The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) is available to all learners with both the Bronze, Silver and Gold Award offered.
The DofE Award consists of a challenging programme of activities, which will allow learners to learn new skills, help others and experience adventure. The award provides learners with a great sense of achievement and requires both individual work and teamwork. The award is not easy to complete and requires self-organisation and dedication from participants. This is the reason why it is revered and respected by colleges, universities and employers alike.
There are four sections to the Bronze and Silver Awards:
- Volunteering
- Skills
- Physical
- Expedition
There are a wide range of activities from which learners can choose to satisfy each section. Learners will be able to put together an individual programme that interests and challenges them, and from this, they are able to gain a sense of responsibility and self-confidence.
In order to successfully complete the Bronze Award, learners are required to complete three months’ participating in a volunteering activity, a physical activity and a skill activity. They are also required to undertake a further three months in one of these activities. Learners will also plan, train and complete a two day, one night practice expedition on Cannock Chase and a two day, one night assessed expedition in the White Peak District.
This year we are offering the Silver Award to our year 11, 12 and 13 learners. Learners are required to commit to six months’ participating in a volunteering activity, and one section for six months and one section for three months between the physical activity and the skill activity. Learners will also plan, train and complete a three day, two night practice expedition in the White Peak District and a three day, two night assessed expedition in the Dark Peak District.
In 2017 we offered the Gold Award to our sixth form learners, where the commitment is twelve months’ participating in a volunteering activity, and one section for twelve months and the other for six months between the physical activity and the skill activity. Learners will plan, train and complete a four day, three night practice expedition and assessed expedition in wild country. Along with the three sections covered by the Bronze and Silver Awards, Gold Award candidates have to complete a five day, four nights residential.
A direct entrant for either the Silver or Gold Award will need to do an additional six months in one of the sections to complete their award.
For further information on The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award please visit www.dofe.org