The traditionally outdoor-focused Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme has added esports as a Skills activity that young people can complete. This long-standing scheme is a youth programme that includes Volunteering, Physical, Skills, Expedition and Residential sections. These combine to create the Award. The Skills section has been updated to allow young people to use esports, and Ruth Marvel, CEO of DofE, said: “Esports is one of the fastest growing activities in the UK and helps young people develop essential skills. DofE has a proud history of evolving our programmes to reflect the changing interests and needs of young people, so I’m delighted that, following a successful pilot, we’ve added esports to the DofE Skills list.”
Queen Mary’s College in Basingstoke runs the DofE Award scheme and has its own esports facilities. Head of Creative Arts, James Fraser-Murison, added, “It’s fantastic that the DofE now offers esports as an option for young people. I’m sure it’s going to prove an extremely popular choice with lots of students.”
Before adding the new option, DofE conducted a pilot, which found that playing esports helps young people develop skills such as strategic thinking, communication, leadership and teamwork while also helping to develop self-esteem and build organisational and social skills.”
