At Winfields Outdoor, we expect that participating within the Duke of Edinburgh Award is arguably top-of-the-line experiences you’ll be able to have as a teenager. That is an distinctive likelihood to embrace the outside, be taught new expertise, and have an effect in your group.
However, we additionally know that it may be tough to know what it’s essential to do. So, to make your life simpler, we’ve put collectively our final information to the Duke of Edinburgh Award. Right here you’ll have the ability to discover DofE Award necessities, exercise concepts, and the all-important package checklist to your expedition – in any case, it pays to be ready.
What’s the Duke of Edinburgh Award?
Nevertheless, earlier than we get into the nitty gritty particulars, what really is the Duke of Edinburgh Award?
The Duke of Edinburgh Award is without doubt one of the world’s main youth achievement awards – and is usually carried out via youth teams like Guides or Scouts, and even via your faculty. Collaborating within the DofE permits younger individuals to take part in a wide range of actions with the intention to construct expertise and push themselves to new heights.
As an added bonus, having your DofE appears to be like nice on CVs and college utility varieties.
The DofE is cut up into three awards, and every has their very own necessities that it’s essential to full to attain your certificates – which we’ll discover in additional element under. These necessities are a chance for younger individuals to positively have interaction with their communities, and be taught priceless new expertise for the longer term.
When was the Duke of Edinburgh Award began?
The Duke of Edinburgh Award was based by HRH Prince Philip within the Fifties as a part of a nationwide programme to assist the social and bodily growth of younger individuals. It quickly turned in style, and has turn out to be one of many prime programmes for younger individuals the world over.
What age are you able to do the Duke of Edinburgh Award?
Your age will dictate when you can begin (or end) your Duke of Edinburgh Award. The Award itself is geared toward 14-24 12 months olds, with the next restrictions:
- You should be a minimum of 14 to start out your Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award.
- You should be a minimum of 15 to start out your Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award.
- You should be a minimum of 16 to start out your Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award.
- You could end the Award you’re trying by your twenty fifth birthday.
Nevertheless, it’s price noting that you just don’t have to finish them so as. For instance, for those who needed to leap straight into finishing your Gold Award, you don’t must have carried out both stage beforehand (however there shall be extra work required, as you’ll see under).
What are the Duke of Edinburgh Award necessities?
As we talked about above, every Duke of Edinburgh Award is achieved by finishing the necessities of every stage. These are damaged down into 4 classes, which is shared throughout the degrees, and embrace:
- Bodily – A give attention to well being and health, corresponding to studying a brand new sport or refining expertise in a single you’re already acquainted with.
- Abilities – Studying a brand new ability or bettering one you have already got. This may very well be something from studying a musical instrument to baking muffins.
- Volunteering – Making a distinction in individuals’s lives by volunteering in a roundabout way.
- Expedition – Getting out and about within the nice outdoor by planning, coaching for, and finishing a journey.
Necessities for every part depend upon what stage of Award you’re going for, so these doing a Gold expedition will spend extra time away than these doing the Bronze Award for instance.
As a aspect observe, these trying their Gold Award can even must undertake a ‘Residential’ exercise that entails time away from house engaged on a mission with a bunch of individuals.
Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award
When you hit 14, you’re in a position to work in the direction of the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award. That is the primary stage, and takes on common about six months to finish. Your exercise breakdown will look one thing like this:
Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award
Shifting via to the Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award, the anticipated timescale is basically the identical – with it taking roughly six months to finish. Nevertheless, for those who’re transferring straight into the Silver Award, you’ll want to incorporate an extra 6 months, transferring the timeframe to roughly 12 months. Your exercise cut up must be as follows within the diagram.
Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award
When you resolve to proceed onto your Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award, it is best to count on to be working in the direction of the achievement for roughly 12 months. When you’ve chosen to go on to the Gold Award, it is best to count on this timeframe to maneuver as much as round 18 months to finish the mandatory necessities.
Prime tip – do not forget that while the time for that is measured in months, you normally must decide to a minimum of one hour per week to fulfil the necessities.
Easy methods to be part of the Duke of Edinburgh Award UK
The Duke of Edinburgh Award is a registered charity, which has licensed 1000’s of organisations to function the problem. Listed here are a few of the prime locations the place you’ll be able to signal as much as full your DofE.
- Ask at your faculty, faculty, or college – even when they’re not already arrange, they might begin.
- Be a part of a youth group like Girlguiding or Scouts, as they typically run DofE Awards for his or her members.
- Contact your native youth membership to see in the event that they’re licensed to run it for you.
