Adventurous Journey

The Adventurous Journey section encourages a sense of adventure and discovery while undertaking a team journey. As part of a small team, participants plan, train for and undertake a journey with a purpose in an unfamiliar environment. The Adventurous Journey must be planned and undertaken by the full team in unison.

The journey can be an exploration or an expedition but must be a challenge. The aim of this section is to provide participants with the opportunity to learn more about the wider environment, as well as to develop their self-confidence, teamwork and health. Participants are taken out of their comfort zone but kept within a safe and secure setting, achieved through suitable training prior to the trip and in-direct supervision on the trip.

Examples of Adventurous Journeys (explorations and expeditions):

Completing a demanding journey by foot, cycle, canoe or kayak
Exploring river valleys, plant studies, exploring human impact: visitor pressure in national parks, pollution
Kayaking the entire navigable stretch of a river
Developing a cycling trip

Adventurous Journey Policy

The school has established certain requirements for students participating in Adventurous Journeys. Prior to embarking on their first outing, students must fill out Parental/Guardian Consent Form for for each Adventurous Journey. Additionally, parents and guardians are obligated to confirm that they have examined their children's rucksacks for prohibited items like alcohol, drugs, tobacco, and other illicit substances.

During Adventurous Journeys, participants fall under the direct supervision of the Adventurous Journey Supervisors and are expected to adhere to their directives.

The Adventurous Journey Section of The Award is unique in that it necessitates participants to function as part of a team. Consequently, participants are not just encouraged to collaborate and make collective decisions, but they are also held accountable for the outcomes of their choices and actions as a team. Should any member or members of an Adventurous Journey team misbehave or disregard the policies, procedures, and regulations outlined on the school's website, the entire team may face disciplinary action from the school and may even be required to repeat the given Adventurous Journey.

For Adventurous Journeys commencing at the end of a school day, students are expected to attend all their classes until the end of the school day. Unjustified absences on that day may result in disqualification from participating in the Adventurous Journey. Subsequent to an Adventurous Journey, students are expected to resume their regular school attendance the following weekday.

Two individuals from the Local Center are involved in the expedition process: the trainer and the assessor. In most cases, these individuals are educators and DofE leaders. The trainer is responsible for pre-expedition preparation, leading training, and advising the expedition team. The assessor confirms the fulfillment of DofE conditions that apply to DofE expeditions. These conditions primarily focus on the team's self-sufficiency and independence throughout all expedition phases (equipment preparation, route planning, and execution). You can find a complete list of all conditions and areas of expedition training on the subsequent pages of this document.

Adventurous Journey Safety is of paramount importance. The DofE's approach entails participants engaging in unaccompanied travel in unfamiliar and remote wilderness areas to foster self-reliance and a spirit of adventure. Participants often spend more than 4-5 hours on their own and camp overnight without direct adult supervision, particularly in the Silver/Gold Award category, where supervisors and assessors may only briefly interact with participants 1-2 times every 24 hours.

The issue of safety during Adventurous Journeys is treated with utmost seriousness by the school. The DofE places a strong emphasis on incident prevention through best practices rather than managing emergencies. To this end, all participants are trained in first aid and emergency procedures before commencing any Adventurous Journey activities. However, accidents such as snake bites, heat exhaustion, hypothermia, and shock may still occur.

Hence, students and parents must recognise the inherent risks associated with participating in DofE activities. When students opt for The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award Scheme, they knowingly accept exposure to these inherent risks.

Given that all Adventurous Journeys are considered official School Trips, the school, parents, and participants are expected to adhere to the School's established Code of Conduct at all times. Moreover, participants are strictly prohibited from possessing alcohol, tobacco, drugs, or any other addictive substances, as well as wearing clothing or displaying flags or banners promoting political parties or football clubs. This prohibition extends to country flags as well.

Participants are expected to:

Avoid taking unnecessary risks
Follow the instructions of the Supervisors at all times
Respect the property of others, nature, and the local community
Remain in close proximity to their team members at all times and avoid separation
Refrain from leaving the campsite during the night
Always stay on designated paths
Adhere to the AJ rules i.e. use of technology.

Any participant who tarnishes the School's reputation through their behaviour during Adventurous Journeys or other activities will face disciplinary action from the school, along with potential financial liabilities resulting from their actions.

Regarding mobile phones and other electronic devices, each Adventurous Journey group will collect from the Activities Office 1 ISP mobile phone and GPS on hand for emergencies. While on the journey, mobile phones may only be used in emergencies to contact the Adventurous Journey supervisors. However, in remote areas with no network coverage, participants must rely on established emergency procedures and first aid, potentially excluding contact with the safety vehicle provided in the Adventurous Journey area, and instead, depending on their group's resources. Inappropriate mobile phone use may result in the group having to repeat the Adventurous Journey.

Participants are strictly prohibited from carrying or using any electronic devices with communication capabilities, SIM cards, or internet access. Possession of such devices during an Adventurous Journey will require the entire group to repeat the journey.

In the event of a participant needing to withdraw from an ongoing Adventurous Journey for any reason, the supervising authority must be notified promptly. The student who withdraws must still adhere to the supervisor's instructions, including arrangements for transportation home, as they remain part of an official school trip.

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