What is the Duke of
Edinburgh's Award (DofE)?
University is not just about lectures and assignments. It's also about making friends, being active and pursuing new experiences. DofE takes you to a place where you'll push yourself and have amazing new experiences.
You'll earn confidence, resilience, skills and friendship groups and have a brilliant time doing it. It also gives you the added benefit of gaining a competitive edge as employers regard a DofE Award highly so it will help open the right doors for you. Many of the skills you gain can be applied to your studies as well as your personal and social development.
DofE at Surrey Union is organsied by our student Ambasador Finn Corcoran
"I've used DofE to take me everywhere from the Scottish Highlands to the USA to South Africa and gained lifelong friends and unique memories all along the way. Currently I'm just waiting on an expedition to complete my Gold award. I'm studying Civil Engineering and hope to take this into my Army career. Outside of DofE I enjoy the outdoors, fitness and partying. The past year has been, I think we can all agree very strange, but my hope is that when restrictions are lifted we can all go away to somewhere new and have a blast completing our awards together on an expedition!"
About DofE
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award is an internationally recognised programme where participants can gain recognition for extra-curricular activities that involve helping the community/environment, becoming healthier, developing new skills, planning, training for and completing an expedition and working with a team.
Any student can do their DofE – regardless of ability, gender, background or location. Achieving an Award isn't a competition or about being first. It's all about setting personal challenges and pushing personal boundaries.
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award is a registered charity, funded by donations, Participation Places and licences. The charity works with all of those to increase opportunities available for you to gain the benefits of doing your DofE.
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award is an internationally recognised programme where participants can gain recognition for extra-curricular activities that contribute to personal and skill development. The programme is open to anyone under the age of 25 – there are three different levels you can take part in, Bronze, Silver or Gold.
There are
five sections to the programme:
Volunteering – undertaking voluntary service to individuals or the local community
Skill – developing practical and social skills and personal interests
Physical – improving in an area of sport, dance or fitness activities
Expedition – planning, training for and completing an adventurous journey in the UK or abroad
Residential – At Gold level, participants must complete an extra Residential section – which involves staying and working away from home, completing a shared activity.
| Bronze
| Silver
| Gold
|
Volunteering
| 3 months
| 6 months
| 12 months
|
Skill
| 3 months
| One section for 6 months, the other for 3 months | One section for 12 months, the other for 6 months |
Physical
| 3 month
|
Expedition
| 2 days, 1 night
| 3 days, 2 nights. At least 7 hours of planned activity each day
| 3 days, 2 nights. At least 7 hours of planned activity each day
|
Residential
|
|
| Shared activity away from home for 4 nights and 5 days with people you don't know
|
| | NB: All Bronze participants must undertake a further 3 months in any of these three sections to a total of 6 months
| NB: Silver participants who have not achieved their Bronze Award must undertake a further 6 months in either the volunteering or the longer of the skills and physical sections
| NB: Gold participants (who have not completed their Bronze or Silver) must undertake a further 6 months in either the volunteering or the longer of the skills and physical sections
|
Costs
All those who wish to take part in the DofE programme must buy a 'Participation Place' – these cost £27 for Bronze or Silver and £35 for Gold (this cost includes postage). Once you've paid, you will receive:
- A Welcome Pack
- DofE Reward Card (15% off at Cotswold Outdoor)
- An Achievement Pack
- Limited personal accident insurance for DofE activities
- Your certificate and badge once you have completed all sections
- An invitation to a Gold Award presentation ceremony (Gold level only)
After that, the costs are up to you - how much it costs will depend on the activities you choose to do. When it comes to the Expedition section you can ask around and borrow items to keep the costs down.
For more information or to sign up, email Ian Handy, Volunteer Coordinator and DofE Manager on i.handy@surrey.ac.uk
PAYMENT
email Ian Handy, Volunteer Coordinator and DofE Manager on i.handy@surrey.ac.uk