- Be a part of DofE Direct for those who’re over 18 to finish your Gold Award.
Prime tip – signing up via a licensed organisation means you may get loads of assist, encouragement, and recommendation once you want it, from leaders and different individuals.
Duke of Edinburgh Award actions
With all of this info in thoughts, the following step (when you’ve determined what stage you’re going to enter in at) is to decide on your Duke of Edinburgh Award actions. You may have final freedom of alternative right here – so long as your exercise suits inside a class, you’ll be able to select something that pursuits you.
Duke of Edinburgh expedition concepts
Since we couldn’t resist the temptation – contemplating the outside is our discipline of experience – we’re going to be looking on the expedition a part of the Duke of Edinburgh Award first. Your DofE expedition can take varied varieties relying on the extent you’re at and the mode of transport you’re utilizing, which might embrace any of the next:
- On foot
- By bicycle
- By boat
- By canoe or kayak
- By wheelchair
- On horseback
So, say somebody decides to do their expedition on foot. They may select to analyze Roman ruins, while videoing their expertise and create a information for others to observe. Or, they could wish to full a bit of the Coast to Coast stroll, tenting alongside the way in which.
Prime tip – for those who do select to camp throughout your expedition, be sure you have the appropriate Tent and Sleeping Bag to maintain you heat and dry at evening.
Alternatively, somebody taking part on an expedition by boat may monitor chook life alongside the coast or be taught varied sorts of knot while on board. So long as you select and plan for a steady route, the probabilities are virtually countless!
Plus, while many individuals select to undertake their expedition within the UK, there’s nothing to say you’ll be able to’t do it overseas. Some individuals have even been recognized to journey so far as Alaska, the Himalayas or India to finish their expedition. It’s totally down to private choice – and what works for you as regards to time and finances.
Duke of Edinburgh Award bodily concepts
Doing a bodily exercise as a part of your Duke of Edinburgh Award helps you turn out to be fitter, and spend time growing your expertise inside a sporting context.
In accordance with the DofE web site, your bodily exercise could be something that ‘requires a sustained stage of vitality and bodily exercise’ corresponding to ‘enjoying a sport repeatedly and displaying private enchancment’.
So you might select something from Aerobics, to Ballet, to Tai Chi, to Wheelchair rugby – the selection is yours. When you’re caught for inspiration, take a look at this DofE Bodily Exercise Programme for extra concepts.
Be aware – this must be a private bodily exercise for it to depend on this part. When you have been studying to educate a sport, this might fall beneath the Abilities class, while volunteering as a coach naturally suits inside the Volunteer part.
Duke of Edinburgh Award volunteering concepts
Volunteering is an unimaginable option to join and provides again to your local people, and have interaction with one thing you’re enthusiastic about. It is best to at all times be motivated by serving to to make a distinction once you select a volunteer place.
Whether or not this entails working with an area charity or meals financial institution, or spending your time serving to at a care house, you might have loads of choices relying in your pursuits. You possibly can even volunteer with native social motion causes, like seaside cleans and litter pick-ups to enhance the atmosphere, or work inside your faculty to volunteer as a studying tutor for youthful college students.
For extra concepts and inspiration, discover the Accredited Exercise Supplier via the DofE web site.
Duke of Edinburgh expertise concepts
Alongside the entire bodily advantages, a part of finishing your Duke of Edinburgh Award is about studying and growing new expertise. Luckily, selecting your ability is totally as much as you – so why not select one thing you’ve at all times needed to be taught?
This may very well be something from studying to play an instrument or communicate a brand new language, to coding, to portray or dressmaking. Nevertheless, this must be one thing trackable – as you’ll want to offer a report of your enchancment over time. When you’re caught for concepts, get extra inspiration from the DofE Abilities Programme.
Prime tip – for your entire actions, be sure you maintain a report of every little thing you do, as that is what shall be assessed when you’ve accomplished the necessities.
What must be on a DofE package checklist?
So, you recognize the necessities, you’ve sorted your Duke of Edinburgh Award actions – the very last thing it’s essential to contemplate is packing to your expedition. However what must be in your DofE package checklist for expeditions? On this part, we’ll share our prime suggestions and concepts for guaranteeing you might have every little thing you want in your DofE package checklist.
Earlier than you pack
There’s no sugarcoating it, there’s numerous stuff it’s essential to take with you as a part of your DofE expedition package checklist – particularly as a result of it pays to have slightly greater than you want in case of emergencies. So, earlier than you begin packing, listed below are a few of our prime suggestions and tips to benefit from your gear.
