Young man from Northampton one of just 31 chosen to advocate for young people as a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Youth Ambassador

James Hunter-Brown joins a cohort of just 31 DofE Award holders aged 16-24 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.

James first heard about the DofE from his dad, who had been a cadet and encouraged him to take part. Alongside his friends, who he was keen to share the experience with, he signed up through his school, Northampton School for Boys. Despite initial worries about balancing commitments, including scouting and sports, and concerns about the expeditions, James went on to complete all three levels of the Award: Bronze, Silver and Gold.

James said: “I was sceptical at first due to having so many commitments, but DofE helped me grow in ways I never expected. It gave me the confidence to say yes to new things.”

For his Bronze Physical section, James took up gym training to improve his overall fitness, setting personal goals like completing 15 pull-ups. He also stepped out of his comfort zone by joining the school play for his Skill section, which helped build his confidence. As a Reading Mentor, he supported younger students with literacy, gaining valuable teaching and communication skills. For his Silver volunteering, he began volunteering as a Young Leader with a local Scout group, a role he continued into Gold.

James said: “Being a Young Leader gave me my first taste of real responsibility. I planned camps, led sessions, and became someone younger scouts could talk to. I think knowing that I had been where they are now made them feel more connected to me and willing to open up, and I’m really pleased that I was able to be that safe space for them.”

Although his Silver expedition was disrupted by COVID, James was determined to complete his Gold Award. He continued gym training and took up photography, building a portfolio and rediscovering his love for the craft. His Gold expedition in Cumbria was far smoother thanks to better preparation and easing of Covid restrictions, and his residential experience in the Peak District was a standout moment.

James said: “I spent a week with Peak District rangers, building dry stone walls and creating nesting habitats for birds. It was eye-opening to see how much volunteers are relied on. I chose it over a surf trip with mates because I wanted to push myself.”

‘A yes mentality’

James credits DofE with helping him develop a “yes mentality”: a mindset that’s led him to take on leadership roles at university, join new societies, and complete a placement year in London. Now studying Business Management in Sheffield, James is passionate about sharing what he’s learned. James also represented the DofE at the Liberal Democrat Party Conference in September, where he called on politicians to show their support for young people by backing an Enrichment Guarantee – 80 hours of high-quality enrichment activities per year for all young people, as part of the Government’s National Youth Strategy.

James added: “DofE has given me so much, and I want to show others that they can say yes too. I want to encourage other young people to get involved – trying new things gives you space to grow and discover who you are.”

‘Space to grow’

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: “James 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.”

A record-breaking number of young people started their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award across the UK in 2024-25, with 572,802 young people actively taking part, 342,412 young people starting their Award – and participants contributing an astonishing 5.2 million hours of volunteering, with an estimated total value of £33.4 million.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award wants to see 1.6 million young people start their DofE by Spring 2026. It has launched ambitious projects to fund schools and community organisations in the UK’s most deprived areas to start offering the DofE, to expand into more prisons and young offender institutions, and to support more young people with additional needs and disabilities to achieve their DofE Awards.