Clubs Duke of Edinburgh Award
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The Duke of Edinburgh Award
The school works with the Helensburgh Open Award Centre, currently based at Colgrain Community Centre to offer young people the opportunity to enroll and take part in the Duke of Edinburgh Award. Once a week we run training sessions at the centre to help youngsters complete the training for the Expedition section of the Award.
So…..What is it? The Duke of Edinburgh Award programme is a real adventure from beginning to end. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you’re from. You just need to be aged between 14 and 24 and realise there’s more to life than sitting on a sofa watching life pass you by. You can do programmes at three levels, Bronze, Silver or Gold, which lead to a Duke of Edinburgh's Award. You achieve an Award by completing a personal programme of activities in four sections (five if you're going for Gold). You'll find yourself helping people or the community, getting fitter, developing skills, going on an expedition and taking part in a residential activity (Gold only). But here's the best bit - you get to choose what you do! Along the way you’ll pick up experiences, friends and talents that will stay with you for the rest of your life.
Why do it? Because, from the first day to the last, it’s a real adventure. Every section gives you something different - that's the fun of it! You’ll enjoy loads of new experiences, discover talents you never thought you had, challenge yourself and meet loads of people just like you. Plus you’ll do things you love and get a kick out of. Then there’s all the other stuff… …like the fact that achieving an Award will give you skills, confidence and a view on life that everyone is looking for, from employers to colleges and universities. ...you're getting recognised for doing things you want to do (and may even be doing already). ...plus you’ll make a difference to other people’s lives and your community, be fitter and healthier, make new friends and have memories to last you a lifetime. And above all, it's a great laugh! The question should really be why wouldn't you bother!
The levels of the Award
There are three levels of programme you can do which, when you've successfully completed lead to a Bronze, Silver or Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. The main differences between them are the minimum length of time it takes to complete them, how challenging it is and the minimum age you can start.
Depending on your age, you are free to start at any level but most people prefer to try for Bronze and work upwards. There are age restrictions for each one so it makes sense to build yourself up rather than dive in at the deep end.
Don’t forget, you have until your 25th birthday to complete whichever level you’re working on and achieve an Award.
The table below shows the different overall age restrictions and time requirements for each level.
The Sections
You achieve an Award by completing a personal programme of activities in four sections (five if you're going for Gold). These sections are:
The length of time you have to spend on each section depends on the level of programme you're doing.
How long does it take to complete each level?
If you want to know more about the Award visit www.dofe.org.uk or see Miss Harwood.
Helensburgh Open Award Centre Programme October ’09 to Sept ’10
Proposed Expedition Dates for 2010
Report on the demands of the Bronze Award by an Award Participant
The Bronze Duke of Edinburgh award has proved to be a real achievement, despite consisting of a lot of hard work. To complete the award we needed patience & commitment, however we enjoyed ourselves & after the expedition we all had our own stories & experiences to share. During the 2 day expedition, my group sang, played music, admired the scenery & mainly ate – to keep up our strength – of course! This helped us whilst we trekked over the rocky hills & through the mud! My group enjoyed cooking our meals in the open air on a tranjia stove. We ate big cooked meals to give us energy to climb up the hills. However not all our experiences were as rewarding as we took a few wrong turns which got us a bit lost! But we did not let this deter us from our goal. We also had to cope with the great Scottish weather, but we battled on through the wind and rain. This made it harder to be positive, but we managed as we worked together as a group. Overall I feel this award has helped me forge stronger friendships and has helped me make new friends and I have learnt lots of new skills. I enjoyed the whole experience and gained a huge sense of achievement after completing the expedition & the other sections of the award. I am now looking forward to the challenge of the Silver practice & assessed expedition.
Silver Practice
To complete the expedition section of the Award, candidates have to plan their route using 1:5000 OS maps. They then have to produce route cards outlining the distance and direction of travel, approximate timings, escape routes and they can outline any exploration work that they may want to undertake e.g. looking at old settlements/ sheilings. These skills are taught in navigation sessions.
The group chose to complete their Silver practice on foot. They had to plan to walk for three days and camp for two nights and cook for themselves.
At times the terrain can be hard work, but the camp sites and the views can be worth it!
Silver Assessed
In June 2007 our Silver group decided to set themselves a real challenge by planning to complete their assessed expedition in Morocco, North Africa. The group completed their assessment in the Imlil region which is in the Toubkal massif mountain range.
They had to trek, at altitude, and camp in the area.
They also had the opportunity to trek to the summit of the highest peak in the range, Jebel Toubkal at 4167m.
After the trekking phase was complete, they had the chance to visit Marrakech and visit the local souks and a traditional Berber pharmacy.
On their final evening they had a meal on the roof top of a restaurant in the main square and had the chance to watch the fire eaters and snake charmers.
Gold
Our current Gold group has chosen to complete their expedition section by sea kayak. As such they have been working with instructors at Blairvadach Outdoor Centre to learn how to kayak. They have to demonstrate certain skills and knowledge before they will be able to undertake their practice and assessed expeditions.
The group are currently using water charts, tidal information and maps to help them select suitable venues for their trips.
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