You don’t must lay our a fortune
There could also be a good bit of drugs that you just want however that doesn’t imply it’s essential to lay our a fortune. There’s a great likelihood that many on the expedition will nonetheless be rising, so clearly you don’t wish to be spending an excessive amount of.
Prime tip – store round for offers and even borrow package from family and friends to chop down on prices.
Don’t neglect to discover our glorious choice of Out of doors Strolling and Climbing Clothes right here at Winfields Outdoor.
Verify the climate/local weather
It’s crucial that you just test native climate and local weather earlier than you go, as this could have a big effect on what you pack. Chances are you’ll must take a drybag or further waterproofing with you, or chances are you’ll even must take solar cream if the climate’s going to be notably good.
Prime tip – don’t at all times solely plan for unhealthy climate!
How lengthy are you going for?
You will have to change what and the way a lot you pack relying on how lengthy you’re on the expedition for. When you’re doing all your Bronze Award, you received’t be away for so long as these doing Gold, so that you received’t must take as a lot with you.
Prime tip – attempt to pack sensibly to your timeframe. Nevertheless, just a few further pairs of Strolling Socks won’t ever go amiss.
Your DofE package checklist
Making a DofE package checklist is important. This fashion, you’ll be able to tick issues off and make sure you don’t neglect something essential.
As a tenet, that is what we expect a primary DofE package checklist ought to appear to be:
- Climbing boots
- Strolling socks
- Waterproof clothes
- Underwear
- Rucksack
- Tent
- Sleeping bag
- Sleeping mat
- First help package
- Towel
- Cooking gear, eg. range, cutlery, pans, and so on.
- Rest room roll
- Face and physique wipes
- Any allergy or essential medicine
- Solar cream, sun shades, and a hat (for decent climate)
- Gloves and a hat (for chilly climate)
- Meals (see extra under)
In fact, you’ll wish to take a few spares of issues, corresponding to socks and underwear, in case it rains and it’s essential to change. Likewise, chances are you’ll wish to contemplate packing an additional shirt or two throughout the summer season as you sweat.
Prime tip – for a extra in-depth checklist, take a look at the DofE package checklist from their web site.
Selecting your DofE meals
You’ll additionally must take meals with you on the expedition, however it’s essential to be fairly choosy about what you are taking. Because you’ll be on the transfer just about all day, it’s essential to maintain your vitality up. This implies you’ll most likely must eat extra energy than standard, with carbohydrates and proteins being your most essential meals varieties.
Retailer cabinet staples corresponding to cereal bars, rice, pasta and porridge are glorious DofE meals as a result of they’re filling and supply loads of vitality. They’re additionally long-lasting and don’t must be refrigerated.
Prime tip – as a substitute of contemporary fruit, attempt to embrace dried substances like dried banana chips or mango. These have an extended shelf life, and are simpler and cleaner to eat on the go.
Equally, you shouldn’t draw back from taking treats corresponding to chocolate bars with you. They’re excessive in energy and, importantly, are satisfying to eat, which might actually assist for those who’re discovering the expedition robust going. Simply don’t dwell solely on chocolate!
Prime tip – contemplate making your individual path combine. This might embrace chocolate, nuts, dried fruits and pretzels – these mixtures are excessive in protein and vitality, simple to eat, and make a scrumptious deal with.
House is a critical consideration relating to selecting the best DofE meals, too. You don’t wish to be packing snacks that take up an excessive amount of room or have a lot of pointless packaging, so keep away from issues like huge luggage of crisps.
To make your life simpler within the evenings, take a look at our scrumptious vary of Tenting Meals. These are well packaged, and are easy to make up once you’re drained within the night.
Prime suggestions for making ready to your DofE expedition
In the case of your DofE expedition, it’s essential to be ready for many eventualities. Luckily, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award web site has a wealth of data concerning how it is best to prepare for the expedition a part of the necessities – which yow will discover via their Assets and Instruments web page.
A few of the prime suggestions we’ve discovered that can assist you prepare to your expedition:
- Verify the extent of proficiency you want for the mode of transport you select – that is important to maintaining you protected.
- It is best to have an affordable stage of health to get via the necessities.
- Study some primary survival expertise, like navigation, route planning, and primary cooking.
- Ensure you know primary first help.
Get DofE prepared with Winfields Outdoor
At Winfields Outdoor, we all know how implausible of a chance the Duke of Edinburgh Award could be – which is why we’re eager to share every little thing we all know to make your life simpler. Alongside our DofE package checklist above, why not take a look at our devoted Duke of Edinburgh Clothes and Equipment that can assist you put together to your journey?
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