambassador Academy?
The Ambassador Academy is a training programme for DofE Ambassadors to support them in their development and help them effectively spread the ideas of the programme in their regions.
During the three trimesters, participants will acquire key skills in the areas of:
✔ Communication, storytelling and branding
✔ Leadership, community building and marketing strategy
✔ Networking, professional development, personal brand and project management
Ambassadors meet at regular online meetings and they immediately try out new skills in real-life situations on practical tasks.
International inspiration
In the UK, DofE ambassadors such as youth advisorswho work with companies, government institutions and non-profit organizations. They help bring new perspectives and solutions.
Why get involved?
Ambassador Academy Curriculum
Trimester 1: Basics of communication, storytelling and branding
Introduction to the Ambassadorial Academy and the basics of rhetoric
- Presentation of the Ambassador Academy programme.
- Familiarization with the project team, schedule and content of individual lessons.
- Setting up a common communication channel and ORB.
- Introduction to DofE recruitment presentations.
- Basic components of a successful presentation.
- The biggest barriers and fears of public speaking and how to work with them.
- Short rhetorical exercises to introduce participants and share past experiences with presentations.
Presentation skills and storytelling
The lesson is closely related to the previous lesson.
- Tips for presentation structure.
- Adapt the presentation to different target groups according to age or school type.
- The power of storytelling to keep your audience focused and engaged throughout your presentation.
- Why not include personal experiences and stories in your presentation to add memorability and authenticity.
- Short exercises for working with voice (pace, volume, pauses and emphasis on key parts of the presentation) and leading discussions, including brainstorming together on creative techniques and tools.
Branding and visual communication
- Definition of branding.
- Key brand elements (logo, colours, fonts and tone of voice).
- A joint SWOT analysis of the DofE's current communication style and the search for new opportunities.
- Importance of consistency, familiarisation with the DofE brand manual.
- Introduction to Canva and its user environment.
- Use pre-made templates to create social media posts, posters, infographics or presentations.
- Working with MS Powerpoint and the basic principles for a clear and concise recruitment presentation.
- DofE database of photographs and illustrations.
Mentoring
Mentoring with a Silver Ambassador or other representative from the DofE National Centre.
- Individual online/offline meetings over your own recruitment presentation.
- Checking the correct procedure for the use of graphic elements according to the DofE branding manual.
- A collaborative review of a well-structured presentation that is compelling and interesting.
- Mock presentation.
- Sharing and preparing for frequent questions from the audience.
Introduction to digital marketing
- The main social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok), their specific features and audience.
- How to create content that engages.
- Different formats and types of contributions (informative contributions, stories and success stories of participants at their school).
- Practical tips for managing, creating and scheduling content (post frequency, hashtags, free tools for scheduling, creating and approving posts, and more).
- Using AI to write posts.
- Community management - interaction with followers and ways to activate them (polls, contests, discussions, challenges).
Communication strategy and evaluation
- What content is missing from the DofE Centres' social networks? Jointly planning a small-scale campaign to promote the Ambassador Academy across the board.
- Defining SMART goals to evaluate success.
- The difference between short-term campaigns and long-term strategy. Introducing the DofE's long-term strategy.
- Setting a timetable.
- Use key metrics (reach, follower growth, engagement) and analytics tools for social.
- Best practices for reporting to DofE National Centre representatives.
Evaluation and meetings
- Joint evaluation of the programme.
- Strengths and weaknesses of the current operation.
- Opportunities for improvement.
- A look back at the participant's own work and outcomes.
- Presentation of recruitment presentations and successful communication campaigns.
- Sharing best practices.
Trimester 2: Community building, leadership and marketing strategies
Project cycle from A to Z
- Examples of good practice and successful DofE popularisation projects. Joint brainstorming of new formats.
- Key stages in the preparation of a recruitment event.
- Resources needed.
- Correct timing.
- Risk identification and management.
- Using tools for planning and organizing the team.
- Proper goal setting.
- Sharing the initial concept and timing of the recruitment event with representatives of the DofE National Centre.
Marketing promotion of the event
- Why marketing promotion is important for the success of an event. Identifying the target group, their interests and needs.
- Creating the persona of the ideal event participant.
- Setting marketing goals (increase awareness, increase registrations, raise funds, etc.).
