DofE

What is it?

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, or DofE, is the world’s leading youth achievement award, giving millions of 14- to 25-year-olds the opportunity to be the very best they can be. It is a voluntary, non-competitive programme of practical, cultural and adventurous activities, designed to support the personal and social development of young people aged 14-25. It offers an individual challenge and encourages young people to undertake exciting, constructive and enjoyable activities in their free time, with a well-recognised award at the end to show a possible employer their determination to commit and undertake challenges.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) develops young people for life and work.  It helps you to fulfil your potential and have a brighter future.  For many young people, the impact can be life changing.

At Pensby High School students can complete the Bronze award in Year 9 and the Silver award in Year 10.

The DofE gives you the chance to do something completely new and improve on things you’re already doing. It takes you out of your comfort zone and into a place where you’ll push yourself and have amazing new experiences. You’ll build confidence, resilience, skills for work and develop friendship groups, and you’ll have a brilliant time doing it.

Looking forward, the DofE can help you to carve out a better future. Colleges, universities and employers regard a DofE Award highly so it will help to open the right doors for you. If you’re keen to get off the sofa and put 100% into something that could change your life, the DofE is for you.

At Pensby High School, we embark on a whole year group approach to enrolment with the Bronze and Silver awards. All students involved have been an asset to school, staff and parents. They have all overcome personal challenges especially with the expedition section (not without drama!) and done us all proud.

Roald Dahl once said, “The more risks you allow children to take, the better they learn to take care of themselves.”

I think we could all remain within our comfort zones, happily doing all the things that are easy and undemanding. It may well be that we would be happy living our lives this way, not knowing anything better.

Conversely, we can challenge ourselves, take risks, seek to discover more than we know and enjoy those “brave new worlds” of which Shakespeare’s Prospero spoke. This can be as simple as removing our shoes and standing (or, even better, jumping) in puddles. It could be climbing a tree, learning to paddle a katakanu or putting up a tent.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award offers you the chance to step outside comfort zones.

A participant, once registered onto the eDofE may access their online account at any time and from anywhere is the world where they are able to obtain an internet connection. Each participant is allocated an individual id number, a username and password following initial log in, they choose their own. Please make a note and remember the new password that you choose!

There is also the welcome edition of a new mobile phone App, students can use this to log into eDofE, add evidence like photos and videos and update sections. You can download the app free from the Google Play/App store.

Above all, participation in “The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award” is voluntary and each award is driven by the individual. Full training in the use of the online system will be given, additional assistance is available in weekly drop-in sessions in the SSC. However, it is essential that students realise they must take full responsibility for undertaking and completing all sections of their award. It is their award no one else’s!

• Volunteering – The section is all about doing something for someone else. Commit to giving some of your time and energy to help others. You could find something that is within your School, local community or in a wider area. Make a difference somewhere or to someone or perhaps a whole community. Also, plenty of options available in departments at School for the volunteering section!
• Physical – This section is designed to develop a participant’s health and fitness levels, whilst encouraging them to push themselves outside their comfort zone. This could be to achieve new heights in an existing activity that you are already participating in or out of School. Perhaps you could try something new. You could choose something extra-curricular in School at P.E. sports clubs!
• Skill – Develop an existing skill or learn a new one? Developing a skill helps you get better at something you are really interested in and gives you the confidence and ability to use this skill both now and later in life. School offers the chance to do many extra-curricular things in this section, from gardening club to language leaders to cooking club and many more…

The first three sections ask the participant to commit to the activity for at least one hour each week and keep this commitment for the required period of time. Establish some goals, decide who is going to “Assess” their progress and in turn write a short report on their undertaking. Collect evidence to support the participant’s activities and upload this data to their online account via eDofE or the App.

• Expedition – This is often seen as the most important part of the award but is just one part which makes up the whole. Participants will complete this section by attending training sessions, a Practice Expedition and an Assessed Expedition. Training includes: – understanding map reading, contour lines, features and landforms, using a compass, measuring distance travelled and time taken, first aid, Check points, camp craft, camp cooking and food planning, kit, bag packing, safety, conditions of the award & the countryside code.

What will it cost?

There are two main costs:

• Enrolment for DofE: £28 (To be paid by Friday 29 September)

eDofE is your registration fee, paid to register you as a candidate.  This gets you an online profile used to record your progress in each of the sections.  If you want to do DofE, you have to have an eDofE account.

• Bronze Expeditions per trip: £100 (£200 in total for the expedition section) – One training expedition trip and one assessment expedition trip.
• Silver Expeditions per trip: £130 (£260 in total for the expedition section) – One training expedition trip and one assessment expedition trip.

Payment for the expedition will be due to be paid by 29 March 2024.

How long does it take?

 It takes at least six months to achieve the Bronze Award, twelve months for Silver and eighteen months for Gold.

Why should I do DofE?

When you do DofE, you’ll develop the skills and attitudes you need to help develop as rounded, confident adults.  These are qualities that colleges, universities and employers are attracted to.

Some of the qualities you will develop include:

• Self-belief and self-confidence
• A sense of identity and responsibility
• Initiative
• A real awareness of your strengths
• New talents and abilities
• The ability to plan and use time effectively.
• The ability to learn from and give to others in the community.
• New friendships
• Problem solving, presentation and communication skills.
• Leadership and team-working skills

 Are there any other costs?

Yes, you will also need to provide your own food to eat on the expeditions, but don’t worry, you’ll receive full expedition training and a guide to the types of foods to bring. You will also receive an expedition guide booklet.

However, at school we loan free of charge all group expedition kit including:

• Expedition Rucksacks
• Rain covers, liners.
• Tents
• Cooking stoves and fuel
• Sleeping mats
• First Aid kits
• Maps
• Compass

I want to speak to someone to find out more!

Ok then! Mr A Davies is the DofE Manager for the school. You’ll find him in the on the E Corridor or email dofe@psf.wirral.sch.uk