ACTION
Go Beyond is a charity that offers vulnerable children week-long countryside breaks, providing respite from their worries in a safe, supporting environment.
For the past decade, it has welcomed young adults aged 18 and older who are completing the residential section of the Gold Duke of Edinburgh's Awards (DofE) onto the programme as volunteers.
The DofE volunteers spend five days and four nights at one of Go Beyond's residential sites in Cornwall or Derbyshire, working and living alongside 16 young people, a team of volunteers and the charity's permanent supervisory staff and break leaders.
“As an approved DofE activity provider, we ensure that the experience meets the guidance set out in the DofE regulations for the residential section of the award,” explains Go Beyond's operations director, Carl Wholey.
“Last year we took on 60 DofE volunteers over the course of eight weeks, with around three volunteers out of a total of six attending each week-long retreat.”
Children and young people aged between eight and 13 are referred onto the programme by teachers, social workers, doctors or charities.
“We ask them to share the young people's backgrounds – enough to ensure that we have all the information to keep the child safe over four nights,” he says.
Wholey says that 36% of participants are young carers and most come from the lowest income households.
“Others are referred for anxiety, stress, low mood and lack of confidence, or they may be impacted by domestic violence, marital breakup, bereavement, bullying, housing issues or poverty,” he adds.
The residentials aim to give young people respite from the daily challenges and pressures they face. Wholey says: “Many of them don't really have a childhood. They don't go anywhere or do anything. We try and give them a little bit of a spark and positivity and provide some wonderful role models for them to interact with.
“When the young carers first arrive, they are really organised, and their bedrooms are immaculate. By midweek, they start to settle and become more interested in the play than keeping everything in order. It's great to see them just being kids,” he adds.
Activities are outdoor based and range from rolling down hills to sliding in mud, playing in puddles and flying a kite for the first time.
“Burying a volunteer in sand is a wonderful memory that the young children will take away with them forever,” he adds. “It's magical to see children start to break down those barriers, relax, play with each other and just be kids.”
Adventure days give children the chance to learn new skills, such as rock climbing, surfing and kayaking. The residential sites have games rooms, creative spaces and sports halls and children get the chance to see popular tourist attractions such as the Eden Project in Cornwall. During the evenings they attend bingo and quiz nights.
Young people attend the programme without parents, carers or teachers but in some cases, where there is a need, carers or teachers get signed up as volunteers.
The DofE volunteers’ role is to be a “fun yet responsible person, a listening ear and to inspire positivity by encouraging each child or young person to take part”, Wholey says.
“It's an immersive experience,” explains Wholey. “They're up at 7am laying the breakfast tables, doing activities with the children, serving dinner and doing evening briefing sessions. After the evening session with the children, they have their own session with a member of staff to talk about what went on during the day and any concerns they have about the children. It's a full-on day but they find it rewarding.
“During their induction we explain that they are expected to be role models, moderating their language and following our code of conduct. They do not know the backgrounds of any of the children they are working with. We do a daily report on every child, which goes back to the referral agent at the end of the week. And we also do a daily report on the volunteers and how they work and interact.
“Having responsibility for others widens their perspective and gives them work experience in a controlled environment. There are no phones, not even a TV.”
Go Beyond breaks are free for all participants but DofE volunteers are invited to donate £100 towards the costs of their food and accommodation, although this is not mandatory.
IMPACT
In 2024, more than 1,000 children and young people had the opportunity to spend a week in the countryside with Go Beyond. For more than three decades, the charity's formula of a simple, screen-free break with plenty of outdoor time has proven to be a success.
The charity uses the Stirling Wellbeing Scale to assess the impact of its residential breaks. In 2024, participants reported a 10.8% improvement in their overall emotional wellbeing and an 8% increase in their positive outlook on life. Some 9% of young people reported feeling calmer and 8.7% experienced a greater sense of enjoyment in each new day.
Additionally, the breaks helped boost confidence, with a 7.3% improvement in their ability to make choices easily and a 9.9% boost in their ability to form new friendships.
“These findings reinforce the importance of providing a safe, supportive, and uplifting environment for young people to grow, heal, and build resilience,” Wholey says.
The volunteers are “absolutely integral” he adds: “From our 18-year-old DofE students to our 82-year-old community volunteers, they all bring breadth and depth to what we can offer the children. It's a joy to see some of the DofE volunteers grow during the week – gaining confidence, improving their communication skills and embracing who they are.”
Volunteer Jennifer describes it as “one of the best and most rewarding experiences” of her life.
