Assessor resources

Empowering young Australians to change the world.

Assessor resources

Empowering young Australians to change the world.

Supportive resources for Assessors

Thank you for being an Assessor for The Duke of Ed! Assessors are crucial to the success of the Award. The information below will help you to understand and fulfil your role.  

Assessor resources icon

What are the roles and responsibilities of an Assessor?

As an Assessor, you need to meet the following requirements.

  1. Be suitably experienced and/or qualified in the activity you’re assessing.
  2. Meet child protection legislation requirements in your state/territory.
  3. Agree to the Duke of Ed - Volunteer Commencement Guide before undertaking any assessment.
  4. Be approved by the Award Leader and therefore the Award Unit prior to a Participant commencing the activity with you as their Assessor.
  5. Understand the relevant requirements for the Section you’re assessing.
  6. Assist the Participant to identify and pursue achievable goals for the Section you’re assessing.
  7. Help the Participant stay focused on the goals they have set.
  8. Ensure the Participant undertakes the Section activity substantially in their own time.
  9. Encourage and recognise improvements and record positive comments about the Participant’s progress.
  10. Write a report at the completion of the Section activity and sign off the Participant’s records to verify they’ve achieved the requirements.
  11. Undertake your role as an Assessor in a safe work environment. This includes: taking reasonable care for your own health and safety; ensuring that your conduct does not adversely affect the health and safety of others; complying with any reasonable instructions relating to health and safety; and cooperating with any reasonable policy or procedure relating to health and safety that applies to you, your colleagues, people you are supervising or who are considered to be in your care.

How do I complete an Assessor’s Report?

The Participant will provide you with a Section summary to enable you to complete the report and sign off after they’ve met the requirements.

Please note: 

  • Assessors cannot be immediate family members (ie, a parent or sibling).
  • Participants cannot commence a section activity until their Award Leader has confirmed the appointment of an appropriately skilled, experienced and/or qualified Assessor for that Section.
  • An Assessor can assess more than one Participant and may also be qualified to assess across multiple activities and/or Sections. 
  • An Award Leader can also be an Assessor. 

Frequently asked questions

I have been asked by a Participant to be their Assessor. What’s involved?

An Assessor is a suitably skilled, experienced and/or qualified volunteer who can assist with and assess a Participant’s activity being undertaken for their Section. As an Assessor, you complete a digital report (or the Participant can print a hardcopy) at the conclusion of the Participant’s Section. This report verifies that the Participant has met the requirements for that Section.

Do I need a Working with Children Check to be an Assessor?

Any person working with children (under 18) in New South Wales in a direct, ongoing capacity requires a valid Working with Children Check, and this includes Assessors. Please refer to Office of the Children’s Guardian. Possible exceptions apply.

Where can I find the Assessor Commencement Guide?

See the resources for Assessors section on this page.

Do I need to submit the volunteer details and agreements form from the Assessor Commencement Guide to the Award Centre?

Yes, either digitally or in hard copy. You can return it to the Participant or forward it to their Award Leader.

Do I need to be approved by the Participant’s Award Leader before starting to assess the Participant’s activity?

Yes, all Assessors must first be approved by the Participant's Award Leader before starting to assess the Participant’s activity.

Can I be an Assessor for my son/daughter or brother/sister?

No. Assessors should not be an immediate family member.

Does an Assessor need to be with the Participant each time they engage in the activity?

No, the frequency of Award-related contact and monitoring between the Participant and Assessor will depend on the activity and the Participant’s age/level of independence.

How do I assess a Participant’s activity?

The Participant records their activities in their Online Record Book and can print off a summary and present this to you for assessment. Alternatively, you will receive an email from the Online Record Book requesting you to assess the Participant.

What do I do if a Participant has not met the requirements for their Section?

You should discuss your concerns with the Participant. The Participant should then be encouraged to finish the requirements of that Section.

As a director, can I sign off on a Participant’s activity even if I am not directly overseeing them?

You can nominate yourself as the Assessor if supervising staff are appropriately qualified and the organisation meets NSW child protection requirements. However, final approval is at the discretion of the Award Leader.

How can my organisation be listed as a Duke of Ed activity provider?

You can register for the National Activity Provider Directory.

Want to find out more?

To find out more, please contact Ngaire Smith, Award Coordinator at World Vision Australia dukeofed@worldvision.com.au.