Ferdinando and Luigi Innocenti belonged to a different era, one where a handshake carried weight, and the world was being built and rebuilt from the ground up.

They were inventors, they were people who believed in possibility and progress. And they believed in creating things that made life not just easier, but more joyful.

Their most iconic creation, the Lambretta scooter, was more than a mode of transport. It was a way for young people to experience the world with more independence, freedom and fun.

At the Ferdinando & Luigi Innocenti Foundation, that same spirit of invention still guides us. We think about invention not just as something technical, but something human. Something that opens doors, sparks curiosity, and brings a sense of joy.

We also know that invention can't happen in isolation - it's made possible through partnership and collaboration.

That’s why we’ve partnered with The Duke of Edinburgh's Award (DofE) to help support their ambitious five-year World Ready strategy.

Since 1956, the DofE has been supporting young people with their personal growth. Whatever their ability, interest or background, the DofE offers them the chance to strive for achievement, overcome obstacles, and set their minds to a personal challenge.  

70 years on, today’s young people are growing up in a world defined by seismic change. From climate instability to economic pressure, from shifting social structures to the relentless pace of technological change, the ground beneath their feet is constantly moving.

The need for connection, confidence, and real-world experiences has never been greater.

A DofE experience offers young people the chance to build resilience, adaptability, self-belief, and independence.

The charity’s  ambition is bold: by 2031, they aim to reach over two million young people with a life-changing DofE experience.

 Our partnership will help support that ambition by providing funding to enable the DofE to reach more young people by exploring new ways to connect the DofE experience with inclusive sport and physical activity pathways.

Alison Carroll, Project Manager at The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award explains it:

“This new project aims to strengthen the links between DofE and partners across the sport sector. We will meet young people in the spaces they already are while also opening opportunities for young people who have not yet discovered the sport or activity that brings them joy.

For a young person with a passion for a particular sport, instead of fitting that interest around their DofE, their DofE will fit around them. For other young people, it might be about trying something new for the first time in a supportive and accessible way.

Our sport and physical activity approach aims to enable young people to complete their DofE sections within a sports setting. Alongside the Physical section, as part of their Volunteering, they could lead training sessions, and for their Skills they could gain a qualification linked to their sport.

We hear time and again that young people want more flexibility in how they do their DofE and more opportunities to explore what really motivates them.

Early public sector funding for an initial feasibility phase in 2025 meant we could test market assumptions, meet early sports partners and begin consultation amongst young people. This project was shaped by conversations with our UK Youth Ambassadors, and they’ll continue to guide it as it grows.

Now, funding from the Ferdinando & Luigi Innocenti Foundation is helping this innovative model to leap off paper and into people's local sports clubs.

The idea is simple but powerful: helping young people find or deepen a passion for sport and physical activity and through DofE, turn it into skills that empower them for whatever comes next.”

This project speaks to everything we hold dear at the Ferdinando & Luigi Innocenti Foundation – it is youth-led and has invention, ambition for impact, and JOY at its heart.

And, hopefully, it’s the start of something that helps more young people feel ready for the world ahead.

We’re proud to be part of that journey.

Learn more about our partnerships and projects