Duke of Edinburgh's Awards
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) has been described as a “a life-changing experience”. It is a personal programme of activities, set up in 1956 (1958 for girls) to “inspire, guide and support young people in their self-development and recognise their achievements.” It is an internationally recognised award which is highly respected by employers and universities alike. It provides the tools to develop essential skills for future life and work whilst giving students an opportunity to make new friends and experience an exhilarating adventure.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award consists of three levels:
Bronze - open to Year 9 students
Silver - open to Year 10 students
Gold - open to Year 12 and 13 students.
It will take between six and eighteen months to complete, depending on the level and you have until your 25th birthday to complete the award.
Each level is divided into four sections (five if you are doing Gold): volunteering, skill, physical recreation and the expedition itself. You can find more information about each activity below.
Volunteering
Volunteering is simple. It’s about choosing to give time to something useful, without getting paid. Volunteering could fall into one of the following categories:
Helping people
Community action and raising awareness
Coaching, teaching and leadership
Working with the environment or animals
Helping a charity or community organisation.
Physical
In short, physical recreation is anything that requires a sustained level of physical energy and involves doing an activity. This could fall into one of the following categories:
Team sports
Individual sports
Water sports
Racquet sports
Dance
Fitness
Extreme sports
Martial arts
Skills
A skill is something that you will need to spend time on to develop. Ultimately at the end of your timescale, you must be able to prove that you have broadened your understanding and increased your expertise in the chosen skill. Some examples include:
Creative arts
Performance arts
Science and technology
Care of animals
Music
Life skills
Learning and collecting
Media and communication
Natural world
Games and sports
Expedition
The aim of the expedition section is to inspire young people to develop their initiative and a sense of adventure and discovery, by planning, training for and completing an adventurous journey as part of a team. The duration of the expedition depends on bronze, silver or gold.
For bronze: Students will complete 2 days and 1 night.
For silver: Students will complete 3 days and 2 nights.
For gold: Students will complete 4 days and three nights.