Duke of Edinburgh's Award still holds relevance for all young people

I am well aware of the critique that is often levelled at the award and some of that critique holds true. Many participants do still come from the right side of the tracks and their achievements in the DofE enhance their already advantaged position in society. But the DofE should also be given credit for having reached out in recent years and made significant progress in connecting with, and encouraging the engagement of, groups of young people who, in the past, would not have thought of it as "for them".

I have to declare an interest. I am a UK trustee, but only because I believe in its relevance and value in the 21st century and support the original vision of the patron, not all the distorted versions that are sometimes peddled out. Fifty-four years on, Prince Philip reminded us of one of a number of rationales for establishing the DofE. He said he had always believed that young people's leisure time was an important space for peer group activity, facing personal challenge, becoming attached to a spirit of adventure and helping others. This potentially produced the skills, competence and confidence that schools did not — a complementary learning environment.