Duke of Edinburgh

[donna123]

Our DofE are asking for people to assist. I would like to help but I'm not sure what they are looking for. I have no particular skills e.g. I'm not a first aider.
Help - what should I put in the e-mail?

[madwomanintheattic]

exactly that - sometimes they are just looking for people to talk through plans with the young people (ie which skills/ sports etc) and sometimes they want more 'hands-on' stuff like teaching to map read and planning/ supervising exped etc. have you got lightweight camping skills?

i did it year ago, it's great fun.

are you crb checked etc? worth putting that in too if so. anyone who is keen can generally help out somehow.

[donna123]

ROFL my camping skills are definitely lightweight!
I am not CRB checked - have never needed to be.

[madwomanintheattic]

not essential lol - that did sound funny when i read it back

i just meant that someone who can put up a tent and light a stove is always useful - packing a rucksack etc

but there are bound to be other things you can do lol - it's not all exped, there's loads of other stuff and all the background admin too. have you got a handbook/ familiar with the awards?

ours used to have the opportunity to help out on a week-long residential holiday for underprivileged local children, for example - the 'helpers' needed supervising as well lol.

send them a quick e-mail and ask them what they need help with. is it a school group or a local community group? i've done both but not for ages, so it might be quite different times for their meetings etc.

[donna123]

I would love to do the expeditions. I fancy yomping over mountains but I would prefer a B&B (with a hot bath and warm fluffy towels!) to a tent. And anyway, the leaders don't yomp do they? They just cruise around in a minibus checking on the kids and handing out emergency Kendal Mint Cake.
I could do admin but I do that for the day job so I want something more exciting.

[madwomanintheattic]

quite right - you can do a bit of optional romping
(actually it's not quite so optional if you lose a team and have to try and work out where they've gone...)
but kendal mint cake profferers always needed.