Young Sutton woman to make youth voices heard

Amelia Warren joins a cohort of just 35 other DofE participants and award holders who will speak up for young people throughout the year.

Together, they will work together to design and deliver campaigns, and help shape the direction of the DofE by sharing their expertise on key issues impacting young people across the UK.

The DofE recruited its first panel of Youth Ambassadors in 2021, as part of its commitment to put young people at the heart of its work, supporting them to champion and represent the charity at events and panel discussions, and make young people’s voices heard at the highest levels.

Amelia is passionate about ensuring all young people are given the opportunity to access the DofE.

A real highlight for Amelia was her gold residential, which involved being part of a crew in the Tall Ships Race. Having never been on a boat before this was completely out of her comfort zone, but was a “truly incredible” experience.

Speaking on her appointment as a youth ambassador, Amelia said: “I feel like kids today will grow up with zero self-confidence because of the expectations social media puts out there.

“DofE gets you outdoors – you don’t have time to go on your phone, you are too busy having fun with friends.

“There was no DofE programme at my school, I was lucky to come across the Independent Rolls-Royce group, which offers DofE for those who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity at school or youth clubs, and I want to make sure every school knows it’s such a good opportunity.”

The DofE is a non-competitive, personal challenge that gives all young people the chance to discover new passions, broaden their horizons and make a difference on issues that matter to them.

Through their DofE, young people develop vital skills, confidence and resilience to help them take on challenges and fulfil their potential.

In 2021/22, more than 321,000 young people started their DofE – the highest figure in the charity’s 66-year history.