Almost 170 young people achieved the Gold level of the DOFE programme this year. Most of them received their Awards received it at a ceremony in Prague. The Gold Level of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award programme, known as DOFE for short, represents the highest level programme. The award young people took over in the year when DOFE celebrates 70 years since the programme was established Prince Philip, then Duke of Edinburgh. And so shows that even pIt is still very much relevant today.
The non-formal education programme is aimed at young people aged between 13 and 24 and has been running in the Czech Republic since 1995. The awards were presented to DOFE participants who had completed the gold level of the DOFE programme. For at least 18 months, they regularly and consistently engaged in activities of their own choosing in the areas of physical activity, skills development and volunteering. In each area, they set their own goals, worked towards them step by step, regularly reflected on their progress with their mentor, and learnt to cope with both successes and setbacks. The Gold Level also includes a team expedition and a residential project, during which young people step outside their familiar surroundings and community, collaborate with new people and bring tangible value to their local area. Each Gold Dofak or Dofačka has devoted a total of over 200 hours to these activities.
„DOFE enables young people to experience three important things: that they can choose their own path, that they can learn from their mistakes and failures, and that they can be of help to others. It is precisely this kind of growth that is often not visible at first glance, but is essential for a young person’s life. The international award recognises them not on the basis of what young people promise or present, but on the basis of what they actually do,“ says Gabriela Drastichová, director of DOFE in the Czech Republic.
Gabriela Drastichová, Director of DOFE in the Czech Republic
Last year in the Czech Republic, a total of 9,000 young people from primary and secondary schools, sports clubs, children’s and youth centres, and children’s homes took part in the programme. Together, they volunteered for 85,000 hours and spent 122,000 hours on physical activity.
One of the DOFE award winners is David Konvalina, who volunteered to help his blind neighbour. „Above all, the DOFE programme gave me a new perspective on the world, particularly in relation to Mr Jakeš, who is blind. Through this, I discovered the challenges he faces every day, which I’d had absolutely no idea about until then. At the same time, thanks to the programme, I learnt how to draw up a training plan, and even after completing the Gold Level, I’m still using it – which has led me to beat my personal best in the half-marathon,” explains the 19-year-old student. 
Certificates and badges were also presented by Jiří Drahoš, First Deputy Speaker of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic.
There are currently 437 DOFE centres operating in the Czech Republic – schools and other youth organisations – where the ‘dofáky’ and ‘dofačky’, as the programme participants call themselves, are supported by more than 1,600 leaders. DOFE leaders are most often teachers, youth workers, coaches and other staff who work with young people, helping them on their journey of personal development. They open up new opportunities for them, support them in setting personal goals, guide them as they work towards these goals, and reflect with them on both their successes and the obstacles they face. They take on this role voluntarily, usually in addition to their regular work. "An internationally recognised certificate It remains valuable to young people even after the programme has ended. It serves as recognised proof that they have worked on themselves consistently and over the long term, building their self-confidence, resilience and courage, developed empathy, teamwork and leadership. These are precisely the personal skills that schools, universities and employers need today. DOFE therefore helps young people to identify and demonstrate what they have learnt, and can open doors for them in terms of further education and entry into employment and making decisions about one’s own career path,” adds Gabriela Drastichová.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award was founded by Prince Philip, husband of Queen Elizabeth II, in 1956 to support the personal development of boys and girls, regardless of their background, physical abilities or skills. The programme was introduced to the Czech Republic by golf champion Luisa Abrahams in 1995. Over the past thirty years, tens of thousands of young people have taken part in the programme.
