A Southwell teenager who found a love of volunteering through The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) wants to advocate for young people after being selected as a youth ambassador for the charity.

Alice Wray, 17, is joining a cohort of 35 DofE Award holders from all over the UK who will advocate for young people by sharing their expertise 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.

Alice, who is doing her Gold DofE Award through The Minster School, is a keen football player, and chose to follow her passion for football for her physical section.

“Doing football for my physical was a no-brainer for me, but I was also able to incorporate it into my volunteering by helping out at the under-nine’s team at Southwell City FC,” she said.

“It’s been great to see the expansion of girls’ football, even since I started playing. I think it really helped the younger girls to have a young female coach, especially considering I’ve been where they are.”

For her residential section, Alice found a hostel in Snowdonia that combined gorge walking, camping, and conservation work. Through her DofE, she has learned many skills, but her biggest takeaway has been discovering a love for volunteering which she intends to continue long after she achieves her Gold Award.

A history enthusiast, Alice was able to volunteer with the National Trust at the Workhouse museum, helping in all sorts of areas, like gardening, arts and crafts and engaging with visitors. Being part of a big team has really helped with her confidence, as she’s one of the youngest people to have ever worked there.

Alice added: “There’s a misconception about young people being lazy, and I think it’s really important to change the narrative. Volunteering is a great way to show how young people can get involved in their communities.”

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 government 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: “Alice and Christopher are two of many young people who have achieved incredible things through their DofE.

“As a charity, we’re determined to put young people at the heart of everything we do and to give them as many opportunities as we can to make a positive impact on the issues they care about – I am excited to see the positive impact our new cohort of Youth Ambassadors make this year.

“It’s not an easy time to be a young person, with the ongoing after-effects of the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis to contend with.

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.”

To do their DofE, young people aged 14-24 choose activities in four sections: improving a Physical and Skills activity, Volunteering for a cause of their choice, and completing a demanding Expedition.

Along the way they have fun, grow in resilience and self-belief, discover new talents and passions, and learn practical skills to help them in future – while working towards a highly respected award.

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