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Welcome to the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme area created for Warwickshire Scouts.
A bit about me
I have recently taken over the position of DofE co-ordinator for the county, and my aim is to make the award scheme as accessible as possible.
I am a Gold award holder myself, and additionally have been involved in the award as an expeditions assessor and award leader for the last 10 years. Most recently I have been heavily involved with King Edward VI school in Stratford for the past 5 years, assisting them particuarly with Gold and Silver expeditions, and as a member of the Warwickshire County Coucil local area liasion committee.
DofE within Warwickshire Scouts
DofE within the scout association is a remarkably easy scheme to get involved with. The Association is considered as an operating authority, and all explorer units and scout networks are automatically considered as award groups, should members elect to follow the scheme. The award is administered locally within each county by an elected co-ordinator, and this is the roll I have taken on.
Over the next few weeks I will be re-vamping this section to enable particiapnts and leaders to have their own information pages and resources from here, however please bear with me, as since I'm not a website whizz kid then this could be a lengthy process!
So far the award administration is progressing well, however I am aware that there are still a few groups and districts with some outstanding issues. If anyone is awaiting books, award completion notifications or have anything else they would like to discuss, then please contact me by email, my address is below.
Registrations
For new participants then all registrations are to now come through me. A registration form is available to download from the link below, all details are on the forms.
I keep a certain number of books in stock which enables us to issue books quickly, however for large orders please note there may be a slight delay as I will need to order these from London.
Completions
Once awards have been completed then please forward your record books to me for authorisation and award issue.
Bronze and Silver awards
These will be sent from me to your District Commissioner for presentation at a suitable opportunity.
Gold awards
You need to fill out a special Gold form which can be downloaded from the link below. This needs to be printed before posting to me along with your record book. I will then check everything and forward everything on to the relevant departments on your behalf.
If you have ny questions regarding the award scheme, especially with regard to activity suitabilty within the sections, then please get in touch and I will do my best to steer you in the right direction.
Alternatively check the Award website regularly for hints and suggestions for successful completion of the sections, or follow the links right at the bottom of the page for ideas that qualify for each section.
Best wishes, and good luck to all of you working towards your awards
Helen Heenan
County DofE Advisor
The Award
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award (DofE), is an award for personal achievement that can be obtained by anyone aged from 14 to 25, regardless of personal ability. The scheme takes, on average, a year to complete and around 250,000 participants are taking part in the Award programme at any time in the United Kingdom.
The Award itself has three levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold. To obtain an award, participants must demonstrate achievement at the appropriate level in various activities in four sections:
1. Volunteering: helping the community (for example, working with a charity)
2. Skills: a hobby, skill or interest (for example, showing progress with a musical instrument);
3. Physical recreation: sports, dance, or fitness; and
4. Expeditions: can be by bicycle, horseback, or water, but most commonly on foot.
The expedition can be taken almost anywhere in the countryside. For example, in the UK, popular places for expeditions are the national parks, particularly the Lake District, Dartmoor, the Peak District, Pembrokeshire and Snowdonia. Some groups undertake their expedition in places outside the UK, such as the South of France or Kenya, and a number of companies organise such trips. The expedition must be planned and prepared for in advance, and at least one practice journey of equivalent difficulty must be undertaken. The expedition party is expected to be self-sufficient and have an aim, such as a nature project.
Participants aiming for the Gold Award must also take part in one additional fifth section, a residential project. The residential project must be 5 days and 4 nights away from home with unfamiliar people to achieve some form of purposeful enterprise.
Time frames
The Bronze Award takes a minimum of six months to complete, with the participant having to complete three months work in two of the three main sections (service, skills, and physical recreation) and six months in the third. The expedition must be an overnight trip spanning two days.
At Silver Award level, participants must complete six months of in the service section. Of the skills and physical recreation sections, one must be undertaken for six months and the other for three months. Participants who have not completed the Bronze Award must add an extra three months in either the service section or in the longer of the skill and physical recreation sections (so one activity takes nine months, another takes six months, and the third takes three months). The expedition must last for three consecutive days, including the two nights between them.
At Gold Award level, participants must complete twelve months in the service section. Of the skills and physical recreation sections, one must be undertaken for twelve months and the other for six months. Participants who have not completed the Silver Award must add an extra six months in either the service section or in the longer of the skill and physical recreation sections (so one activity takes eighteen months, another takes twelve months, and the third takes six months). The expedition must last for four days and three nights. In addition, to the usual four activities, participants at Gold Award level must undertake a residential activity for five days away from home.
Activities can be undertaken concurrently, so each award can be obtained in the period required for the longest task. Participants are expected to do at least an hour a week in the sections, and need to arrange for an assessor for each section to sign a record book to confirm they meet the requirements for that section.
Principles
The Award, according to its key principles, is non-competitive, available to all, voluntary, flexible, balanced, progressive, achievement-focused, a marathon not a sprint, personal development, and enjoyable.
Resources
Opportunities (updated weekly)
Volunteering ideas and requirements
Physical ideas and requirements
Expedition ideas and requirements
Residential ideas and requirements