- Creating a marketing message and using it for individual channels (social networks, posters, bulletin boards, intranet, etc.).
- Creation of promotional materials and content for social networks. Measuring campaign success and reporting for the DofE National Centre.
Fundamentals of leadership and team management
- Setting up and correct composition of the team.
- Own examples of good team leadership.
- How to motivate the team (recognition, rewards, sharing their stories, etc.). Promoting a positive team culture.
- Delegation of tasks.
- How to listen and effectively communicate expectations and instructions. Tools for managing teams.
- Tips for feedback or conflict resolution.
- Self-analysis of strengths and weaknesses for team leadership and collaboration.
Mentoring
Mentoring with a Gold Ambassador or other representative from the DofE National Centre.
- Individual online/offline meetings over more detailed planning of the recruitment event.
- Checking the correct procedure for timing, tone of communication or use of graphic elements according to the DofE branding manual.
- Feedback on problematic parts or challenges.
- Sharing good practice.
Strengthening your personal brand
- What is a personal brand and how to define it.
- Inspiring Czech and international personalities and their personal brand.
- How to identify and then present your achievements and skills.
- What do we want to achieve in the DofE and in life in general?
- Custom elevator pitch.
- Using the online platform LinkedIn to enhance future study and job opportunities.
- Preparing your own CV or LinkedIn profile.
Networking and relationship building
- Professional vs. personal relationships.
- Peer to peer presentation of your "elevator pitch" to others.
- Strategic contact circuits.
- Networking and how to successfully engage in conversations at events.
- Getting in touch via social networking sites and LinkedIn.
- Sharing networking challenges.
- Effective techniques and strategies for networking.
Mentoring of the Bronze Ambassador
- Individual online/offline meeting with a Bronze student for their own recruitment presentation.
- Checking the correct procedure for using graphical elements according to the DofE brand manual.
- A collaborative review of a well-structured presentation that is compelling and interesting.
- Mock presentation.
- Sharing and preparing for frequent questions from the audience.
Evaluation and meetings
Trimester 3: Networking, professional development and project management
Public speaking and event moderation
- How to structure and prepare a speech according to the target audience.
- Techniques for calming down and managing stage fright in public speaking in a foreign language.
- Speaking aloud training.
- Recording yourself and using feedback.
- Clarity and clarity of speech.
- The effect of movement on the stage. Interaction with the audience.
- How to deal with unexpected situations (technical problems, changes in the program).
- Improvisation.
Inspiring meeting with DofE I corporate partner.
- Learning from personal experiences and success stories of selected representatives of corporate partners.
- Inspiration for personal development and setting new goals based on the knowledge gained.
- Gaining a broader perspective on career paths and life goals, understanding different options and directions.
Preparing for interviews and your dream career
- Why it is important to spend sufficient time and energy preparing for the interview.
- How to present yourself properly in an interview.
- Updating your own elevator pitch and CV/LinkedIn profile. Examples of own contribution, preparation of cover letter.
- How to handle unexpected questions.
- Finding your dream career.
Inspiring meeting with DofE II corporate partner.
- Learning from personal experiences and stories of selected representatives of corporate partners.
- Inspiration for personal development and setting new goals based on the knowledge gained.
- Gaining a broader perspective on career paths and life goals, understanding different options and directions.
Silver Ambassador Mentoring
- Individual online/offline meetings over more detailed planning of the recruitment event.
- Check the correct procedure for timing, tone of communication or use of graphic elements according to the DofE brand manual.
- Feedback on problematic parts or challenges.
- Sharing good practice.
Inspiring meeting with DofE III corporate partner.
- Learning from personal experiences and stories of selected representatives of corporate partners.
- Inspiration for personal development and setting new goals based on the knowledge gained.
- Gaining a broader perspective on career paths and life goals, understanding different options and directions.
Evaluation and meetings
- Joint evaluation of the programme.
- Strengths and weaknesses of the current operation.
- Opportunities for improvement.
- A look back at the participant's own work and outcomes.
- Presentation of recruitment presentations and successful communication campaigns.
- Sharing best practices.
Do you want an ambassador for your project? Contact us!
Naděžda Vránová
project managernadezda.vranova@dofe.cz +420 771 280 607Nikola Yankoyova
Communication Specialistnikola.jankujova@dofe.cz +420 602 523 230