William Singer joins a cohort of just 31 DofE Award holders, aged between 16 and 24 from all over the UK, who will advocate for young people by sharing their experiences on key issues impacting them.
Together, they will make young people’s voices heard by speaking at events, meeting key decision-makers in Parliament and beyond, and feeding into decisions to shape the direction of the DofE charity’s work.
William has always been a fan of the outdoors and was excited to start his DofE journey when the opportunity came up at school. While many of his peers dropped out, William stuck with it, completing his Bronze Award and moving straight to Gold when Silver wasn’t available.
William, who completed his Bronze and Gold DofE Awards at Gryffe High School in Houston, said: “I’ve learned that I can do anything I put my mind to. DofE has helped me grow in confidence, take on responsibility, and make memories I’ll never forget.”
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Along the way, William’s had to battle with the elements – from building snowmen during his Bronze practice expedition to singing in the rain to lift team spirits in the Cairngorms.
His Gold expedition was challenging, but he stepped up as a leader, helping his group stay motivated and united through tough terrain and unpredictable Scottish weather.
For his Volunteering section, William supported a local primary school with everything from homework clubs to classroom displays, and gained hands-on experience in joinery through a church connection – even helping install a bathroom in Glasgow.
He’s also spent time mentoring younger DofE participants at his school and hopes to complete his Lowland Leader award to assess expeditions in the future.
William added: “I’ve made lifelong friends through DofE. It’s given me so many opportunities to connect with people I’d never have met otherwise – and I want to help others have that same experience.”
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William’s residential took place at a Christian camp, where he stepped into a Junior Leader role. He helped run activities, support other young people, and manage the behind-the-scenes work that makes the camp run smoothly.
Funded by The Gosling Foundation, the youth ambassador programme puts young people front and centre as future leaders, involving them in shaping the DofE’s work to benefit other young people.
DofE youth ambassadors have met ministers and MPs, spoken at high-profile events such as party conferences and DofE Gold Award celebrations in Buckingham Palace Garden, represented the DofE at international forums and played a pivotal role feeding into key decisions across the charity.
Ashley Williams, UK youth engagement manager at The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, said: “William has achieved incredible things through his DofE. As a charity, we’re committed to putting young people at the heart of everything we do and give them the opportunity to make a positive, lasting impact on the issues they are passionate about. I am excited to see the impact that our new cohort of Youth Ambassadors will make this year.
“It is a challenging time to be a young person, with cutbacks to youth services, rising living costs, and a mental health and school attendance crisis. Now more than ever, it’s crucial that all young people can access opportunities like the DofE, which let them have fun, grow their resilience and self-belief, and develop vital skills they can’t always get in the classroom.”
