Duke of Edinburgh's Award Programme

The Duke of Edinburgh Award Programme has been running for half a century and is probably the highest-profile youth programme that there is. Of all co-curricular activities, it is the most highly prized by the major employers of graduates. At each of the three levels - Bronze, Silver and Gold - participants undertake Volunteering, develop a Skill and engage in Physical Activity. There is a rigid framework that establishes how long the various sections must take, but there is almost no limit to the variety of activities that will count. Participants may stick with current enthusiasms or they may try something new: all that matters is that they should set themselves some goals and then make personal progress while working towards them. Each activity is overseen by an adult assessor, who writes a short report when the time requirement has been met.  

Perhaps the best-known component of the programme is the Expedition. In teams of between four and seven, participants plan a journey in considerable detail, and then undertake it, while being monitored by an external assessor. During the journey they must undertake a project, and they must give a presentation based on their project when the journey is over. The scale of the Expedition ranges from two days with one night under canvas at a relatively civilised camp site for Bronze to a 60-mile, four-day hike, including three camps at wild locations for Gold. Many young people rate the Expedition as one of the most enjoyable activities they undertake in their teenage years or early twenties.  

The Award Programme has been available to all Wykehamists on a voluntary basis for four years and about a quarter of those eligible are currently following a programme. Participants may enrol for the Bronze Award as soon as they reach the age of 14 and, indeed, early enrolment provides much the smoothest passage to achieving Gold by the time of UCAS applications. There is no regular weekly commitment: participants put in the necessary hours at times that are individually convenient to them and their mentors. The Co-ordinator is available to advise participants on weekday afternoons. Expedition training is carried out by fully qualified dons and helpers at appropriate moments through the year.  

The detailed requirements are quite complex: more information is available nationally on http://www.dofe.org or locally on our own web-site.