An Assessor is someone who checks on the participant's progress and agrees the completion of a section of their programme.
They will produce or sign off the relevant Assessor’s report for that section, which is uploaded into eDofE.
An Assessor can be anyone who is interested in helping the young person to achieve, has some knowledge of the activity they are doing and can be available over the time they're doing it.
From the local football club coach to a charity shop manager, from the neighbour who’s a web designer to the conservation expert leading a residential week, just about anyone can be an Assessor for the Volunteering, Physical, Skills and Residential sections.
However, they MUST be independent. Therefore, they CANNOT be a member of the participant's family. The Leader must approve the participant's choice of Assessor before they embark on the section.
Because of the nature of expeditions, there are slightly different rules in place for Expedition Assessors.
If the participant is struggling to find Assessors, they should talk to their DofE Leader.
The Assessor should have knowledge of the activity being undertaken and be aware of your objectives. The participant should them the relevant sectional Assessor's card from the Welcome Pack.
The Assessor should also be available at key stages throughout their experience in order to assess thei young person's contribution and development.
Once a section is complete the Assessor will meet with the participant to discuss their performance, experiences and achievements.
The Assessor will also decide whether they have met the DofE requirements – that they've demonstrated effort, perseverance, improvement and made progress towards their section goals. This information, along with comments from the Assessor, should be recorded on the Assessor’s report.
Assessor’s reports can be submitted in two different ways, these include:
- Online: at www.DofE.org/assessor then follow the instructions.
- On paper: using the Keeping Track booklet or any other written submission that can be uploaded to eDofE.
In each case, Assessors will need to provide the participant's name, eDofE ID number (top left of each page when you're in eDofE), DofE level and the section they have assessed.
At the end of each section, the DofE Leader, should spend some time with the participant discussing their sectional achievements and helping them to reflect and identify the skills they have learned.
Download a simple guide to adding Assessor Reports online here.
Participants can add their personal reflections to their eDofE account to be included in their Achievement Pack.