', Probably worrying about the weather ...out of our control! Each section of your DofE nurtures a different combination of soft skills – for example, to complete your Expedition section you need to be able to work in a team but also be self-sufficient and organised. All participants, from each of the teams, had already completed (or in one or two cases, very nearly completed) the other sections of their programmes. overnight.'. By following these guiding principles, DofE aims to give any young person the opportunity to complete their DofE programme, regardless of their personal circumstances. It has been very successful with many students following it through from Bronze to Gold award. This makes the expedition section more accessible to all. Becoming an Army Cadet has heaps of benefits. And knowing that I have facilitated an expedition that will have such a positive and long-lasting impact on a young person’s life, regardless of their ability, gender, background or location. An Award Leader is the frontline of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award (the Award) and is a person who works, or volunteers, with youth as part of a larger organisation, such as a school, Scouts, Guides, Cadets, or community organisation. Life Skills Technical/Vocational skills: Business management: Accounting: Financial literacy: Hairdressing: Entrepreneurship: Mechanics: Health awareness: Engineering : Fashion Performance skills: Furniture making/restoration: Drama and theatre skills: Metal work: Circus skills: Tailoring: Puppetry: Carpentry: Magic: Cookery: Yo-yoing : Speedcubing : Studies : Historical : Cultural Bronze is typically available in Year 10 and Silver and Gold are available to Sixth Formers. (function( timeout ) { With the guidance of your Award Leader, identify your Assessor(s). The walk was tiring for some, but it was great to take some time out and really appreciate our surroundings. Therefore, I too had something to learn from these recent expeditions: I developed my campcraft training skills. Also not knowing where he was going and his anxiety about the unknown, but he coped and enjoyed himself and the challenge. We journeyed along the Grand Union Canal on a specially adapted narrow boat, using a bag of sensory props to map out the different experiences the pupils may encounter along the way. The Duke of Edinburgh Award enables students to help people or the local community, become fitter, develop skills, and take part in two expeditions. ); Alternative therapies • Cookery • Democracy in action • Digital lifestyle • Driving: car maintenance/car road skills • Driving: motorcycle maintenance/ road skills • Event planning • First aid – St John/ St Andrew/ BRCS • Hair & beauty • Learning about the emergency services • Learning about the RNLI (Lifeboats) • Library & information skills • Life skills • Massage • Money management • Navigation • Public speaking and debating • Skills … The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) has become part of our culture at The Abbey. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award The ACF and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award are a perfect fit! 3. It is a pr ogramme of practical, cultural and adventurous activities for all young people between the ages of 14 and 25 irrespective of their background or culture. Sleeping in school became the best way to meet the varying complexities of each pupils’ needs for the overnight stay, with waking overnight staff to support with this. Every time I assess a team, I am aware that my navigational skills are improving. Words by Pauline Stirling . In addition to completing their choice of Physical Recreation, a Skill and Volunteering in the community, participants undertake a Residential Project of 5 days/4 nights and two Adventurous Journeys of 4 days/3 nights in the great outdoors. The Duke of Edinburgh award has been part of the schools extra curricular activities for nearly twenty years. The Duke of Edinburgh Award believes that not all learning happens in the classroom and our aim is to help equip young Canadians aged 14-24 for success in life. What’s more, many organisations, such as employers and universities love it and what it says about you as person. The expedition section, in particular, requires resilience and commitment, at all levels. Set yourself challenging and realistic goals, in consultation with your Assessor(s). All participants required additional support and guidance from adults in one way or another, both in the planning and preparation of the expedition and during the expedition itself. It helps to enhance your UCAS, CV and job applications. It has allowed us to showcase what our pupils are capable of, given the appropriate support and encouragement. setTimeout( This approach is certainly something I can take away from this experience. At GSSC we are aspirational about the achievements of each one of our pupils, and support everyone to make a contribution to their wider community. Variations to these conditions may be granted in exceptional circumstances based on the needs of the individual participant. ', 'Overnight camp and ensuring powered wheelchair was charged. Top employers recognise the work-ready skills Award holders bring to their business . Four participants mentioned that the people skills and management skills they gained from the Award assist them in their every-day life activities. Both recognised that They stay calm when things go wrong, stop what they’re doing, assess the situation and make informed decisions. 2. ), meet new people and check out different campsites. In rural Kenya, in an area with high levels of poverty, high murder rates and cattle rustling, Abdikadir Ismail is using The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award to help his students become #WORLDREADY. The Gold Award is the finale in the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme and requires significant responsibility, effort and a commitment of at least 18 months. notice.style.display = "block"; Due to Covid-19, these courses are exclusively available online and can be attended from the comfort of your home. Over the last few weekends, I have been fortunate in assessing three quite different DofE teams of young people with additional needs on their expeditions. 6 I also thoroughly enjoyed assessing each of these recent expeditions, as I have enjoyed assessing every DofE expedition. The DofE award was founded by The Duke of Edinburgh in 1956. All of our pupils in Post 16 work towards the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award as part of their bespoke curriculum. In order for the young people to complete their expeditions safely, they had all been very well-trained in things like crossing roads, cooking and just looking out for each other. About The Duke of Edinburgh Award. The results are growth in all areas: confidence, community connection, health and , fitness, life skills, passion, and more. The value of a DofE Award to any young person cannot be underestimated. However, it makes me wonder what else they have taken away from the expedition? The most obvious being that you get to take part in loads of exciting and challenging activities such as fieldcraft, adventure training, first aid, music, sports and shooting, to name but a few. The initial idea came from the Duke and his Headmaster, Kurth Hahn, at Gordonstoun School. This could also count towards the volunteering element … The personal and non-competitive nature of a DofE programme means that participants from different and diverse starting points can equally be proud of achieving a certificate based on their own personal challenge and development. This group was small but quite mixed including pupils with Autism, and physical needs. © 2021 Greenfields Specialist School for Communication, Pupil Premium and Year 7 Catch Up Funding, Pre-formal Curriculum (Detectives and Explorers). When asked to apply their DofE experience to an interview setting, respondents said they had gained and could demonstrate skills in self-management, problem solving, team working, communication, resilience, commitment, self-reliance, a positive approach to work as well as new skills gained in the four sections. The Duke of Edinburgh Award is a universally recognised award for outstanding effort and commitment and shows that a young person has gone above and beyond in order to achieve it. An award for the modern day The Duke of Edinburgh Award was originally designed to be an award based upon Public Services, fitness and outdoor pursuits and quickly gained respect for the quality of its content and the skills and qualities that it imparted upon … The Duke of Edinburgh Award is delivered during the school day, with the exception of the Expedition’s overnight stay which usually takes place in the summer term of Year 13. Crafty skills: Soft toy making, jewellery making and even knitting are also perfectly feasible DofE skills you could learn, allowing you to gain an interesting new hobby and complete your Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Each section of a DofE programme gives young people an opportunity to be independent, self-sufficient and to be challenged. The Duke of Edinburgh Award is the best preparation we could provide for each pupils for their life after GSSC. The achievement of a Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award is testament to overcoming personal challenges. DofE is highly thought of by Universities and big businesses as it shows commitment, team building, communication, leadership and many other skills. two To be awarded the bronze, silver or gold level, an individual must develop self-motivation, perseverance and organizational skills. Students have volunteered at numerous primary schools, sports clubs and theatre companies, and have developed skills ranging from Steel Pans to Sign language. These young people will have the Award and also, following the expedition, they will have better navigational skills and campcraft skills. See the list below to identify the type of skills you’ve gained or are gaining. display: none !important;