DofE - The Duke of Edinburgh's Award

We offer our students the chance to participate in the three levels:

Bronze, which is started in Year 10.

Silver, which is start in Year 11.

Gold, which is started in Year 12.

Each level has four sections;

• Service

• Skill

• Physical Recreation

• Expedition.

The expeditions are organised by the school but students are responsible for the other three sections. Expedition training varies between levels. At Bronze level, you train one lunchtime per week from December to June. Silver and Gold normally involve one planning day (usually a Sunday) in the term before each expedition and two training days on location immediately before the expedition. Equipment can be provided by the school but as you progress through the levels you may wish to obtain your own gear. Many staff and former students have been involved in the Award over the years at Hemel Hempstead School and we would like to acknowledge their contributions here. Without their help the current team would not be able to run the expeditions! Thank you!

Bronze Award

Service

This is all about helping people and the community. It could include helping with ATC, Boys Brigade, Cubs, Scouts, and Guides. It could be any Youth work with your local church, taking a first aid course or helping in a charity shop. If you are a Sports Leader or help run a lunchtime activity at school this would count.

Skill

This is all about discovering new hobbies and interests (or improving one you already do). If you play an instrument you are halfway there! There are nearly 200 suggestions on the website (www.dofe.org) ranging from Astronomy to Stamp collecting.

Physical Recreation

This is the perfect opportunity to take up a new sport and get fit at the same time (ready for the expeditions). Again, check www.dofe.org for examples, ranging from archery to yoga. Those of you who play sport on a regular basis for a local team would be able to count this as your physical activity. All of these sections require 3 months commitment; you must choose one to follow for 6 months.

The Expedition

This involves preparing for, and carrying out, an adventurous journey as part of a team. HHS takes their students on their expedition in the Chilterns at the end of June; the expedition lasts for two days and involves an overnight camp. If you don’t get lost you should walk about 25 km.

Training

This covers a wide range of essential skills and knowledge to prove yourselves competent to go out on expedition. Topics include first aid, camp craft, how to put up tents and cook food, how to read a map, what to wear, the countryside code, how to avoid blisters and how to use a compass. There is a combination of on-line training sessions and a practical competency day, usually held towards the end of May.

Silver Award

The Silver level is followed in year eleven. It includes the same four sections but the time factor changes. The Skill section and Physical Recreation section have to be three and six months minimum (but you choose which is which). You should take the opportunity to ring the changes from Bronze but if you do want to continue the same activity you must be able to show further progress. The Service section is six months.

At Silver level you must be prepared for a more physically demanding expedition. There will be a practice expedition in mid-October, usually in Derbyshire, which will consist of a training day and then a three-day expedition involving two overnight camps and a route of approximately 50 km.

There is a planning day for this, usually on a Sunday in September. The Qualifying expedition will be in the third week of July and will either be in the Lake District or Snowdonia. As for the practice expedition there will be planning days in May and then two training days on location immediately prior to the actual expedition.

Gold Award

You begin the Gold level after GCSE’s when you enter the sixth form and, as you would expect, the expectations are higher. The Skill and Physical Recreation sections have to be six and twelve months minimum (again, you can choose), and the Service Section is now twelve months.

The practice expedition is just before Easter in the Brecon Beacons, at Dulwich Field Centre. There is a planning day at the end of January and the expedition consists of a training day on location immediately followed by a four-day expedition. This involves three overnight camps and a total route of about 80 km. The Qualifying expedition will be in the third week of July and alternates between the Lake District or Snowdonia. As for the practice expedition there will be a planning day in May and then two training days on location immediately prior to the actual expedition.

Once you have completed the four sections at Gold level, you must complete the Residential section. This will involve you in a project where you work with a group of young people (none of whom you know) for around five days. This gives you the opportunity to meet new people, work as part of a team and show initiative. For more details go to www.dofe.org and check out the residential section information.